Autoimmunity (AI). You've heard it, but what is it? Today Mason is joined by SuperFeast fave naturopath, Dan Sipple to explore the beast that is autoimmunity and what factors play a role in autoimmune conditions. Perhaps the Western definition of AI is too cut and dry; the guys discuss the Eastern approaches and how the gut environment plays a key role (we've got two gut health podcasts Part One and Part Two, if you want to brush up on your gut health). This episode dives deeply into the ancient Daoism behind AI patterns and which tonic herbs and medicinal mushrooms can help support the body during these times. If you're afflicted with an AI condition, this episode is for you.

"Autoimmunity is when the body is seemingly attacking itself" - Mason Taylor

The guys discuss:

- Suppression of autoimmune issues leads to significant illness later on

- Treatment of autoimmunity from the Taoist perspective

- Leaky gut (intestinal permeability) causes a barrage against your immune system - a significant initiating factor of AI

- Pleghm, edema, heat toxicity, dampness, all AI symptoms; the TCM patterns 

- According to TCM, upright Qi is vital for immunity (astragalus for the win)

- SuperFeast Chaga, Reishi and Astragalus, are top immunity herbs

- The tightening / tenseness within the body is exacerbating AI symptoms; must release the tension

- There are hard coded AI genes, BUT environment / diet / movement / community / purpose / stress all affect their expression

- Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) in the morning, helps determine the degree of autoimmune cells tagged in the thymus gland for destruction by your immune system. So if your CAR is flat lined (from smashing coffees, burning the candle at both ends, constant fight or flight / Yang state), cortisol production is low and you're more prone to unchecked destructive inflammation

- The traditional Western belief that high Th1 causes AI, is no longer relevant

- Those with AI - do not put chemicals on the skin, get in the sun, skin brush

Resources:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/autoimmunity

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Today Tahnee chats with Dr. Jolene Brighten, who is the author of Beyond the Pill. As the name suggests, this book explores the effects of the Pill and how to transition healthily off it. Coming off the Pill can often lead to a whole host of symptoms, but these symptoms can be seen as opportunities for greater health. The ladies share their experiences as new mum's and the challenges that must be navigated. So often, women can lose trust in their body and ability to heal and part of this can be associated with how often women's needs are dismissed in the general practitioner forum. Informed consent around the Pill is required and often missing in the Western setting. The ladies remind us that our bodies never betray us, they want us to thrive!

The ladies discuss:

- Postpartum challenges.

- How magnesium is a godsend for cramps.

- A Pill bleed is not a true cycle, it is simply a withdrawal bleed from the medication.

- The natural approach will always take time, so be patient.

- During third trimester, the female brain shrinks! To allow for hyper focus on the newborn. Baby brain is real!!

- Liquorice is very beneficial for new mums and PCOS sufferers, it's anti-inflammatory, supports cortisol and helps manage androgens.

- The ins and outs of PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

- Using the Pill increases your chances of several health issues (cardiovascular disease, clots, diabetes).

- The key to balanced hormones are a supported liver and gut system

- Regardless of your want to have a baby or not, during the reproductive years, being fertile is integral to overall health.

- DIM and broccoli sprouts are a girls best friend when dealing wth estrogen issues.

- Ever feel dizzy upon standing up? Add some good quality salt to your water.

- Birth control-anxiety-depression; there's a connection to explore.

- Don't be scared of eating a bit of dirt every now and again :)!

Resources:

Dr. Brighten's website Dr. Brighten's Instagram Dr. Brighten's new book - Beyond the Pill Dr. Brighten's book - Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth Dr. Brighten's Favourite Lion's Mane Chi Nei Tsang Terry Wahls - Minding your mitochondria Imperfect Produce Environmental Working Group Butcher Box Girl who had all waste in a jar in from 4 years

SuperFeast Podcast: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/articles/tagged/podcast

This episode is for parents, health enthusiasts, practitioners, health coaches, herbalists and for those just wanting to dive deeper into answering the call as a tonic herbalist. Today, Sage Dammers (tonic herbalist and master chocolatier) and Mason cover all bases on how to develop yourself and your offering; Sage has dedicated himself to the herbs. What exactly does it take to become a tonic herbalist? Tune in to find out. The guys cover the ground knowledge and a good run down on what you are going to experience as you navigate this herbalist world. Oh and there's also a bit of speak about chocolate ;P so tune in today and lay down those foundations to becoming a tonic herbalist.  

- How chocolate is a beautiful vehicle for herbs

- Tonic herbs and adaptogens are not symptom-based, but support the body to balance it's own systems

- Identifying with your symptom can be terribly damaging - find a new mantra

- Creating space (sitting down, taking time and setting an intention) to drink your herbal tonic can be transformational

- Sage likes to begin his relationship with a new herb with 1/2ts in hot water in its pure and isolated form - get to know the herb

- SuperFeast tonic herbs, in powder-form, forces you to connect with and forge a relationship with the adaptogen (versus a capsule / tablet)

- Supplements can provide challenges in the later years - what exactly are the long term effects which have not been researched?

- SuperFeast JING really provides that foundational energy

- Sitting infront of a computer daily, means your eyes are focused on a static distance, this can be detrimental long term

- Neural Nectar and Lion's Mane are specially effective for upgrading brain faculty

- Eye issues (strain, poor sight) is connected with liver, so get onto Schizandra / Schisandra to support your liver

- Tonic herbs are here with us, not for us

- The Three Treasures, in particular Shen

- Consistently having coffee does leak your Jing

- Medicinal mushrooms are for long-term immunity, prevention people!

- Write to us - what would you like Mason and Sage to talk about next! Email us [email protected]

Resources:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/sage

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

In today's eco-minded episode, Mason is joined by designer and inventor Andrew Hayim de Vries. Are you interested in the environment? Are you an eco-warrior? Or maybe you've cottoned on that we only have one earth and she is in a spot of bother ;P - well today's episode is for you. Andrew shares his absolute passion for the environment and in particular, his passion for all things composting. Want to help create a synergy of life force, by redirecting a significant waste stream? Then get involved in composting. Andrew has been developing the below-ground composting solution - the Subpod™. The guys talk about composting and how you can make sure your home or business system is good for the environment. And do you know how much food waste we have globally? Andrew will shock you! 

**SuperFeast HQ's works with Andrew weekly for our community composting system

- What makes an effective composting system

- Above ground systems (in warm climates) are NOT a good solution

- Food wastage is real

- How can we view the food waste situation and improve the current landscape?

- Soil degradation and monocultures provide considerable challenges for soil integrity

- The village / community mentality creates engagement and accessibility

- Businesses have an ethical responsibility to educate and lead the way in environmental practices

- How the current status of landfill faces several key issues

- Imagine buying food based on nutritional value, NOT on weight

Resources:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/andrew

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

SuperFeast founder Mason and his work and life partner Tahnee gave birth to their first babe on December 4, 2016. For those of you who are pregnant or approaching pregnancy, they recorded this very special episode discussing their childbearing year. At week 39 of pregnancy, Mason and Tahnee sat down to reflect on their pregnancy experience.

This episode continues to grow from strength to strength, as individuals are continuing to seek out conscious experiences as they navigate life. We simply had to reshare this episode. Part 2 to follow.

What you’ll learn:

- The role the liver plays in pregnancy and why cleansing it is critical

- How to embody detox and nourishing practices into your lifestyle so your body is always prepared for pregnancy (or just to have a rocking hormonal system)

- Simple techniques for removing heavy metals from your system so your baby doesn’t get overloaded

- Why men must prepare for pregnancy just as much as the woman for the sake of the child

- Simple yet powerful techniques for cleansing and healing the gut so you can bring your microbiome back into balance

- How the gut bacteria a woman has is passed on to her child’s immune system

- Why you must look back into your past for clues into what you need to cleanse and nourish in your body

- Our top herbs for cleansing the parasites out of your system

- The best and most effective methods for deep organ cleansing

- A breakdown on the best tonic herbs to restore strength to your system so it is ready for the childbearing year

- How learning to release tension assists conception and creates ease in pregnancy

Resources

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-childbearing-years-part-1-with-tahnee-podcast-xx

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Mason's Mushrooms Reishi Clearlight Infrared Saunas

Today, Mason is joined at the podcast mic by Sam Gibb, founder of Cloud Hidden Tea. Tea is not only one of the most sacred plants on earth, it is the second most consumed herb on the globe. This beautiful plant can be taken for granted sometimes; the lineage behind its magic and the deep ceremony ensconced in this epic leaf is next level. In today's catch up, Sam sheds light on tea and mindfulness and reminds us how every part of the day is an opportunity to practice mindfulness. The guys discuss the miracles of life and all dip in and out of esoteric matters - it was always going to happen when discussing all things tea. Grab a cuppa and enjoy.

- How to judge the quality of tea by the way it smells

- There are sourcing similarities between SuperFeast tonic herbs and good quality tea - the notion of Di Dao (Di Tao)

- Fermented clay tea pots brew a superior tea

- What makes an ideal tea?

- Caffeine is never isolated in nature

- Reactions to tea is always the pesticides or the processing

- Four virtues of tea (harmony, purity, reverence and tranquility)

- Tea purifies on the physiological level, as well as the spiritual level

RESOURCES:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

For more: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/sam-gibb

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Gut Health Part 2 is here! If you haven't already listened to last week's Part 1 episode, we suggest you drop in now and have a listen. The guys pick up where they left off, diving deep into the energetics of the digestive system and referencing the ancient Traditional Chinese Medicine philosophy. Probiotics and prebiotics are discussed in great detail and the role they play with chronic disease manifestations, like leaky gut. Dan (The Functional Naturopath) brings his clinical observations to the table with real-life client experiences.

The guys discuss:

- 100% alkaline everything is NOT health promoting, sometimes acidity is beneficial 

- The Spleen is connected to the whole digestive system, think of it as the digestive fire

- Spleen deficiencies generally call for dietary adjustments and stress management 

- Dampness can arise from depleting kidney essence (excessive amounts of cold, raw foods and fasting)

- What diet is sustainable for decades, what flows naturally for you?

- Extreme dietary regimes generally result in exhaustion and depletion 

- High fat diets require more bile; some inflammatory gut species eat bile, this paired with leaky gut leads to a surge in systemic inflammation (endotoxemia)

- Prebiotic fibre feed the beneficial native bacteria, don't forget PREbiotics!

- Prebiotics: garlic, onion, asparagus, cooled rice and potato

- Kidney essence relies heavily on healthy microbiome

- Poor spleen function has emotional connections to: excessive worry, inability to tend for yourself, complaining a lot, needing gratification 

- How medicinal mushies contain gut-boosting constituents 

- What is Phase III of liver detoxification and how we can support it

- How candida is opportunistic and how to lower excess levels

- Medicinal mushies (unlike culinary mushrooms) help with fungal issues

- We are built for walking, walk more for healthy waste excretion

- Physical manipulation can really benefit a sluggish / toxic digestion

RESOURCES:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Jing Herb: superfeast.com.au/products/jing-herbs Long Live the Reishi Queen: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-mushroom-immortality Read about the amazing benefits of SuperFeast Reishi here: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-medicinal-mushroom?_pos=4&_sid=98ded00d0&_ss=r

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SHARE ONLINE!

Instagram: instagram.com/superfeast

Facebook: facebook.com/SuperFeast

Gut health - what a minefield! Well, after today's Part 1 episode, we hope you'll be feeling more empowered understanding your gut health. Dan Sipple (The Functional Naturopath) joins Mason today as the boys dive deep into the depths of your gastro-intestinal tract! This subject is so vast, we have Part 1 and Part 2 to follow - stay tuned for next week. This episode covers the basics, what is digestion, what is good gut health and how we can build a robust gut microbiome - all the topics to get you in the driver's seat of your health. Dan shares his personal gut health journey (inclusive of viral load and Epstein-Barr) and once again, Dan brings his clinical observations to the table with real-life client experiences.

The guys discuss:

- Why testing and data for gut health can help with specific diagnoses

- How beneficial colostrum and aloe vera are for the gut lining

- Mouth to anus - the digestive system is a hollow tube!

- Bloating, distension, diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, nausea are all signs of an unhealthy digestive system

- 80% of the immune system resides in the gut

- The more robust your gut health, the stronger your immunity

- The pilot light for good digestion is the kidneys

- How stress greatly impacts the Yin digestive system - stress less peeps

- Rock-hard, stressed, tense abs are out; movement, flow and softness are in!

- Remember all the happy neurotransmitters are made in the gut

- Why Lion's Mane is so effective for gut health via nerve regeneration and prebiotic actions

- Bitter tastes fuel and heal your gut (apple cider vinegar works a charm)

- Antacids set you up for bacterial overgrowth, malabsorption and lowers your stomach acid, which is NOT the way to heal heartburn

RESOURCES:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/tagged/podcast

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Reishi Mushroom: superfeast.com.au/products/wild-reishi-powdered-extract Long Live the Reishi Queen: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-mushroom-immortality Read about the amazing benefits of SuperFeast Reishi here: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-medicinal-mushroom?_pos=4&_sid=98ded00d0&_ss=r

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SHARE ONLINE!

Instagram: instagram.com/superfeast

Facebook: facebook.com/SuperFeast

Keeping the brain nourished, free from toxicity and active is one of the keys to epic health and longevity. In this awesome interview Mason dives deep into the neural world with brain health expert Jo Grabyn. 

Neurodegenration is a current epidemic in the West and it is getting worse. Modern medicine has yet to get to the root cause of the premature ageing of the brain. One of the amazing distinctions to come out of this interview is how there are SIX general types of Alzheimer's, not just one. Mason and Jo explore how lifestyle and environmental factors play major roles in creating these diseases/symptoms; this means the power is in your hands to make changes. 

You will learn:

- The top causes of neurodegernation, including Alzheimer's and dementia

- Lifestyle choices you can make now to prevent the onset of premature ageing of the brain

- Treatment protocols for degeneration of the brain

- Signs to watch out for and act upon early for brain health

- How the gut and brain are connected through the vagus nerve 

- Ways to become a detective and discover the root cause of your brain symptoms

- And heaps, HEAPS more

RESOURCES:

Blog and Transcript Link: www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/brain-optimisation-and-neurodegeneration-with-jo-grabyn-podcast-9

SuperFeast Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/superfeast-podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Welcome to your Brain article: www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/neural-nectar-blend-brain-optimisation The Daoist Brains: www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-taoist-brains Lion's Mane: www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-amazing-benefits-of-lions-mane Neural Nectar: www.superfeast.com.au/products/neural-nectar  The Amazing Benefits of Lion's Mane Nootropic Mushroom: www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/the-amazing-benefits-of-lions-mane

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SHARE ONLINE!

Instagram: instagram.com/superfeast

Facebook: facebook.com/SuperFeast

Today's episode is dedicated to talking all about our favourite mushroom; the queen, reishi. Known as the "Mushroom of Immortality" and the mushroom of spiritual potential, this herb truly is a wonder and a gift to our health. Mason is joined by naturopath and friend Dan Sipple (clinical naturopath @the.functional.naturopath) to discuss the lore, history, clinical use and wide range of benefits of this ancient herb. Mason shares his experience with this famous herb and why he is so passionate about dropping reishi-bombs on everyone he meets. Dan shares his clinical and personal experiences with a range of different patients and how reishi has helped their healing journeys.

WE WILL DISCUSS:

- How to use reishi for candida

- Reishi and pregnancy

- Whether children can take reishi

- How to ensure your reishi is quality

- Autoimmunity and reishi

- How to take this magical mushie

- Reishi for sleep

- The compounds that make reishi adaptogenic

- How reishi calms the Shen (spirit)

- Reishi for balancing emotions and calming the mind

- Reishi and the nervous system

RESOURCES:

Blog and Transcript Link: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-mushroom-of-immortality-podcast-8

SuperFeast Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/id1437097644?ls=1&mt=2

Reishi Mushroom: superfeast.com.au/products/wild-reishi-powdered-extract Long Live the Reishi Queen: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-mushroom-immortality Read about the amazing benefits of SuperFeast Reishi here: superfeast.com.au/blogs/superblog/reishi-medicinal-mushroom?_pos=4&_sid=98ded00d0&_ss=r

TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND SHARE ONLINE!

Instagram: instagram.com/superfeast

Facebook: facebook.com/SuperFeast