Jim Goetz

Dr. Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

Salt is Both Good and Bad

Dr. Mike Brandon

 

Let me start off with the notion that I love salt and I always have. I was never one to add salt to my foods, but I’m certainly guilty of seeking out high sodium snacks as a preference, especially when I’m tired. I’ve been reprimanded many times for just saying that I like salt and then lectured on how it’ll raise my blood pressure, give me a heart attack, destroy my kidneys, and so on. Yes, I generally eat “healthy”, exercise regularly, but is that enough? How quickly is my salt addiction killing me? Let’s find out.

 

Firstly let’s point out that salt is an essential mineral, meaning it is critical and required for several life functions. As usual, too much of a good thing flips the switch, but rarely do I hear people saying that they were told to slightly lower their sodium as much as completely remove it from all possible dietary sources, especially if they are hypertensive, which 1 out of 3 of us Americans are. The fun part comes in though when research is scrutinized and we realize that changing the salt levels in our diet for the general population made only a very minor change on blood pressure at 4mmhg/2mmhg. Meaning if your blood pressure is 140/90, limiting salt on average will bring you down to 136/88, which isn’t very different clinically. Then add the fact that low levels of salt have actually been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease, wait, are we confused yet?

 

So before I go too deep into this topic, lets state that yes, sodium does increase blood pressure, but each time you eat a salt laden meal, it only slightly raises your BP for 2 to 3 hours, and hydration levels will certainly affect this. But a meta-analysis of over 6000 subjects showed that lowering salt intake had no strong correlation to better heart health, but it did present that sodium restriction increased fatality of those with heart failure! There has been conflicting evidence the last few years on this, so lets briefly discuss why.

 

Many of us eat processed foods daily, and with many of us, its all we eat. Almost all processed foods are very high is salt and sugar (we will be returning to that topic shortly), and very low in potassium.  High sodium diets only minimally affect some people, not everybody, and it’s believed to be from not having enough potassium (K+) to level it out. K+ is heart protective against sodium, as well as it’s Na+’s counter part to proper pH levels and BP control. People who have low K+ levels with high salt, as opposed to equal amounts of both (high, normal, or low) are twice as likely to die from a heart attack.

 

Even most of our meats are injected with salt solutions, including many brands of organic meat, specifically steak and chicken. Why? Salt absorbs water, and in the food industry, meat is sold by weight. Inject a little extra salt and saline mix into your 2 lbs chicken, and now it’s 3.5 lbs!...that’s unfortunately why

 

Of course, not all salt is created equal. Table salt found in shakers are stripped of many minerals found in natural salt such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, cobalt, etc, as well as given anti-clumping chemicals to make it easy to sift through; it should be clumpy and crumbly

 

So If I’m willing to stand here and say that sodium isn’t detrimental against your health, than why have we been told differently so often, and why do certain diets like the DASH diet that cuts salt out work so well to lower BP? Well, there are a few patterns here at BioHacker Nation that we just can’t seem to avoid every week, and they are bioavailability, and lower sugar; this is based around the later.

 

Added sugars, particularly fructose, has been shown to increase BP significantly higher than salt does, not to mention its correlation with atherosclerosis which is correlated to high BP as well as heart attack rates, inflammation markers, and insulin resistance. The average American e

Jim Goetz

Dr. Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

Salt is Both Good and Bad

Dr. Mike Brandon

 

Let me start off with the notion that I love salt and I always have. I was never one to add salt to my foods, but I’m certainly guilty of seeking out high sodium snacks as a preference, especially when I’m tired. I’ve been reprimanded many times for just saying that I like salt and then lectured on how it’ll raise my blood pressure, give me a heart attack, destroy my kidneys, and so on. Yes, I generally eat “healthy”, exercise regularly, but is that enough? How quickly is my salt addiction killing me? Let’s find out.

 

Firstly let’s point out that salt is an essential mineral, meaning it is critical and required for several life functions. As usual, too much of a good thing flips the switch, but rarely do I hear people saying that they were told to slightly lower their sodium as much as completely remove it from all possible dietary sources, especially if they are hypertensive, which 1 out of 3 of us Americans are. The fun part comes in though when research is scrutinized and we realize that changing the salt levels in our diet for the general population made only a very minor change on blood pressure at 4mmhg/2mmhg. Meaning if your blood pressure is 140/90, limiting salt on average will bring you down to 136/88, which isn’t very different clinically. Then add the fact that low levels of salt have actually been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease, wait, are we confused yet?

 

So before I go too deep into this topic, lets state that yes, sodium does increase blood pressure, but each time you eat a salt laden meal, it only slightly raises your BP for 2 to 3 hours, and hydration levels will certainly affect this. But a meta-analysis of over 6000 subjects showed that lowering salt intake had no strong correlation to better heart health, but it did present that sodium restriction increased fatality of those with heart failure! There has been conflicting evidence the last few years on this, so lets briefly discuss why.

 

Many of us eat processed foods daily, and with many of us, its all we eat. Almost all processed foods are very high is salt and sugar (we will be returning to that topic shortly), and very low in potassium.  High sodium diets only minimally affect some people, not everybody, and it’s believed to be from not having enough potassium (K+) to level it out. K+ is heart protective against sodium, as well as it’s Na+’s counter part to proper pH levels and BP control. People who have low K+ levels with high salt, as opposed to equal amounts of both (high, normal, or low) are twice as likely to die from a heart attack.

 

Even most of our meats are injected with salt solutions, including many brands of organic meat, specifically steak and chicken. Why? Salt absorbs water, and in the food industry, meat is sold by weight. Inject a little extra salt and saline mix into your 2 lbs chicken, and now it’s 3.5 lbs!...that’s unfortunately why

 

Of course, not all salt is created equal. Table salt found in shakers are stripped of many minerals found in natural salt such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, cobalt, etc, as well as given anti-clumping chemicals to make it easy to sift through; it should be clumpy and crumbly

 

So If I’m willing to stand here and say that sodium isn’t detrimental against your health, than why have we been told differently so often, and why do certain diets like the DASH diet that cuts salt out work so well to lower BP? Well, there are a few patterns here at BioHacker Nation that we just can’t seem to avoid every week, and they are bioavailability, and lower sugar; this is based around the later.

 

Added sugars, particularly fructose, has been shown to increase BP significantly higher than salt does, not to mention its correlation with atherosclerosis which is correlated to high BP as well as heart attack rates, inflammation markers, and insulin resistance. The average American eats 150lbs of a sugar a year! Aboriginals eat 6lbs, and that is almost all from honey and fruit, which we cannot claim the same. The DASH diet has been commended with the effect of lowering NA+ to lower BP, but also realize that it takes out the majority of simple sugars and processed foods! Sugar raises blood pressure by 7mmhg/5mmhg!

 

Another way, more specifically that sugar can make one hypertensive is that insulin stores magnesium. Once insulin resistance occurs, Mg just gets excreted and can no longer be used as a smooth muscle relaxer of our venous system, so blood vessels stay contracted, and BP and HR increases. Fructose then increases uric acid, which inhibits the formation of nitric oxide (NO) which acts in similar ways.

 

So what if we still want to lower our salt intake, what is there to do other than stop eating processed foods (which will honestly help so many more problems and is very effective here as well)? One simple act that most people don’t do is taste food before adding extra salt. Almost nobody does that! Our taste buds can get desensitized to salt, just like it does to sugar, which is why natural foods may taste so bland to many, but after just 10 days of lowering salt from something like removing processed foods, you’ll start “tasting” the hidden salt much more. You can also use other salts. Himalayan pink salt has gotten a lot of attention, but the major caveat with that is that it isn’t iodinized, and thyroid goiters, fatigue, and metabolic issues can ensue if you don’t get enough iodine, so make sure to eat fish, aquatic plant life, and eggs, as they are great sources.

 

So does salt increase BP? Mildly, but it does appear to get blamed for the damage of sugar and the hidden extreme amounts in processed foods with little potassium to help off set the duo. If hypertensive, certainly ask your competent health care professional their opinion, but never forget the facts. We do the research, so that you can benefit from it, which I will do by continuing to feed my salt addiction, in moderation of course!

 

What Causes Hangovers and How to Fix Them

Jim Goetz

 

Hangovers are caused by.... we don't totally know. We have theories but current research does not have a specific underlying modality of a hangover. Crazy!

There are three main types of alcohol. These are methyl, isopropyl and ethanol. Only ethyl or ethanol can be consumed by humans. Rubbing alcohol should not be consumed. Most common, the body metabolizes ethanol to acetaldehyde, which metabolizes to acetate. As alcohol is metabolized, it becomes less and less toxic but none the less, still toxic. These toxins produce oxidative stress and an inflammatory response that results in damage and dysregulation of neurons and neuron activity.

Another factor of hangovers may lie in congeners. Congeners are the scent and taste of most alcoholic beverages. Us wine snobs like to swirl and sniff and sip to appreciate the true character of the wine (or other alcohol). These enjoyable characteristics are in fact the congeners that may create some of the unwanted after effects of alcohol consumption.

Beverages with the greatest conogers are (in descending order): brandy, red wine, rum, whisky, white wine, gin, vodka, beer and then pure ethanol).

Factors that do affect hangovers are body weight. For instance, a 100 lb male begins to experience some negative effects of alcohol about 4 drinks in while a 100 lb female is around 3.6 drinks in. These amounts are based on consumption over 75-90 minutes in duraton.

Other factors possibly affecting hangovers are dehydration, which affects cognitive function. Another factor is poor sleep. Alcohol may help an individual fall asleep fast but the quality of sleep if quite poor as a result.

The last factor affecting hangovers is homeostasis. Our body attempts to remain in homeostasis at all times. Alcohol impairs this. As a result, there are an array of hormonal disruptions that occur and may very well be a reason for hangovers.

Remedies

The best way to remedy a hangover is not to drink alcohol in the first place. If you do, keep it moderate.

If you are going to drink, the following have been shown to possibly help:

red ginseng

Siberian ginseng

Chinese raisin tree

prickly pear

Korean pear

green grape

ashibata

 

One may take NSAIDs for the pain but remember that NSAIDS place a strain on an already strained liver.

The "dog in hair method", where you drink with a hangover to alleviate a hangover prolongs the effects of a hangover. It also puts more strain on the body. Don't do it!!!

One of the best ways to also alleviate a hangover is to get plenty of sleep.

So if you are going to have an adult beverage or two, take heed to the above information. Cheers!

 

Does Eating Six Small Meals Increase Weight Loss?

Jim Goetz

 

No evidence shows whatsoever that eating small meals throughout the day increases ones metabolism and thus weight loss. Weight loss effects are most likely due to portion control and reduction in gorging and being more aware of what one is consuming.

 

biohackhumans.com

 

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Jim Goetz

Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

We are broadcasting from Functionised Integrative Therapeutics in Colts Neck, NJ. This team is phenomenal! They provide functional neurology chiropractic, concussion specialists, baseline concussion testing, highly advanced nutrition and body fat loss and experts all human performance advancement methods. Be a better you. Get #functionised.

Dark Chocolate and Vision

Jim Goetz

Keeping it simple, peer reviewed research is showing that cacao at 72% improves blood flow and improves vision for at least 2 hours after consumption. Further testing is needed to determine how long the effects do last. To biohack this- consume a minimum of 72% cacao and work on hand eye coordination. See if this may improve your fine motor skills such as hitting or catching.

Chlorophyll The Miracle Cure All

Mike Brandon

 

People take many supplements for many reasons, sometimes they are justified, and sometimes they are just well marketed. Even with supplements that I know have been proven to work, I like asking people why exactly they are taking something. The answers I get range from highly educated to head scratchingly confusing.  I was with a friend at a local supplement store, and she reached for “Liquid Chlorophyll”, so I tossed the question at her and she rattled off a few dozen homeopathic reasons for taking it. I must have zoned out because she starred at me and asked if I think she is wasting her money, and I told her that I'm not sure, but I have a better answer for her now.

 

First of all, what is it that we are talking about? Chlorophyll is a natural pigment in plants that allows them to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. It is jam packed full of vitamins and minerals/antioxidants like vitamins a,c,e,k, beta carotene, mg, iron, k+ ca+ and some omega 3’s. Naturally we get it in our diet mostly through dark leafy greens and algae; It is fat soluble. However it is “unstable”, meaning that it degrades easily. Cooking it destroys most of the chlorophyll, as well as freezing produce (destroys about 50% and 30% respectively). So in supplements, it is slightly modified into a water soluble form called chlorophyllin. At the time of this writing, there was no found sources stating if chlorophyllin still has the same mineral content as chlorophyll.

 

An interesting and potentially clinically relevant note, is that the chlorophyll structure is very similar to our body’s heme, which is what carries our O2 throughout our body in our blood cells. The major difference is that chlorophyll has magnesium in the center of the molecule whereas heme has iron.

 

So just like most homeopathic remedies, there is a laundry list of conditions and ailments that chlorophyll/chlorophyllin has been used for, but lets hit some of the research to see what they say.

 

Though it has been heavily researched, it's only been done on a few of the proposed benefits, but lets get the disproven ones out of the way first. One of the major things it is advertised for is a natural deodorant. It supposedly lowers body odor, bad breath, and “fecal odor” by taking supplements orally. For those of you that hope to take plant blood to make you smell better, Im sorry to inform you that it doesn’t appear to work. Granted, these studies were all done using the supplement form and not natural chlorophyll, so with food sources there is still hope because some studies have shown high produce eaters to have less body odor, but they also tend to be smaller, more slender individuals which could also play a factor.

 

Supplementation may also help suppress hunger. When on a high carb diet, chlorophyill can affect satiety hormones like cholecytokinin, ghrelin, and insulin. This hasn’t been shown effective on low carb, high fat diets however which already give major satiety benefits.

 

Onto the brighter side, both forms appear to help with cheleating; that is they bind to some heavy metals, toxins, and maybe even some pesticides. It’s possible that chl

Jim Goetz

Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

We are broadcasting from Functionised Integrative Therapeutics in Colts Neck, NJ. This team is phenomenal! They provide functional neurology chiropractic, concussion specialists, baseline concussion testing, highly advanced nutrition and body fat loss and experts all human performance advancement methods. Be a better you. Get #functionised.

Dark Chocolate and Vision

Jim Goetz

Keeping it simple, peer reviewed research is showing that cacao at 72% improves blood flow and improves vision for at least 2 hours after consumption. Further testing is needed to determine how long the effects do last. To biohack this- consume a minimum of 72% cacao and work on hand eye coordination. See if this may improve your fine motor skills such as hitting or catching.

Chlorophyll The Miracle Cure All

Mike Brandon

 

People take many supplements for many reasons, sometimes they are justified, and sometimes they are just well marketed. Even with supplements that I know have been proven to work, I like asking people why exactly they are taking something. The answers I get range from highly educated to head scratchingly confusing.  I was with a friend at a local supplement store, and she reached for “Liquid Chlorophyll”, so I tossed the question at her and she rattled off a few dozen homeopathic reasons for taking it. I must have zoned out because she starred at me and asked if I think she is wasting her money, and I told her that I'm not sure, but I have a better answer for her now.

 

First of all, what is it that we are talking about? Chlorophyll is a natural pigment in plants that allows them to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis. It is jam packed full of vitamins and minerals/antioxidants like vitamins a,c,e,k, beta carotene, mg, iron, k+ ca+ and some omega 3’s. Naturally we get it in our diet mostly through dark leafy greens and algae; It is fat soluble. However it is “unstable”, meaning that it degrades easily. Cooking it destroys most of the chlorophyll, as well as freezing produce (destroys about 50% and 30% respectively). So in supplements, it is slightly modified into a water soluble form called chlorophyllin. At the time of this writing, there was no found sources stating if chlorophyllin still has the same mineral content as chlorophyll.

 

An interesting and potentially clinically relevant note, is that the chlorophyll structure is very similar to our body’s heme, which is what carries our O2 throughout our body in our blood cells. The major difference is that chlorophyll has magnesium in the center of the molecule whereas heme has iron.

 

So just like most homeopathic remedies, there is a laundry list of conditions and ailments that chlorophyll/chlorophyllin has been used for, but lets hit some of the research to see what they say.

 

Though it has been heavily researched, it's only been done on a few of the proposed benefits, but lets get the disproven ones out of the way first. One of the major things it is advertised for is a natural deodorant. It supposedly lowers body odor, bad breath, and “fecal odor” by taking supplements orally. For those of you that hope to take plant blood to make you smell better, Im sorry to inform you that it doesn’t appear to work. Granted, these studies were all done using the supplement form and not natural chlorophyll, so with food sources there is still hope because some studies have shown high produce eaters to have less body odor, but they also tend to be smaller, more slender individuals which could also play a factor.

 

Supplementation may also help suppress hunger. When on a high carb diet, chlorophyill can affect satiety hormones like cholecytokinin, ghrelin, and insulin. This hasn’t been shown effective on low carb, high fat diets however which already give major satiety benefits.

 

Onto the brighter side, both forms appear to help with cheleating; that is they bind to some heavy metals, toxins, and maybe even some pesticides. It’s possible that chlorophyll doesn’t even get absorbed, that it just releases the vitamins and minerals, then binds to toxins and the body discards it, but this is yet to be known.

 

A big difference between the two forms is in their potential for cancer prevention. Chlorophyll appears to change tumor DNA to make it more susceptible to chemotherapeutic agents and drugs like hydroxyurea, where chlorophyllin does not. This may be a reason as to why studies that look at high meat diets (that are low in produce) have greatly increased risks for cancer, but that has yet to be fully tested.

 

It is a great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, and may alone give a lot of vegetables their nutritional power. IV chlorophyll helps with chronic pancreatitis, as well as systemic edema, and potentially for joint swelling as well.

 

It has also been spoken of as a great skin health supplement, and this seems to hold up well. Ointments with chlorophyllin do appear to help with some types of acne, as well as oral supplementation of both chlorophyll and chlorophyllin help with sun protection. Only caveat is that though they were well done studies, there aren’t many and they were all on darker skin tone subjects, so its unsure how well it will help different complexions, but it still good news.

 

But to wrap up and answer the original question of is it a waste of money on this supplement, I have a wish washy response. Though the supplement form does seem to help with a few of the projected benefits, food form, as almost always, is proven here to be far better, with the highest sources being spinach, sprouts, and parsley. Especially on a specific case note of this individual being vegan, there is the built in assumption that she is probably eating enough produce. However, dosages and bioavailability/absorption hasn’t been effectively studied, and side effects at very high doses are minimal, so it shouldn’t hurt much. To note, there has been no shown side effects from high amounts of chlorophyll, but water soluble chlorophyllin may cause gastric distress, discoloration of the tongue, urine, and feces. So as long as you are okay with potential stomach cramps and funny color excretions, it appears fine.

 

Gum Prevents Cavities

Jim Goetz

 

I have been extremely fortunate to have zero cavities in my mouth. I attest this to having chewed gum all my life and not just until the sweet is gone. I began chewing Bazooka gum when I was young and I would chew the same piece for days, taking it out only to eat. Chewing increases saliva production, reducing oral bacteria, removing plaque and improving muscles of mastication, which has nothing to do with anti- cavity but aids in complete digestion of food.

Added benefits of chewing gum include:

decreased anxiety

increased alertness

decreased appetite

 

Side effects of long term gum chewing are headaches and TMJ pain. However, in the years I have been a chronic gum chewer, I have yet to experience any of these symptoms.

If you enjoy our show, please leave an honest 5 star review and ALWAYS tell two friends to subscribe and listen each week!!!

 

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Jim GoetzChantea GoetzMike Brandon

 

Youtube Biohackhumans Podcast Part 1

Youtube Biohackhumans Podcast Part 2Erections and Sunless Tans with Melanotan 2Jim GoetzSun tans are sexy. There I said it! However, with high levels of radiation and improper anti-oxidant activity in the endocrine system (skin), SNA mutation may occur resulting in skin cancer. Since the dawn of man, men have been dealing with erectile dysfunction. Pills and potions have been utilized. Some are effective. Some are not. Surgeries and other therapies have been developed to either place inserts into the penis or create new vascular tissue to increase erections. The idea of a sun tan and erection sounds like the beginning of a movie one would make sure the kids are long asleep before starting. In this case though, we are discussing science.In the 1960's, scientists were developing a drug to improve erections in men. It was discovered α-MSH caused sexual arousal. A side effect of this was that it also increased melanocyte production and as a result, a tanned complexion.Now for the science stuff...in case you were wondering how it worked:Melanotan 2 acts as a non-selective agonist of the melanocortin receptors, MC1, MC3, MC4, MC5.To the extent that melanotan 2 produces melanogenesis is believed to be caused by activation of the MC1 receptor The clinically documented sexual effects of melanotan 2 are thought to be related to its ability to activate the MC4 receptor (though the MC3 is thought to possibly also be involved but not 100% sure how at the moment of writing this article).

Other than 8 hour long raging hard erections, less pleasant side effects include: headache and nausea. Some studies in lab rats state the use of melanotan 2 causes weight loss. This would most likely be for the fact no animal would want to eat when they feel like throwing up.The medical community at this point discourages the use of unlicensed melanotan 2 bought on the internet as there have been a couple (but rare) documented cases of new nevi (moles), and uneven pigmentation. However, in these cases it does appear that any distortions cease to exist after 2 weeks of discontinued use.The idea of melanotan 2 is also to prevent skin cancer by creating more dense and increased amount of melanocytes, thus protecting the body from UV rays.FAQHow much do I need?This question is dependent on your skin type.Skin type and dose of melanotan 2Fair skin- 30mgMedium skin-10-20mgOlive skin- 10mgPLEASE NOTE: Do not take these doses at once. This is potentially dangerous.  Please continue reading to learn how much to take.Taking melanotan 2 requires a 10 day phase of “loading”, which is essentially a higher dose phase to saturate your body in it.Each day of the loading phase, you are required to take 1mg.After the loading phase, you should take anywhere from .25mg (.025mL) to .5mg (.05mL) daily.You should repeat this until you are at your desired tan. If you have a medium or olive complexion, you may not want to do the loading phase and stick to a low dose every other day.Once you are at your desired tan level, you need to continue taking some weekly, in order to maintain your tan. You do this via injecting 1mg once per week.Do I need to continue taking melanotan 2, and how long does the tan last?The tan will last approximately 2-3 months, whereas it would normally (with only exposure to the sun) last about 4 weeks!How do I store Melanotan 2You should store lypholized melanotan 2 in the freezer, in which it will stay good for over a year, but it will last room temperature for 12 weeks before turning bad.If you have already mixed Melanotan 2, it will last for 3-5 weeks in the fridge, but about 2 weeks outside the fridge.***Never freeze mixed peptides!Why Do I Get Bug Bites But You Do Not?Dr. Mike BrandonSummer is here, and with the warm weather, most of us will be going outside to enjoy it in one form or another. We all know, or perhaps are, that one person that when they go outside with

Jim GoetzChantea GoetzMike Brandon

 

Youtube Biohackhumans Podcast Part 1

Youtube Biohackhumans Podcast Part 2Erections and Sunless Tans with Melanotan 2Jim GoetzSun tans are sexy. There I said it! However, with high levels of radiation and improper anti-oxidant activity in the endocrine system (skin), SNA mutation may occur resulting in skin cancer. Since the dawn of man, men have been dealing with erectile dysfunction. Pills and potions have been utilized. Some are effective. Some are not. Surgeries and other therapies have been developed to either place inserts into the penis or create new vascular tissue to increase erections. The idea of a sun tan and erection sounds like the beginning of a movie one would make sure the kids are long asleep before starting. In this case though, we are discussing science.In the 1960's, scientists were developing a drug to improve erections in men. It was discovered α-MSH caused sexual arousal. A side effect of this was that it also increased melanocyte production and as a result, a tanned complexion.Now for the science stuff...in case you were wondering how it worked:Melanotan 2 acts as a non-selective agonist of the melanocortin receptors, MC1, MC3, MC4, MC5.To the extent that melanotan 2 produces melanogenesis is believed to be caused by activation of the MC1 receptor The clinically documented sexual effects of melanotan 2 are thought to be related to its ability to activate the MC4 receptor (though the MC3 is thought to possibly also be involved but not 100% sure how at the moment of writing this article).

Other than 8 hour long raging hard erections, less pleasant side effects include: headache and nausea. Some studies in lab rats state the use of melanotan 2 causes weight loss. This would most likely be for the fact no animal would want to eat when they feel like throwing up.The medical community at this point discourages the use of unlicensed melanotan 2 bought on the internet as there have been a couple (but rare) documented cases of new nevi (moles), and uneven pigmentation. However, in these cases it does appear that any distortions cease to exist after 2 weeks of discontinued use.The idea of melanotan 2 is also to prevent skin cancer by creating more dense and increased amount of melanocytes, thus protecting the body from UV rays.FAQHow much do I need?This question is dependent on your skin type.Skin type and dose of melanotan 2Fair skin- 30mgMedium skin-10-20mgOlive skin- 10mgPLEASE NOTE: Do not take these doses at once. This is potentially dangerous.  Please continue reading to learn how much to take.Taking melanotan 2 requires a 10 day phase of “loading”, which is essentially a higher dose phase to saturate your body in it.Each day of the loading phase, you are required to take 1mg.After the loading phase, you should take anywhere from .25mg (.025mL) to .5mg (.05mL) daily.You should repeat this until you are at your desired tan. If you have a medium or olive complexion, you may not want to do the loading phase and stick to a low dose every other day.Once you are at your desired tan level, you need to continue taking some weekly, in order to maintain your tan. You do this via injecting 1mg once per week.Do I need to continue taking melanotan 2, and how long does the tan last?The tan will last approximately 2-3 months, whereas it would normally (with only exposure to the sun) last about 4 weeks!How do I store Melanotan 2You should store lypholized melanotan 2 in the freezer, in which it will stay good for over a year, but it will last room temperature for 12 weeks before turning bad.If you have already mixed Melanotan 2, it will last for 3-5 weeks in the fridge, but about 2 weeks outside the fridge.***Never freeze mixed peptides!Why Do I Get Bug Bites But You Do Not?Dr. Mike BrandonSummer is here, and with the warm weather, most of us will be going outside to enjoy it in one form or another. We all know, or perhaps are, that one person that when they go outside with a group of people hiking, camping, cookouts, etc, that gets bitten far more than everybody else. Why do some people appear to be a bug buffet and others seemingly are void of all itchy bumps? Or better yet, what can we do to become less attractive of a meal? Good news biohackers, we have both some answers and solutions!It appears that about 1 out of every 5 of us are “bug magnets”. As great of a title as this is, there are very few people who are appreciative of it, and that’s more than understandable. There’s many variables that we are aware of that affect this, some are changeable, some not so much. Let’s start off with the potential bad news of things we can’t change.Our blood type, especially for mosquitoes is a major factor in becoming bitten. Those with the O blood types, are twice as likely to become bitten than A; B types fall roughly in the center, but a little closer to their A type anti-bug counterparts. Most of us (85%) actually secrete a chemical that most insects can pick up via smell to know what our blood type is. So if you are void of this chemical release, even if O type, you have a significantly better chance of avoiding being attacked, but all who release this chemical are more likely to be attacked, no matter the blood type.  So clearly genetics matter, but how much?It seems like whenever science doesn’t know the answer to something, people hastily chalk it up to being genetically related, whether or not there’s any proof for that theory. Multiple sources repeated that genetics can play up to 85% of the variables for being resistant to insect bites, but most deny any reason or genes found that do so. However when taking observational studies of fraternal and identical twins, those with identical genetic makeup were far more similar in how tasty they appear for the bug kingdomAnother factor is simply what we are wearing, and I don’t mean long loose clothing, though it’s recommended. What does seem to matter is the color of clothing. Darker colors appear to have a moderate impact here. In a study of over 7000 participants, black, blue, and red clothing were about 3x more favorable to various species of mosquitoes than white, yellow, and light green apparel.General health can make an impact too. Those that are larger and/or have certain health conditions such as diabetes, kidney/liver damage, certain cancers, or are pregnant (not a health issue, but similar reasons to be listed shortly) also are more likely to be chosen as a host. There are a few reasons for this, with a major one being the amount of CO2 being expelled. Mosquitoes especially are attracted to CO2 concentrations, so those that breathe heavier are going to release more carbon dioxide. This is also expected to be why children get bit less frequently than adults. These people also tend to sweat more, which contains uric and lactic acid, which seems to be an aphrodisiac for the bug’s hunger, and they can sense this from over 150 feet away.This leads to another topic of exercising outdoors. As recently mentioned, our sweat has lactic and uric acid in it, and lactic acid is going to become built up as we exercise, though some people take longer to metabolize these than others. Sweat accumulation also acutely changes the bacterial flora present on our skin, with some places tending to stock more than others, such as our feet/ankles, and shoulder/axilla (arm pit) regions, which also happen to be some of the most common locations for bites. This was shown by using bactericidal soaps against standard and placebos and having the soaped areas lightly bitten compared to their sweaty and placebo counterparts.Lactic acid also appears to be a slightly controllable factor within our diet. Fermented foods such as cheeses, yogurt, soy sauce, and pickled vegetables have some great gut health benefits, but if recently or commonly eaten, it may be making you more magnetized to mosquitoes. Certain medications may have a similar affect as well. The common drugs Tylenol (Acetaminophen) and Metphormin have been shown to increase lactic acid buildup in the body as well.The last variable to talk about today involves saying sober. Those that drink alcohol, as little as just a few sips, attract 2 to 3times the amount of bug visitors. There are theories as to why, but they haven’t held up as much weight, though the ideas of it being the ethanol or increased body temperature (which doesn’t really happen with alcohol anyway) has been mostly debunked. We do sweat more with alcohol and breath heavier, as well as it dilates blood vessels, even those that are superficial to the skin, so those may be the majority of the factors.So in short, genetics may be the scapegoat for now as the major element until proven otherwise, but there are a few simple things we can do to increase our natural bug shield. Wearing light clothing, staying cool and sweat free, practicing basic hygiene all over our body, eating nonfermented foods, and staying in overall good health is a great start. So enjoy the summer sun, and biohack the bugs away

 

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Jim Goetz

Chantea Goetz

Mike Brandon

 

 PRE SHOW

  

Thank you to Functionised Integrative Therapeutics in Colts Neck, New Jersey for lending us our studio to record our podcasts. 

 

Make sure to visit My Super Cells to biohack your cells for better health! Be sure to visit both the @biohackhumans and @mysupercells Instagram pages to register for free a drawing to win over $300 of free products from My Super Cells.

 

DO YOU WANT SUPER CELLS? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO GET THEM! Cellular health is a hot topic and we have an amazing opportunity for you to win a pack of next generation cellular health products! .Experience powerful health benefits that allow you to naturally improve your performance across all areas of life. The lucky winner will receive: • Molecular Hydrogen - known as the ‘miracle molecule’ and the king of cell health • Liquid Oxygen – bioavailable oxygen that puts fuel in your tank and keeps you feeling young • Complex Minerals – 77 absorbable minerals, trace elements and amino acids that nourish your cells • VYV Alkaline Water Jug – keeps your body alkaline and turns regular water into pH 9.5 • SUPERCELLS Flexfit cap . This prize pack is valued at $307 and will be shipped worldwide. For a valid entry you need to: 1: Follow this page @biohackhumans 2: Follow @mysupercells 3: Tag a friend on both pages *Each tag is a separate entry, therefore the more people you tag, the more opportunities you have to win. . Competition ends on Wednesday 11 July ET. All entries will be entered into an automated draw and our lucky winner will be announced on Instagram within 24 hours. Happy #cellhacking (This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram)

A post shared by BioHackerNation (@biohackhumans) on Jul 5, 2018 at 2:57am PDT

 

 

 

Are Eggs Healthy or Dangerous?

Jim Goetz

There has been a debate for quite some time on the fact of eggs being healthy or not. Some say eggs have high amounts of cholesterol in the yolk and therefore negatively affects your cholesterol levels. However, a plethora of research has shown dietary cholesterol does not significantly effect your total cholesterol levels. Furthermore, increasing research has shown cholesterol levels do not cause heart disease. Those on statins live shorter than those who are not on statins. Those with low cholesterol levels may have an increased incidence of Alzheimers disease and other degenerative neurological and hormonal disorders.

The thing about cholesterol is that is forms hormones in the body such as pregnenalone, which converts to cortisol, DHEA, testosterone and a plethora of other hormones. When individuals go on fat free diets and get their cholesterol super low, hormone function is decreased and activities of daily living may change.

The egg can be broken down to the egg white and the yolk. The egg white is mostly protein with some B- vitamins. There's also another substance in it called, alvidin. This protein binds the B vitamins, decreasing their bioavailability. The biohack to increase absorption of the B- vitamins (if you are looking for B- vitamins from your egg, is to heat (cook) the egg.

The egg yolk (that yellow stuff so many discard), is chock filled with nutrients. The egg yolk contains far less protein than the whites but does in fact have a higher ratio of leucine, the amino acid responsible for protein synthesis in the body and is an essential amino acid.

46% of the yolk is oleic acid (omega- 9 found in olive oil), 38% saturated fat and 16% polyunsaturated fat. The polyunsaturated fat ratios depend greatly on how the chicken was raised. If a chicken is fed grains, the ratio of omega-6 will be far higher. This is pro-inflammatory. If the chicken was pasture fed, the amount of omega-6 will be reduced.

Egg yolks also contain catotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) (improves vision) and they are a huge source of choline (numerous benefits).

Some believe that eating eggs causes heart disease. There

Jim Goetz

Chantea Goetz

Mike Brandon

 

 PRE SHOW

  

Thank you to Functionised Integrative Therapeutics in Colts Neck, New Jersey for lending us our studio to record our podcasts. 

 

Make sure to visit My Super Cells to biohack your cells for better health! Be sure to visit both the @biohackhumans and @mysupercells Instagram pages to register for free a drawing to win over $300 of free products from My Super Cells.

 

DO YOU WANT SUPER CELLS? NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO GET THEM! Cellular health is a hot topic and we have an amazing opportunity for you to win a pack of next generation cellular health products! .Experience powerful health benefits that allow you to naturally improve your performance across all areas of life. The lucky winner will receive: • Molecular Hydrogen - known as the ‘miracle molecule’ and the king of cell health • Liquid Oxygen – bioavailable oxygen that puts fuel in your tank and keeps you feeling young • Complex Minerals – 77 absorbable minerals, trace elements and amino acids that nourish your cells • VYV Alkaline Water Jug – keeps your body alkaline and turns regular water into pH 9.5 • SUPERCELLS Flexfit cap . This prize pack is valued at $307 and will be shipped worldwide. For a valid entry you need to: 1: Follow this page @biohackhumans 2: Follow @mysupercells 3: Tag a friend on both pages *Each tag is a separate entry, therefore the more people you tag, the more opportunities you have to win. . Competition ends on Wednesday 11 July ET. All entries will be entered into an automated draw and our lucky winner will be announced on Instagram within 24 hours. Happy #cellhacking (This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram)

A post shared by BioHackerNation (@biohackhumans) on Jul 5, 2018 at 2:57am PDT

 

 

 

Are Eggs Healthy or Dangerous?

Jim Goetz

There has been a debate for quite some time on the fact of eggs being healthy or not. Some say eggs have high amounts of cholesterol in the yolk and therefore negatively affects your cholesterol levels. However, a plethora of research has shown dietary cholesterol does not significantly effect your total cholesterol levels. Furthermore, increasing research has shown cholesterol levels do not cause heart disease. Those on statins live shorter than those who are not on statins. Those with low cholesterol levels may have an increased incidence of Alzheimers disease and other degenerative neurological and hormonal disorders.

The thing about cholesterol is that is forms hormones in the body such as pregnenalone, which converts to cortisol, DHEA, testosterone and a plethora of other hormones. When individuals go on fat free diets and get their cholesterol super low, hormone function is decreased and activities of daily living may change.

The egg can be broken down to the egg white and the yolk. The egg white is mostly protein with some B- vitamins. There's also another substance in it called, alvidin. This protein binds the B vitamins, decreasing their bioavailability. The biohack to increase absorption of the B- vitamins (if you are looking for B- vitamins from your egg, is to heat (cook) the egg.

The egg yolk (that yellow stuff so many discard), is chock filled with nutrients. The egg yolk contains far less protein than the whites but does in fact have a higher ratio of leucine, the amino acid responsible for protein synthesis in the body and is an essential amino acid.

46% of the yolk is oleic acid (omega- 9 found in olive oil), 38% saturated fat and 16% polyunsaturated fat. The polyunsaturated fat ratios depend greatly on how the chicken was raised. If a chicken is fed grains, the ratio of omega-6 will be far higher. This is pro-inflammatory. If the chicken was pasture fed, the amount of omega-6 will be reduced.

Egg yolks also contain catotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) (improves vision) and they are a huge source of choline (numerous benefits).

Some believe that eating eggs causes heart disease. There have been numerous studies finding zero correlation between egg consumption and heart disease. Some observational studies may refute this but randomized controlled trials back this up. Let's go with RCT's based on the heiarchy of good information.

It should also be noted that egg consumption does not increase weight gain. That's right! Eating fat does not make you fat!!!

It may be prudent to have an ALCAT test done to see if one may have any food sensitivities to eggs or any other food or environmental characteristic that may cause an inflammatory state. If there's no increased white blood cell count with eggs (or any other food), then enjoy as they appear healthy.

 

Ambidexterity

Dr. Mike Brandon

Being ambidextrous, that is being able to use both hands with equal mastery, is something many strive for, especially in the world of sports and athletics. Only about 1% of the population is ambidextrous, with right handers dominating the population with about 90% and lefties at about 10%

Most people who believe they are ambidextrous, especially if done through training, is actually ambisinistral. These individuals can do many or most tasks proficiently with both hands, but one side is better than the other, and it may switch from right to left depending on the activity.

With a quick internet search for why to become ambidextrous, it was surprising to see many sources done showing that there are some notable disadvantages, and there are plenty of professionals who claim its neurologically poor and potentially dangerous to do so, though there’s a major catch.

It's been shown many times that those who are BORN ambidextrous have much higher risk of showing signs of disorders like ADHD, dyslexia, perform lower by academic standards, have poorer emotional control/anger management, increased risk for schizophrenia, and other cognitive/social disorders. There have been no studies found checking for those who trained for ambidexterity and correlations to cognitive changes. 

It is believed that these complications may occur due to the way our brains process information. Right or left handed individuals tend to have one side more dominant, and the two halves appear to split “brain duties” more. For example, its believed the right side leads with creativity and the left with language and writing. 

Those born ambidextrous appear to share these responsibilities more between their left and right brain by bypassing the center structure, the corpus collusum. So its thought that information for many tasks have to switch back and forth from the right and left which leaves room for, let's call it a processing error, which could lead to the signs listed above.

Our species and early ancestors appear to have been more ambidextrous than the roughly 1% today. This suggests an evolutionary change to allow our brains to subjugate tasks more efficiently, but probably was involved with the overall growth of our cortex and higher executive centers. This would give the advantage of having the same tasks done in 1 side of the brain so there is less back and forth of information, and less neurons used to create a task, in theory making it faster and easier for us to perform. Interestingly enough, left handers (about 80% of them) have less single sided brain activity, but not to the extend of congenital ambidextrous individuals, and this is a partial theory as to why more creative persons, like musicians, artists, etc, are more likely to be left handed.

The big question here is does training yourself to use both sides of your body with equality cause any of the disadvantages that appear with congenital double handiness? Though some people worry about the possibility of it, there were no studies found that attempted to follow someone's brain patterns through ambidextrous training. The larger question is, would it even be possible for us to do so? If you are 30 years old, and have been right hand dominate the whole time, can your left side catch up? Would it take another 30 years? 

The potential for cognitive symptoms certainly is a reason for concern on this topic, but from what was researched, I see minimal merit in it at this time. Potentially if children went through ambidextrous training we would know more, since their brains develop and adapt monumentally more and faster than adults and they have had far less time to create neural habits and connections, but then doing a study this way could be deemed unethical if it did result in neurological/cognitive side effects.

There are a few simple suggestions to try if you are interested in becoming more abisinistral. Most people suggest simply changing your desk around with the mouse on the other side, begin writing with your off hand, open doors off handed, and really just switching your common movement patterns to increase neuoplasticity for that action. My favorite/most frustrating attempt was trying to cook and eat left handed. 

Athletes everywhere from boxers to hockey players learn to use both hands very well at many tasks to improve their game, and I know of a few people who have learned to write exceptionally well with both hands. Is this going to create a problem? I don't think so based off of results I have seen and what I know about the brain, but perhaps Ill be proven wrong once research is pushed more on this topic. But until then, perhaps I'll rebel by making my breakfast left handed only, even if it ends up with my omelet turning into scrambled eggs the first several times.

 

Fish Oil

Jim Goetz

Fish oils have long been touted as a fix for cardiovascular heart disease. Take your omega-3's and stave off a heart attack, is what we have been told. Pharmaceutical companies are now trying their best to get a handle on what he general public has been doing now for decades. 

But good research studies have failed to show any benefit whatsoever in reducing a cardiovascular event when taking fish oils. Why is this? Perhaps it is due to the fact that serving sizes used in research and supplement bottles is only 500mg to 1g. Perhaps the quality of the fish oil is poor. 

New studies being looked at are going to have 4g to 7g as the serving size for the fish oil servings. 

World renown strength and conditioning coach Charles Poliquin did a case study on himself using a whopping 40g of fish oils daily. No known negative side effects were found. However, blood work shows indicators of reduced cardiovascular event markers. So perhaps it may very well be the amount of fish oil being consumed that is the kicker here.

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Jim GoetzChantea GoetzDr. Mike BrandonHow Do I Boost My Testosterone?Jim GoetzThere are ways to boost ones testosterone and ways not to. The most common ways individuals (mostly males) look to boost their testosterone; in actuality has no effect on boosting any testosterone but is phenomenal in lowering ones bank account. This is through supplementation. Before taking any supplement, if you are tested in any athletics, ensure you are well within the World Anti- Doping Association (WADA) regulations.If you are a teenager or individual in their 20's, your testosterone levels are already most likely super high. A secretagogue supplement purchased over the counter is not going to raise your levels anymore than they already are. The only thing that can happen if you increase testosterone levels when they are already super high is to shut down your body's own natural production and as a result, make you reliant on exogenous testosterone for the remainder of your life. It sounds fine now but when you are a 40 year old male whose physiology is that of a 90 year old- you may reconsider this as being a good idea.The hype of advertising for these supplements is insane. Know fact versus hype. There are a crapton of supplements on the market that make claims to boost ones testosterone. In reality these overhyped and over marketed supplements are garbage. They have inferior ingredients that fail to stimulate the natural production of testosterone.First lets do a brief overview on total testosterone levels to get a bit of an understanding on what is being looked at to be increased.Tightly bound testosterone- 2/3 of testosterone is bound to sex hormone binding globulin. The human body is incapable of utilizing this.Loosley bound testosterone- 1/3 of testosterone is bound to the protein, albumin. Some of this testosterone is able to be utilized but not all of it.Free testosterone- 1% to 4% of testosterone floats freely in the blood, able to bind to androgen receptors as the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts this free testosterone into hihydrotestosterone, which is a very potent androgen.Some nutritional supplements inhibit CYP19A1, which is an aromatase enzyme. An anti- aromatase actually can act as a testosterone booster in men as testosterone is converted to estradiol, which is then converted to estrogen. Yes, the more testosterone men have, the more estrogen they have and this goes for women as well. Now men actually do need estrogen (in lesser amounts than women). So when estradiol is low, testosterone is naturally increased. Therefore, if an individual were to lower their estradiol levels, testosterone will be increased. This is a negative feedback loop of hormones. However, in pre-menopausal women, as ovaries produce the majority of estrogen, aromatase inhibitors are less effective (but not ineffective) than in men.Some supplements that are supposed to increase testosterone act on the testicles. Others act on the hypothalamus in the brain. Those that act on the testicles could effect HPTA stimulation (causing testicular atrophy (or shrinkage). Other supplements acting on the hypothalamus cause symptoms of that some may call adrenal fatigue.The most boring ways to increase testosterone are quality sleep (and I do stress quality), moderate physical activity, and weight management. Individuals who stay up too late to watch a game while they rise early in the morning, work a desk job, have a little belly (dad bods or more) and fail to engage in moderate physical exertion for a minimum of three days per week at 30-45 minutes of actual movement, are destined for low testosterone levels and as a result, a lowered quality of life and perhaps lower life expectancy.Lowered testosterone levels have been attributed to lowered libidos, the development of metabolic syndrome- x, and depression (to name a few symptoms).Middle aged and older men have a natural decline in testosterone by 0.4% to 1.6% per year. Some experience lower than averag

Jim GoetzChantea GoetzDr. Mike BrandonHow Do I Boost My Testosterone?Jim GoetzThere are ways to boost ones testosterone and ways not to. The most common ways individuals (mostly males) look to boost their testosterone; in actuality has no effect on boosting any testosterone but is phenomenal in lowering ones bank account. This is through supplementation. Before taking any supplement, if you are tested in any athletics, ensure you are well within the World Anti- Doping Association (WADA) regulations.If you are a teenager or individual in their 20's, your testosterone levels are already most likely super high. A secretagogue supplement purchased over the counter is not going to raise your levels anymore than they already are. The only thing that can happen if you increase testosterone levels when they are already super high is to shut down your body's own natural production and as a result, make you reliant on exogenous testosterone for the remainder of your life. It sounds fine now but when you are a 40 year old male whose physiology is that of a 90 year old- you may reconsider this as being a good idea.The hype of advertising for these supplements is insane. Know fact versus hype. There are a crapton of supplements on the market that make claims to boost ones testosterone. In reality these overhyped and over marketed supplements are garbage. They have inferior ingredients that fail to stimulate the natural production of testosterone.First lets do a brief overview on total testosterone levels to get a bit of an understanding on what is being looked at to be increased.Tightly bound testosterone- 2/3 of testosterone is bound to sex hormone binding globulin. The human body is incapable of utilizing this.Loosley bound testosterone- 1/3 of testosterone is bound to the protein, albumin. Some of this testosterone is able to be utilized but not all of it.Free testosterone- 1% to 4% of testosterone floats freely in the blood, able to bind to androgen receptors as the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts this free testosterone into hihydrotestosterone, which is a very potent androgen.Some nutritional supplements inhibit CYP19A1, which is an aromatase enzyme. An anti- aromatase actually can act as a testosterone booster in men as testosterone is converted to estradiol, which is then converted to estrogen. Yes, the more testosterone men have, the more estrogen they have and this goes for women as well. Now men actually do need estrogen (in lesser amounts than women). So when estradiol is low, testosterone is naturally increased. Therefore, if an individual were to lower their estradiol levels, testosterone will be increased. This is a negative feedback loop of hormones. However, in pre-menopausal women, as ovaries produce the majority of estrogen, aromatase inhibitors are less effective (but not ineffective) than in men.Some supplements that are supposed to increase testosterone act on the testicles. Others act on the hypothalamus in the brain. Those that act on the testicles could effect HPTA stimulation (causing testicular atrophy (or shrinkage). Other supplements acting on the hypothalamus cause symptoms of that some may call adrenal fatigue.The most boring ways to increase testosterone are quality sleep (and I do stress quality), moderate physical activity, and weight management. Individuals who stay up too late to watch a game while they rise early in the morning, work a desk job, have a little belly (dad bods or more) and fail to engage in moderate physical exertion for a minimum of three days per week at 30-45 minutes of actual movement, are destined for low testosterone levels and as a result, a lowered quality of life and perhaps lower life expectancy.Lowered testosterone levels have been attributed to lowered libidos, the development of metabolic syndrome- x, and depression (to name a few symptoms).Middle aged and older men have a natural decline in testosterone by 0.4% to 1.6% per year. Some experience lower than average testosterone levels as young as 30. This is why anti-aging therapies have become so important to increase vitality and longevity in individuals. What's the point of living if ones quality of life sucks?Contrary to popular belief, there is no single one best level of testosterone! Different lab results vary as a wide range of free testosterone levels are used between different labs. An example of this is one male was tested at 360 ng/dL. He is lethargic, depressed and cannot seem to lose an ounce of body fat. Another male was tested at the same testosterone level. This individual is confident, successful, full of energy and looks like an adonis. A few supplements have been shown to increase testosterone. But before they are disclosed, there is a caveat on them. As previously discussed in a podcast, there is a bell curve of optimal levels. Too little of these levels in your body and you will greatly benefit from a supplement. Too high levels of these in your body and the supplement will begin to give adverse effects.The first supplement is vitamin D. Yep, good ol' sunshine. Vitamin D is essential for the development and creation of a multitude of hormones to include testosterone. Enough research has been done to back this up.The second supplement deficiency is zinc. Zinc is lost through sweat so athletes may need to get their levels of zinc checked to see if a supplement may be beneficial to improve testosterone levels. Zinc rich foods include meat, some grains (whole new caveat on how grains are linked to cancer development) and nuts (stick with walnuts and almonds to avoid the excess lectethins or heavy metals).Another supplement is magnesium. In the United States, it is understood most are deficient in this vital mineral. Magnesium both directly and indirectly aids in the conversion of vitamin D into it's active form to be used in the body. Like zinc, magnesium is lost through sweat. A favorite food of this authors that contains a plethora of bioavailable zinc is 100% cacao. If taking a magnesium supplement, one should avoid magnesium oxide, which is only bioavailable at a rate of 4% in humans. Maca is marketed to increase testosterone. However, maca has been shown to increase libido but not testosterone. Be wary that just because one is in the mood more than usual does not mean that one has higher testosterone levels.The same may be said about horny goat weed. A good form may over time improve sexual desire but has no effect on testosterone levels.D- aspartic acid had some prelimiary research showing increased testosterone levels. However, further studies have showed the opposite of it not effecting testosterone levels whatsoever.DHEA is a hormone that converts directly to testosterone. Individuals with low levels of both have shown an increase with DHEA supplementation.Pregnenolone, which is synthesized from cholesterol, provides a building block for many of the steroids present in your body. Athletes may take this hormone to hide their use of anabolic steroids. However, as this does convert directly to DHEA; some studies have shown increased testosterone and estrogen levels in both deficient males and females.

Some pure forms of tribulus such as the original Tribestan might actually have increased testosterone. Unfortunately most of the stuff on the market today is garbage. If you can put it on your fingers and simply blow it off like a powder, it's either not tribulus or it's a terrible form. It should be a tar-like consistency made from the root, not the leaves of the plant.

 

HOW TO DETERMINE HIGH QUALITY TRIBULUS

There's a plethora of other ingredients that are thought to increase testosterone. There's not enough human research on some SARMS such as RAD-140 (testabol) When it comes down to it, plenty of rest, adequate nutrition, moderate exercise and a way to decompress stress and testosterone levels will raise up. During your middle aged years, you may consider seeing an anti-aging specialist to ensure your testosterone levels are where they give you the greatest out of life.

 

How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables to Rid Them of Neurotoxins

 

Dr. Mike Brandon​Jokes have been made about what clean eating is, and how the simplest answer is that it's when you wash you food before you eat it. All kidding aside, especially when it comes to produce, this is a highly suggested action with the justifications mainly being to remove dirt, pesticides, and bacteria. With one quick internet search, multiple sources will say to lightly rub the produce under cold water for 30 to 60 seconds. What's interesting to me is how to wash your hands for that result, it's suggested to do it vigorously for about double that time. So either we should have our hands more clean than the produce we eat, or there's a fallacy or assumption somewhere here.​Multiple studies on both washing our hands and washing produce show that most of the cleaning aspect of the process is from the friction of rubbing the dirt and grime away more than the soap use. With produce, using most soaps can actually add a small residue layer on the produce, or even have the soap seep into the flesh of the fruit/vegetable, so this practice is discouraged and you are probably better off rubbing vigorously with running water. Naturally this wont work for all produce, as you can only rub berries so hard before it turns into juice.A larger concern over dirt and grime on our food supply is the pesticides and herbicides that are sprayed on them. These are the only toxic substances released intentionally into our environment and they have the sole purpose of killing living things. There are over 15 common pesticides used, and it is almost never just 1. These sprays are very well known to be neurotoxins and have been linked to Parkinson's disease, asthma, cancers, leukemia, thyroid and infertility complications, and autism, to just name a few. These neurotoxins also appear to destroy many of the antioxidants in produce, as seen by the difference in content of organic vs standard produce. The most common reason as to why people switch to organic is to avoid these pesticides, but unfortunately, they are still there, but about 70% less. This can occur due to wind and water runoff from 1 farm to the next, or from the soil itself. These neurotoxins absorb into the soil, and many have a half life of 4 to 5 years. So even if no sprays have been used for 10 years on the soil, they could still be being absorbed into the vegetation.So what can we do to limit the amount of toxins we digest from trying to be healthy by eating our fruits and veges? A study was done comparing the ability of tap water, a Clorox bleach solution (which is the industrial standard to wash produce before going to the stores), and a soak in baking soda for 12 to 15 minutes to remove pesticides. This study looked at 2 common pesticides, thiabendazole and phosmet. Baking soda did appear to clean off the majority of both of these pesticides, especially compared to the other methods which is great news, but it comes with a few catches and precautions. First of all, it did not remove what was absorbed into the peels of the fruit, and assuming, if pesticides go into the peel, its likely going into the flesh as well. Also in this study they took organic fruit and then sprayed it down with thiabendazole and phosmet, which is a decent method to try to replicate a farm, however, if these apples were sprayed in the study a few hours or even days before the cleaning process, how much more is absorbed or harder to remove from produce that was sprayed weeks prior before it even made it to the grocery shelf? Even with the forward movement towards more organic food, there are still a few scary statistics that show the extent of this public health issue. Chlorpyrifos, which are in the same pesticide family as organophosphates and has the same neural damaging mechanism as nerve gases used in the military, is found in the urine of 93% of Americans! It's estimated that only 1 out of every 10 Americans eat enough produce, which can make this a little more alarming that either we are getting them in our bodies from another source, or the little bit that we eat is still being absorbed and metabolized by us. Then DDT, which is a pesticide that was banned in the 1970's, was found in 99% of Americans. It's illegal to use and is still getting into literally almost all of us.So since we are still getting these toxins in our body, what is there being done to help off set this? There's actually quite a few alternatives to pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, etc, but the difficult part is getting the large farms to jump in with it. Smaller farms in the USA, and most farms outside of the country use a few methods which are cost effective and work.Polycutlure is one method that is used quite frequently. Basically how many home gardens have multiple types of produce in 1 area, that's the concept but on a large scale. Instead of having acres of corn, it would be acres of corn, cucumbers, broccoli, etc. Having multiple types of plants together has been shown to both decrease many pests that only target 1 food, as well as increase the overall immunity of plants to deter more pests and make sprays less required.Trip crops, or sacrificial crops, is another method. Think of a child that is staring at a plate of broccoli and a bowl of icecream; most children will go for the ice cream. That's the concept. Putting “ice cream” type crops in the field to attract the pests away from the yielding plants. Examples are:Nasturtiums  distract aphids (black fly, green fly, white fly).French Marigold helps to attract slugs, thrips and nematodes.Radish  attracts flea beetle and root fly.Then there is also Entomopathogenic fungi, which are parasitic to most insects. The spores will attach to the majority of insect kind, and rather rapidly kill them off and has appeared to be effective in drastically lowering the procreation rate of bugs. Obviously going organic and washing our produce effectively is better than not at all, and is recommended, however, the environmental and physiological impacts are still a major concern, but at least there are a few methods we can use to help lower the amount of “-icides” that our body absorbs.

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