The Unleashed Human

Welcome back to a research packed episode where I talk about all of the benefits and research surrounding Cold water therapy and full-body cryotherapy. Yes, I am talking about taking cold showers, taking polar plunges into freezing lakes and rivers and cryotherapy chambers. It is going to be a good episode and very detailed episode, so try and follow along as best as you can.

 

We are going to jump into the wild world of cold therapy in just a second, but I first want to say just as I mentioned on my last episode, I have been working on a new coaching program that I am pretty excited about. It includes primal weight loss strategies, nutrition plans without counting stupid macros and calories, strength training methods and easy badass lifestyle methods that anyone can implement to get more energy into their life. If you are interested, we first start off with a free 45minute to 1-hour phone consult to find out your goals, needs and desires. Based off this call, we will formulate an extremely detailed plan tailored to your individual needs. With Over 15 years of experimentation of every diet and exercise regimen imaginable, I know what works for some and doesn't work for others. For instance… those people who have had their gallbladder removed will likely not do well on a ketogenic diet.. because breaking down fats efficiently requires a healthy gallbladder. Many so-called healthy diets will not work for everyone. Not even close. That's why you have not gotten the results you wanted or desired because it was not tailored to you. I have helped many people attain the life they deserve, so if you're ready to finally get that body or achieve your many health goals, Facebook message me at TJ Woodham and let's get started on making you a badass for the rest of your years.

 

 

On today's episode we are going to be diving into the fascinating world of cold therapy aka cryotherapy and how you can benefit from doing many different forms of cold therapy. There are different methods such as the old school ice baths, taking cold showers or even doing seasonal cold plunges in frigid lakes, rivers, oceans, or pools. You might also want to engage in some of the newer forms of cold therapy such as going into cryochambers (which are full body) or cryo-saunas (which allow your head to peer over a ledge).

 

MAKE SURE YOU STAY UNTIL THE END where I tell you the exact methods I have used and the methods you SHOULD use to implement cryotherapy into your life. We will be covering a lot of research first, so I want to make sure you listen until the end so that you can get some practical steps and tricks to utilize cryotherapy in your own life.

 

Cold therapy has been used for years to help athletes and everyday people recover from ailments, injury's and improve performance and functionality in the human body. Cold therapy may help with things like:

 

Pain management

Osteoarthritis

Neck pain

Low back pain

Joint pain

Helps with swelling and inflammation

Increase nerve conduction velocity (how fast your nerves send impulses to your body)

Helps boost the Immune System.. in other words will help you from getting sick

May help with hair loss and better for skin than warm to hot water

Increases metabolism through thermogenesis which means weight loss (brown adipose)

Potential treatment for depression (and before you get all huffy and puffy on the subject, I will go through some research hypothesizing cold showers being good for depression)

Potential cardiovascular health

Antioxidant like effects in reducing reactive oxygen species aka cancer causing entities known as free radicals.

 

Cold bath immersion can also provide strength gains and muscle gains following workouts due to its healing properties in superficial muscle

 

 

Before I begin, I must mention that cold water therapy and cryotherapy IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. If you have a serious condition or circulation disorders PLEASE DO NOT EVER DO CRYOTHERAPY. You MUST ALWAYS CONSULT your family doctor before doing such extreme modalities. The following conditions are severely restricted from cryotherapy:

 

Raynaud's syndrome, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, history of frostbite, atherosclerosis aka cardiovascular disease, allergy to cold, history of heart attack, history of DVT aka deep vein thrombosis, acute or chronic kidney disease, history of seizures and bleeding disorders.

 

 

For many people, cold weather and cold environments are their worst enemy and would rather suffer from 120-degree heat in the desert than to endure sub zero temperatures. Meanwhile, people in the state of Florida are freezing cold when it is 65 degrees outside in the middle of the winter. Believe me… I know. I lived in Florida for a good bit of my life. However, I now live in Wyoming which is a state that sees temperatures plummet to a bone chilling negative 30 degrees with 20 mph winds. So, I definitely have lived the dichotomy of worlds.

 

This being said, humans are quite adaptable creatures if you are willing to stress your body every once in a while for the sake of health and science. Physical stress is actually more healthy than unhealthy if you don't exceed your threshold. In other words, your body needs occasional stress from the environmental around you in order to build a strong immune system. Just like when we played out in the mud, dirt, and sand as kids… we exposed ourselves to bacteria, fungus and molds to build our immunity… being exposed to harsh temperatures also drastically alters our immune system in ways you would not believe. There are multiple research studies showing that exposure to cold water and temperatures have phenomenal impacts on our immune systems… in other words we don't get sick as often and are protected from illness. This can be achieved through 3-4-minute cold showers, 10-15 min cold baths or even 10-minute cold plunges in bodies of water.

 

With that being said lets jump into some studies showing how cold therapy increases healthy immune systems

 

The first study is: The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial By (BIHZH) Buijze et. all

Between January and March 2015, 3018 participants between 18 and 65 years without severe comorbidity and no routine experience of cold showering were randomized to a (hot-to-) cold shower for 30, 60, 90 seconds or a control group during 30 consecutive days followed by 60 days of showering cold at their own discretion for the intervention groups. The primary outcome was illness days and related sickness absence from work. Secondary outcomes were quality of life, work productivity, anxiety, thermal sensation and adverse reactions.

 

 

Results of the study showed in a 29% reduction of self-reported sick leave from work but not illness days at 90 days follow-up in adults without severe comorbidity. What was interesting however, is that the combination of routine (hot-to-) cold shower and regular physical activity resulted in an expected 54% reduction of sickness absence compared to people who don't do either. The duration of the cold shower did not influence outcome as there was no significant difference between intervention groups. Even though the vast majority of participants reported a variable degree of discomfort during cold exposure, the fact that 91% of participants reported they will to continue such routine. The most commonly reported beneficial effect was an increase in perceived energy levels (including many reported comparisons to the effect of caffeine).

 

 

Cold therapy has also been shown to induce heat shock proteins and cytokines which are types of immune cells that are produced under stressful conditions to modulate our immune system and ramp up our defenses in times of perceived threat or attack from intruders.

 

 

Another study on immunity is:

 

Immune changes in humans during cold exposure: effects of prior heating and exercise.

 

By Brenner Et. All

 

Showing that Subsequent cold exposure induced increase of leukocytes, granulocytes, circulating levels of interleukin (IL)-6, and natural killer (NK) cells and its activity. Leukocytes, granulocyte, and monocyte responses were augmented by pretreatment with exercise in water (18°C or 64F) and thus acute-cold exposure has immune-stimulating effects.

 

This study suggests that, despite popular beliefs that cold exposure can precipitate a viral infection, the innate component of the immune system is not adversely affected by a brief period of cold exposure. Indeed, the opposite seems the case. The fall in core body temperature resulting from cold exposure led to a consistent and statistically significant mobilization of circulating cells, an increase in NK cell activity, and elevations in circulating IL-6 concentrations

 

 

Another study on immunity showed improved antioxidant protection in winter swimmers

 

The study is called:

 

Improved antioxidative protection in winter swimmers.

 

By Siems et al.

 

Whereby they measured how levels of Glutathione, which is our body's strongest antioxidant, increased in those exposed to cold winter swimming.  The control group consisted of healthy people who had never participated in winter swimming. They drew blood samples to get a baseline of their Glutathione levels. What they found is that, in fact, the baseline concentration of GSH were higher in winter swimmers. They interpreted this as an adaptative response to repeated oxidative stress and postulate it as a new basic molecular mechanism of increased tolerance to environmental stress. Aka increased glutathione may help with increased immune system regulation if you can withstand the cold water.

 

There is another study titled:

 

Whole-Body Cryostimulation - Potential Beneficial Treatment for Improving Antioxidant Capacity in Healthy Men - Significance of the Number of Sessions In which Lubkowska et. Al placed 30 young healthy men into full-body cryotherapy chambers for 2 minutes at -230 degrees Fahrenheit and the results also significantly increased glutathione levels. So both cold water therapy and cryochamber therapy work similarly.

 

 

Now Let's switch gears and get into some studies showing how cold therapy can help with weight loss:

 

The first study is titled:

 

Functional brown adipose tissue in healthy adults.

 

By Vitanen Et. Al

 

Using positron-emission tomography, they found that cold-induced glucose uptake was increased by a factor of 15 in paracervical and supraclavicular adipose tissue in five healthy subjects. They obtained biopsy specimens of the tissue from three consecutive participants and documented protein levels of a brown-adipose tissue marker named uncoupling protein 1. In other words, more of this uncoupling protein means more brown adipose tissue. After a biochemical analysis, they team found that cold therapies induced a substantial amount of metabolically active brown adipose tissue in healthy adult humans which is used to warm the body and to ramp up metabolism which then can be used for weight loss methods.

 

The second study titled:

Cold acclimation recruits human brown fat and increases nonshivering thermogenesis By Van Der Lans Et. Al

Simply showed, again, how exposure to cold therapy will increase more brown fat which is known to ramp up heat production and metabolism, which can lead to weight loss overtime.

 

 

As crazy as it sounds, cold therapy could also be a great therapy for those with mental fog, cognition dysfunction, dementia and possibly Alzheimer's. This is because cold therapy induces cold stress protein named RNA binding protein motif 3 which then increases neurons responsible for brain connections and also increases astrocytes which are brain cells that's control electrical impulses in the brain and nourish neurons.

 

There are two studies that investigate neuro-plasticity from cold therapy:

 

The first is titled:

 

RBM3 mediates structural plasticity and protective effects of cooling in neurodegeneration

 

By Peretti Et. Al

 

They found in animals that cooling and hibernation induce a number of cold-shock proteins in the brain, including the RNA binding protein, RBM3. RNA binding protein is correlated to new nervous system tissue; thus the data supports that enhancing cold-shock pathways could be a potential protective therapy in neurodegenerative disorders.

 

 

 

The second study is titled:

 

Cold stress protein RBM3 responds to temperature change in an ultra-sensitive manner in young neurons

By Jackson Et. Al

 

They found that the cold stress protein RNA binding motif 3 (RBM3) increases in neuron and astrocyte cultures which then gives rise to more neurons to form new nerve connections.

 

 

 

Now Let's switch gears to hormone health in relation to cold therapy.

 

The first study is titled:

Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures

 

By Sramek et al

 

 

They Showed the effect on cardiovascular and hormone health by using a group of young men in water temperatures of 89, 68- and 57-degrees Fahrenheit. They found that in water temperatures of 57 degrees, it increased metabolic rate by 350%, and heart rate and blood pressure by 8 percent. This is also a good reason as to why you can lose weight from cold therapy due to ramping of your metabolism. It was important to note that Dopamine (our feel-good hormone) increased by 250% and Cortisol (our stress hormone) did not increase, but rather stayed the same or decreased. Responses like increased heart rate and blood pressure due to cold water were because the sympathetic nervous system was temporarily stressed.

 

The second study on hormone health tested the physiological difference between winter swimming and cryochamber therapy.

 

It is titled:

 

Effects of long‐term whole‐body cold exposures on plasma concentrations of ACTH, beta‐endorphin, cortisol, catecholamines and cytokines in healthy females

 

By Leppaluoto Et. Al

 

They studied the physiological reason for why cold therapy was good at alleviating pain.

 

 

During the course of 12 weeks, 3 times a week, a group of 10 healthy females was exposed to winter swimming (water 32–35°F) for 20 second and another group of 10 healthy females to whole‐body cryotherapy (air −230°F) for 2 min in a special chamber.

 

When Blood was drawn weeks 4-12 cortisol levels were significantly lower than in week 1. Plasma epinephrine was unchanged during both experiments, but norepinephrine showed significant 2‐fold to 3‐fold increases each time for 12 weeks after both cold exposures. The main finding was the sustained cold‐induced stimulation of norepinephrine, which was remarkably similar between exposures. The frequent increase in norepinephrine might have a role in pain alleviation in whole‐body cryotherapy and winter swimming.

 

 

We are now going to switch gears over to cryotherapy in athletics, performance and recovery.

 

It is no surprise that cold therapy is also amazing for athletic performance and recovery. Most people in some point of their life has used ice for an injury whatever the reason. There are many studies pointing to the efficacy of cold therapy on recovery times and strength and performance.

 

The first study is titled  

 

Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signaling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training

 

By Roberts et. Al

 

The key findings were that cold water immersion (1) substantially attenuated long-term gains in muscle mass and strength, and (2) delayed and/or suppressed the activity of satellite cells and kinases in the mTOR pathway during recovery from strength exercise. mTOR standing for mammalian target of rapamycin but you don't need to know that. However, what you do need to know is that these satellite cells in the mTOR pathway are stimulated in response to injury. So by decreasing how much they proliferate can increase recovery time.

 

The second study is titled:

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy on serum mediators of inflammation and serum muscle enzymes in athletes

By Banfi et. Al

 

 

10 top-level Italian National team rugby players underwent five sessions of whole-body cryotherapy on alternate days once daily for 1 week. During the study period, the training workload was the same as that of the previous weeks. Creatine Kinase (a muscle enzyme that is increased when there is muscle damage) and Lactate dehydrogenase (which is also a muscle enzyme released during muscle damage) were both assessed. The results from whole body cryotherapy showed significantly decreased levels of Creatine Kinase and Lactate dehydrogenase. Therefore, short-term cold air exposure was found to improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle injury and/or damage associated with intense physical training.

 

The Third study is titled

Time-Course of Changes in Inflammatory Response after Whole-Body Cryotherapy Multi Exposures following Severe Exercise

 By Pournot Et. Al

 

The objectives of study was to analyze the effect of two different recovery modalities on classical markers of exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation obtained after a simulated trail running race. 11 Endurance trained males completed two experimental trials separated by 1 month. One trial involved passive recovery, the other a specific whole-body cryotherapy for 96 h post-exercise (repeated each day). For each trial, subjects performed a 48 min running treadmill exercise followed by Passive recovery or whole-body cryotherapy.

Overall, the results indicated that the Whole-body cryotherapy was effective in reducing the inflammatory process. These results may be explained by vasoconstriction at muscular level, and both the decrease in cytokines activity pro-inflammatory, and increase in cytokines anti-inflammatory.

 

The Fourth Study is titled

Five-Day Whole-Body Cryostimulation, Blood Inflammatory Markers, and Performance in High-Ranking Professional Tennis Players

By Ziemann Et. Al

 

The study had participants follow a moderate-intensity training program. A subgroup was treated with the 5-day whole-body cryostimulation (−120°C) applied twice a day. The control subgroup participated in the training only whereas the subgroup had training AND cryotherapy.

 

The results showed that, applying whole-body cryostimulation in conjunction with moderate-intensity training was more effective for the recovery process than the training itself. The 5-day exposure to cryostimulation twice a day ameliorated the cytokine profile, resulting in a decrease in tumor necrosis factor αalpha (molecule released with systemic inflammation) and an increase in interleukin 6 (which is an ant-inflammatory molecule). It is also important to note that greater stroke effectiveness during the tennis drill and faster recovery was also observed.

 

The fifth study is titled

Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Far-Infrared vs. Passive Modalities on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Highly-Trained Runners

By Hausswirth ET. AL

 

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of whole-body cryotherapy, far infrared therapy or passive modalities like massage, stretching and heat packs in hastening muscular recovery within the 48 hours after a simulated trail running race. In 3 non-adjoining weeks, 9 well-trained runners performed 3 repetitions of a simulated trail run on a motorized treadmill, designed to induce muscle damage. Immediately, post 24 h, and post 48 h after exercise, all participants tested three different recovery modalities in a random order over the three separate weeks. Maximal muscle strength and perceived sensations were recovered after the first Whole body cryotherapy session only 1 hour after, while recovery took 24 h with far infrared therapy, and was not attained through the passive recovery modalities. 

Therefore, Three WBC sessions performed within the 48 hours after a damaging running exercise accelerate recovery from EIMD to a greater extent than FIR or PAS modalities.

 

 

Now let's switch gears and talk quickly on how cryotherapies can help with Mitochondria repair and growth. If you don't know… Mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells and are what provide us energy through what we call ATP aka Adenosine Tri-Phosphate. Without mitochondria we wouldn't be able to make muscle contractions or even live at all. In essence, mitochondria power our entire body.

The first study is titled

Postexercise muscle cooling enhances gene expression of PGC-1α.

By Ihsan ET. Al

PGC-1A is involved in the creation of Mitochondria… So the more we can enhance our PGC-1A, the more health mitochondria we can make… therefore more energy we can make for our cells, tissues, muscles and vital organs like our heart, lungs and brain.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of localized muscle cooling on post-exercise vascular, metabolic, and mitochondrial-related gene expression. What they found is that acute post exercise cooling intervention enhances the gene expression of PGC-1α and may therefore provide a valuable strategy to enhance exercise-induced mitochondrial biogenesis.

 

The second study is titled

Regular post exercise cooling enhances mitochondrial biogenesis through AMPK and p38 MAPK in human skeletal muscle.

And is also by Ihsan ET. AL

This study investigated the effect of regular post-exercise cold water immersion on muscle aerobic adaptations to endurance training. Eight males performed 3 sessions/wk of endurance training for 4 wk. Following each session, subjects immersed one leg in a cold-water bath (50°F) for 15 min, while their other leg served as a control. Muscle biopsies were obtained from vastus lateralis of both legs prior to training and 48 hours following the last training session. Samples were analyzed for signaling kinases: p38, MAPK and AMPK and PGC-1α. All of these enzymes are involved in creating new mitochondria. If they are increased… this likely means a strong correlation to increased mitochondria formation. Results showed increases in ALL enzymes which indicates that regular cold-water immersion enhances p38, AMPK, and possibly mitochondrial biogenesis.

 

 

Now let's get into a study in which cold therapy might be good with those suffering from Depression:

 

The study is titled:

 

Adapted cold showers as a potential treatment for depression

 

By Nikolai Shevchuk

 

Depression being a debilitating mood disorder that is among the top causes of disability worldwide. It can be characterized by a set of somatic, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, one of which is a high risk of suicide. This work presents a hypothesis that depression may be caused by the convergence of two factors: (A) A lifestyle that lacks certain physiological stressors that have been experienced by primates through millions of years of evolution, such as brief changes in body temperature (e.g. cold swim), and this lack of "thermal exercise" may cause inadequate functioning of the brain. (B) Genetic makeup that predisposes an individual to be affected by the above condition more seriously than other people.

 

To test the hypothesis, an approach to treating depression is proposed that consists of adapted cold showers (20 °C, which is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, 2–3 min, preceded by a 5-min gradual adaptation to make the procedure less shocking) performed once or twice daily. The proposed duration of treatment is several weeks to several months.

 

 

Exposure to cold is known to activate the sympathetic nervous system and increase the blood level of beta-endorphin and noradrenaline and to increase synaptic release of noradrenaline in the brain as well. Additionally, due to the high density of cold receptors in the skin, a cold shower is expected to send an overwhelming amount of electrical impulses from peripheral nerve endings to the brain, which could result in an anti-depressive effect.

 

 

And that is the last study. Wow, that was a lot of material, I know. But it's nice to have literature to provide evidence for the things we do for our health. This way we know it's not just voodoo, and you can tell your friends and family that the things you are doing are in fact backed by science and research. I hope you learned something from this today and if you didn't shame on me. Now as I promised, I want to tell you the methods and strategies you can use to hone cryotherapy in your own life.

 

 

 

First of all, as I mentioned earlier, do not do cold water therapy or cryotherapy if you have a serious condition or circulation disorders such as Raynaud's syndrome, high blood pressure, rheumatoid arthritis, history of frostbite, atherosclerosis aka cardiovascular disease, allergy to cold, history of heart attack, history of DVT aka deep vein thrombosis, acute or chronic kidney disease, history of seizures and bleeding disorders.

 

Now, for taking showers, start the shower at lukewarm temperature to avoid cold shock. Then slowly turn the shower knob colder each 30 seconds to get acclimated to the new temperature. Keep turning the knob until you are about 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit and let the cold water pour over your head for about 2 minutes at that temperature. Your shower should be anywhere from 5-6 minutes total.

 

Now, for taking ice baths, get 40 pound of ice from the grocery store, which should be two 20-pound ice bags. Dump the ice into the bath tub and then fill the water up until it isn't overflowing the tub. This is going to be very cold so brace yourself. For the first time attempt to do 5-10 minutes. 10 minutes is the absolute max on your first attempt. From there you can go up to 15 minutes max when you feel comfortable. Your legs will feel cold for at least an hour after the bath but will warm back up later. Your legs will feel amazing later.

 

Now, for doing cryotherapy in a cryo-sauna or whole body cryochamber, you can visit a variety of stores opening up across the country. Many places now own cryo-saunas which are little tubes that you stand in so that your head peers over the top of it. On the other hand you have whole body cryochambers that also target your head. Places like US Cryotherapy suggest that whole body cryochambers are best due to significantly more cooling, greater autonomic nervous system response, higher cellular response, and more uniform skin cooling. Whereas cryo-saunas can be a little less effective. So in my opinion, try visiting a place that uses whole body cryotherapy, but if you can't find a place with a chamber, using a cryo-sauna can be fine if nothing else. Typically you stand in these for 2 minutes at a time with temperature ranges of -160 to -230 degrees Fahrenheit. You will be given instructions at the center of your choosing.

 

 

Lastly, you can always find a local pool, lake, river or ocean during the winter or fall to jump in. But please be careful not to exceed your time in frigid waters. Please make sure, if possible, that someone is with you to make sure you are being monitored. I would treat this just as if you were going into a cold tub like we mentioned earlier. Start with 5-10 minutes first. Depending on the water temperature will likely tell you how long you should be in there for. Just remember, this is a serious activity. You CAN and WILL get hurt if you act reckless. You can get frostbite, cold-shock and hypothermia if you stay in the water too long. Please be smart and only go into water you feel is safe to be in.

 

 

 

 

As I mentioned earlier in the episode, I am accepting applications to work one on one with you. I have been working diligently on updating the unleashed human website to make it more accessible to schedule appointments and it will be up very soon. Again, I am no stranger to weight loss, weight gain, strength training, nutrition coaching and what it means to truly be healthy. I've been down the road of sickness and disease. Overcoming a severe case of Eczema and small intestine bacterial overgrowth was one of the hardest times of my life. But I learned so much about myself and how to help others overcome debilitating digestive disorders, self-image problems and how to exude health from the inside out. If you are looking to shred a couple pounds, looking to add some more muscle mass, looking to add strength, looking for nutritional guidance and plans or just looking for general lifestyle clean up, please Facebook message me at TJ Woodham on Facebook so we can find a time to set up a 45min – 1 hour consultation to see if we will be a good fit to achieve your goals and desires.

 

I look forward to hearing from you soon! Depending on when you hear this have an amazing day, week, month and year!

 

 

 

 

COACHING WITH DR. TJ WOODHAM:

Facebook Message me on Facebook At  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1441770011

 

 

RESOURCES COVERED ON EPISODE

 

US Cryotherapy:

https://www.uscryotherapy.com/

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

 

 

RESEARCH CITATIONS

 

Weight Loss, Thermogenesis and Brown Adipose Research

 

Functional brown adipose tissue in healthy adults.

 

Virtanen KA, Lidell ME, Orava J, Heglind M, Westergren R, Niemi T, Taittonen M, Laine J, Savisto NJ, Enerbäck S, Nuutila P.

 

N Engl J Med. 2009 Apr 9;360(15):1518-25. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0808949.

Erratum In N Engl J Med. 2009 Sep 10;361(11):1123.

      Cold acclimation recruits human brown fat and increases nonshivering thermogenesis

 

Anouk A.J.J. van der Lans, Joris Hoeks, Boudewijn Brans, Guy H.E.J. Vijgen, Mariëlle G.W. Visser,Maarten J. Vosselman, Jan Hansen, Johanna A. Jörgensen, Jun Wu, Felix M. Mottaghy, Patrick Schrauwen, and Wouter D. van Marken Lichtenbelt

 

J Clin Invest. 2013 Aug 1; 123(8): 3395–3403.

Published online 2013 Jul 15. doi: 10.1172/JCI68993

 

PMCID: PMC3726172

PMID: 23867626

 

 

 

Neuroplasticity, Brain Health and Neuroprotection Research

 

RBM3 mediates structural plasticity and protective effects of cooling in neurodegeneration

 

Diego Peretti, Amandine Bastide, Helois Radford, Nicholas Verity, Colin Molloy, Maria Guerra Martin,Julie A. Moreno, Joern R Steinert, Tim Smith, David Dinsdale, Anne E. Willis, and Giovanna R. Mallucci

 

Nature. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2015 Aug 12.

Published in final edited form as:

Nature. 2015 Feb 12; 518(7538): 236–239.

Published online 2015 Jan 14. doi: 10.1038/nature14142

PMCID: PMC4338605

EMSID: EMS61416

PMID: 25607368

 

Cold stress protein RBM3 responds to temperature change in an ultra-sensitive manner in young neurons.

 

Jackson TC, Manole MD, Kotermanski SE, Jackson EK, Clark RS, Kochanek PM.

 

Neuroscience. 2015 Oct 1;305:268-78. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.012. Epub 2015 Aug 8.

 

PMID: 26265550

 

PMCID: PMC4570027

 

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.012

Hormone Health Research

 

 

Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures

1. Šrámek M. Šimečková L. Janský J. Šavlíková S. Vybíral

European Journal of Applied Physiology

February 2000, Volume 81, Issue 5, pp 436–442| 

 

 

Effects of long‐term whole‐body cold exposures on plasma concentrations of ACTH, beta‐endorphin, cortisol, catecholamines and cytokines in healthy females

1. Leppäluoto,T. Westerlund,P. Huttunen,J. Oksa,J. Smolander,B. Dugué

 

Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation 

Volume 68, 2008 - Issue 2

Pages 145-153 | Received 27 Mar 2007, Accepted 14 Jun 2007, Published online: 08 Jul 2009

 

 

Athletic Performance, Strength and Recovery Research

 

Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signaling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training

 

Llion A. Roberts, Truls Raastad, James F. Markworth, Vandre C. Figueiredo, Ingrid M.Egner,Anthony Shield, David Cameron-Smith, Jeff S. Coombes and Jonathan M. Peake

 

J Physiol593.18 (2015) pp 4285–43014285The Journal of Physiology

 

Effects of whole-body cryotherapy on serum mediators of inflammation and serum muscle enzymes in athletes

Giuseppe Banfi, Gianluca Melegati, Alessandra Barassi, Giada Dogliotti,

Gianvico Melzi d'Eril, Benoit Dugue´, Massimiliano M. Corsi

 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2008.10.003

Journal of Thermal Biology

Volume 34, Issue 2, February 2009, Pages 55-59

 

  Time-Course of Changes in Inflammatory Response after Whole-Body Cryotherapy Multi Exposures following Severe Exercise Hervé Pournot, François Bieuzen , Julien Louis, Jean-Robert Fillard, Etienne Barbiche, Christophe Hausswirth

Published: July 28, 2011

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0022748

PLOS ONE 6(11): 10.1371/annotation/0adb3312-7d2b-459c-97f7-a09cfecf5881.

https://doi.org/10.1371/annotation/0adb3312-7d2b-459c-97f7-a09cfecf5881 

 

 

Five-Day Whole-Body Cryostimulation, Blood Inflammatory Markers, and Performance in High-Ranking Professional Tennis Players

Ewa Ziemann, Robert Antoni Olek, Sylwester Kujach, Tomasz Grzywacz, Jędrzej Antosiewicz, Tomasz Garsztka, and Radosław Laskowski (2012)

 

Journal of Athletic Training: Nov/Dec 2012, Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 664-672.

https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-47.6.13

 

 

Effects of Whole-Body Cryotherapy vs. Far-Infrared vs. Passive Modalities on Recovery from Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Highly-Trained Runners

 

Christophe Hausswirth,  Julien Louis,  François Bieuzen, Hervé Pournot, Jean Fournier, Jean-Robert Filliard, and Jeanick Brisswalter

Alejandro Lucia, Editor

 

PLoS One. 2011; 6(12): e27749.

Published online 2011 Dec 7. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027749

 

 

PMCID: PMC3233540

PMID: 22163272

 

 

 

Mitochondria Health Research

 

Postexercise muscle cooling enhances gene expression of PGC-1α.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Oct;46(10):1900-7. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000308.

Ihsan M1, Watson G, Choo HC, Lewandowski P, Papazzo A, Cameron-Smith D, Abbiss CR.

 

PMID: 24561815

 

DOI:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000308

 

 

Regular post exercise cooling enhances mitochondrial biogenesis through AMPK and p38 MAPK in human skeletal muscle.  

Ihsan M, Markworth JF, Watson G, Choo HC, Govus A, Pham T, Hickey A, Cameron-Smith D, Abbiss CR.

 

Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2015 Aug 1;309(3):R286-94.

doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00031.2015. Epub 2015 Jun 3.

 

 

Depression Research

Adapted cold shower as a potential treatment for depression.

Shevchuk NA1.

 

Med Hypotheses. 2008;70(5):995-1001. Epub 2007 Nov 13.

 

PMID: 17993252

 

DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2007.04.052

 

Sunlight and Vitamin D

What is going on beautiful people. I am finally back from a temporary hiatus. Yes, after hearing many of you and my friends giving me shit from not producing podcast episodes, I am finally back. I have been working on a new coaching program that I am pretty excited about. It includes primal weight loss strategies, nutrition plans without counting stupid macros and calories, strength training methods and easy badass lifestyle methods that anyone can implement to get more energy into their life. If you are interested, we first start off with a free 45minute to 1-hour phone consult to find out your goals, needs and desires. Based off this call, we will formulate an extremely detailed plan tailored to your individual needs. With Over 15 years of experimentation of every diet and exercise regimen imaginable, I know what works for some and doesn't work for others. For instance… those people who have had their gallbladder removed will likely not do well on a ketogenic diet.. because breaking down fats efficiently requires a healthy gallbladder. Many so-called healthy diets will not work for everyone. Not even close. That's why you have not gotten the results you wanted or desired because it was not tailored to you. I have helped many people attain the life they deserve, so if you're ready to finally get that body or achieve your many health goals, Facebook message me at TJ Woodham and let's get started on making you a badass for the rest of your years.

 

On today's episode we are talking about the benefits of Sunlight and why it has been demonized over the years for fear of cancer. In fact, newer findings suggest that moderate amounts of sunshine does not lead to skin cancer, but rather moderate amounts of sunshine actually helps prevent several types of cancers, especially breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer.

 

We are also going to talk about why vitamin D aka hormone D is so damn good for you. Oh and before we start, I wanted to let you know nearly 1 billion people world-wide are currently vitamin D deficient. Why do you ask? Well because we sit inside play video games, watch tv, play with our iPads, scroll through social media and the list goes on… Let's get into it.

 

First lets discuss why humans must get sunlight (health benefits)

The reason why sunlight is amazing for your health is the stimulation of vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D does many things for our body such as creating strong bones, strong immune system so you don't get sick, protection against dementia and Alzheimer's, increased mood and natural hormone cycles, increased energy, strong teeth, nails and hair, helps with absorption of food and those with digestive disorders. Vitamin D via the sun also helps with skin disorders like PSORIASIS and ECZEMA. I can 100% confirm this.. as I had a bad case of eczema and the sun did wonders for my skin.

 

The light that comes from the sun is called ultra-violet light. However, there are three types of ultra-violet light. UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA has the longest wavelength and least energy, UVB has shorter wavelength and UVC has shortest wavelength and highest energy. In general, we as humans only want moderate exposures to UVA and refrain from UVB and UVC exposure if possible. However, we know that cancer and aging can still come from long term exposure to UVA. That is why sun exposure, in general, needs to be monitored by time out in the sun.

 

When your skin receives enough sunlight without burning, your skin will exhibit what we call the browning affect aka getting a tan. This is because the UVA rays stimulate this cells called melanocytes which produce a skin pigment known as melanin. The more melanin you have, the more tan or dark you will be. So if you think about it this way… black people typically have more melanin than white people because their skin is darker than white people. The cool thing is that melanin actually protects the skin against harmful sun rays and will allow you to tolerate more exposure to sunlight. In essence, if you are tanner, it will take longer for your body to have any kind of harm done to it. This is also due to the skin becoming thicker and will disallow penetration of rays over time… this is of course if you are getting moderate sun exposure and not burning your skin.

 

Now let's quickly talk about the burning effect of the skin. When your skin gets burnt it is because of the UVB rays attacking the immune cells in the skin and the release of histamine aka an inflammation molecule. This histamine causes tiny blood vessels to dilate which will promote a visible redness. Some of these cells will be injured by the sun and a flaking process will occur which causes the upper layer of your skin to peel.

 

Two other things that can be acquired from poor sunlight control are basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basil cell carcinoma typically come from brown spots caused from both UVA and UVB rays. It looks like brown flaked or brown spots. Typically this cancer is harmless but can in fact become harmful.

 

On the other hand overexaggerated UVA and UVB exposure can lead to malignant melanoma in which melanocytes have been transformed into cancer cells. Melanoma typically evolves from birthmarks. It can spread very rapidly and evolve into serious diseases. Typically melanoma can be identified as an abnormally shaped and abnormally colored birthmark. Those people who had serious exposure to sunlight as young children are at a higher risk for melanoma. This being said, you might want to check your skin for any strange spots. Have your spouse or family member help you. If you find something concerning, do not self-diagnose. Go see a dermatologist or skin specialist first.

 

Here is the rub. The sun is not your enemy. You should be smart about how long you are exposed to the sun, however. The general rule of thumb is you first need to understand the color of your skin and how either dark or fair skinned you are to determine exposure time to sun. If you are fair skinned and it is the first time being exposed to the sun this year, then 10 minutes is likely the best to start with. As you gain more color and pigment, then you may go up to 15 minutes and possibly 20 minutes. These times are WITHOUT SUNSCREEN by the way. So this means 10 minutes for your front side and then flip on your stomach to get 10 minutes on the back without sunscreen. If you are darker skin toned, then you can start with 20 minutes up to 30 minutes without sunscreen.

 

Okay so here is my beef with sunscreen. It does two things that really piss me off… It first blocks the sun… soooo that's counterproductive and second, so many sunscreens actually have carcinogens in them already aka cancer causing chemicals. So how does that make any sense? The lotion that is protect us from cancer, is actually promoting cancer. That is amazing. The only time I will advise sunscreen is if you are clearly outside for an extended period of time without long sleeves, long pants and a hat to cover your face. As a rule of thumb, you should still put on face sunscreen even with a hat on because of light reflecting up from the ground. Also our face is exposed much more than any other body part and more prone to skin cancers.

 

There are many organic sunscreens you can purchase on amazon these days. Granted, they will likely need to be applied a little more frequently than commercial grade sunscreens… but wouldn't you rather keep applying organic sunscreens compared to placing sunscreens that literally have cancer causing chemicals in their formula?

 

There are sunscreens that are free of parabens, free of amino benzoic acid, trolamine salicylate and oxybenzone (which has been known to be the most toxic chemical in sunscreens)

As a side note: oxybenzone The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention routinely detect oxybenzone in more than 96 percent of Americans. Study participants who reported using sunscreen have higher oxybenzone exposures (Zamoiski 2015). Investigators at University of California, Berkeley, reported a dramatic drop in teen girls' exposure to oxybenzone in cosmetics when they switched from their usual products to replacements that did not contain this chemical (Harley 2016).

In an evaluation of CDC-collected exposure data for American children, researchers found that adolescent boys with higher oxybenzone measurements had significantly lower total testosterone levels (Scinicariello 2016). The researchers cautioned that their results offer a single-day snapshot; they are not a controlled study of the effect of multiday exposures. The study did not find a similar hormone effect in younger boys or females.

Three other studies reported statistically significant associations between oxybenzone exposure during pregnancy and birth outcomes. One reported shorter pregnancies in women carrying male fetuses; two reported higher birth weights in baby boys; and one found lower birth weights in baby girls (Ghazipura 2017).

Intentional dosing studies of people are rare. In one, volunteers applied a lotion containing oxybenzone and two other sunscreen ingredients. Researchers reported a minor but statistically significant decrease in testosterone in men, accompanied by a minor increase in inhibin B, another male sex hormone (Janjua 2004). The researchers concluded these differences were normal variations and not attributable to sunscreen exposure. In any event, critics argue the exposures were too short to be conclusive (Krause 2012).

With this being said you can find sunscreens like

Two Peas Organics https://amzn.to/2YiHWYe

All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter https://amzn.to/2LBcONA

Miami Gorgeous Zinc Stick https://amzn.to/30RZnwp

 

Links to these sunscreens will be posted in the show notes that will direct you to Amazon.

 

Now let's switch gears onto the conversation of tanning beds.

 

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization's International Agency of Research on Cancer Tanning beds and sun lamps are carcinogens (cancer-causing substance. Research indicates that even just ONE indoor tanning visit a year increases the likelihood of developing melanoma or the risk of a benign mole progressing to melanoma. The risk is even higher for younger tanners. Many young women have started tanning before the age of 16. Younger skin is more prone to severe sun damage. With tanning beds, the light is meant to be the same strength as the UV light from the sun, and in some cases it can be stronger. Melanoma is the second most common cancer in females ages 15 to 29. In addition to the increased cancer risks, indoor tanning creates oxidative damage and increases the visible signs of aging. Dark spots and a leathery skin texture are signs that there has been significant sun damage to the skin. Another premature aging sign is wrinkling of the skin. Frequent visits to a tanning bed forces collagen production to lessen and the skin become less elastic. In fact, Indoor tanning is estimated to cause more than 400,000 cases of skin cancer in the United States annually. Even on tanning session can increase your risk of melanoma by 20 percent.

 

Many authorities will say both the sun and tanning beds increase your risk for cancer. But I absolutely disagree if you are smart with sun exposure times and refraining from tanning beds.

 

Just to let you know, I personally know people who had melanomas removed in their early 20's. That to me in scary enough to not go into a tanning bed.

I quickly want to touch on the vitamin D pathway and how it works exactly.

80% of our vitamin D comes from the sun and 20% comes from our diet.

When sunlight first hits our skin in the epidermis it turns a molecule called 7-dehydrocholesterol into Vitamin D3 aka cholecalciferol. Vitamin D3 is then shuttled to the liver where it is converted to 25-hydroxyvitamin D aka Calcidiol. Calcidiol is then transported to our Kidneys and converts to Calcidiol into 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D aka Calcitriol which is the Biologically active form of Vitamin D that the body can actually use for bone health, digestive health, hair health, brain health, skin health and hormone health.

 

So just a recap – Sunlight hits skin, skin converts sunlight into Vitamin D3, Vitamin D3 transported to Liver, Liver converts Vitamin D3 into Calcidiol, Calcidiol transported to Kidneys, Kidneys convert Calcidiol into Calcitriol, Calcitriol is now the active and useable form of Vitamin D which gives us unending health benefits.  

 

Here's the deal… sometimes of the year it is very difficult to get sunlight because of winter and geographical locations not allowing access to the sun. Places further away from the equator suffer from winter time blues because they lack adequate sunlight and vitamin D. These locations are also more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases. Research is showing that many autoimmune diseases are now linked to lack of sunlight and vitamin D deficiencies.

 

 

Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to a variety of conditions and symptoms such as:

 

Sleep disorders

Depression

Skin Disorders/Rashes

Autoimmune Diseases

Digestive Disorders

Adrenal Fatigue and Lethargy

Hair Loss

Bone Loss/Osteopenia/Osteoporosis

Joint Pains

Hormone Dysregulation

Mental Disorders

Early Alzheimer's and Dementia

Decreases Immune System/Getting Sick Often

Delayed wound healing

 

This being said, there are a ton of bad things that can happen to you by being vitamin D deficient… So its pretty dang important to have adequate amounts of vitamin D in your body.

 

If you don't have access to natural sunlight then you will want to up your food intake of vitamin D rich foods. You can get vitamin D from a variety of food sources. Vitamin D3 is mostly found in animal proteins and Vitamin D2 is found in plant proteins.

 

Sources of Vitamin D include:

Pasture Raised Eggs By Eating The Entire Egg and Yolk

Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon

Liver from Grass-fed Cows

Wild Caught Sardines and Herring

Organic Cod Liver oil

Oysters

Maitake (my-talkee) and Portobello Mushrooms

 

If you don't like any of the food choices above then I suggest you invest in getting a quality Vitamin D supplement. You can take anywhere from 5-10 thousand IU of Vitamin D a day. Make sure your kidneys and liver are in good condition before starting a regimen of vitamin D. Talk to your doctor about any new supplement regimen if warranted. It is certainly safe to take 5 thousand IU of vitamin D daily. Don't feed into the whole vitamin D toxicity myth unless you truly have some sort of pre-existing organ dysfunction. I recommend purchasing Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 because their purity levels and simplicity is the best in my opinion. I have zero affiliation with this company. I myself only order through them If I can because there are zero fillers of any kind. I will post an amazon link in the show notes for their Vitamin D supplement. https://amzn.to/2Y5iRM4

  

With that being said, that is all I wanted to cover regarding the benefits of sunlight and vitamin D. I hope you got something out of this episode and if you didn't feel free to yell at me or drop me a line and see what you liked or didn't like from the episode. I'm always open to feedback and criticism.

 

As I mentioned earlier in the episode, I am accepting applications to work one on one with you. I have been working diligently on updating the unleashed human website to make it more accessible to schedule appointments and it will be up very soon. Again, I am no stranger to weight loss, weight gain, strength training, nutrition coaching and what it means to truly be healthy. I've been down the road of sickness and disease. Overcoming a severe case of Eczema and small intestine bacterial overgrowth was one of the hardest times of my life. But I learned so much about myself and how to help others overcome debilitating digestive disorders, self-image problems and how to exude health from the inside out. If you are looking to shred a couple pounds, looking to add some more muscle mass, looking to add strength, looking for nutritional guidance and plans or just looking for general lifestyle clean up, please Facebook message me at TJ Woodham on Facebook so we can find a time to set up a 45min – 1 hour consultation to see if we will be a good fit to achieve your goals and desires.

 

I look forward to hearing from you soon! Depending on when you hear this have an amazing day, week, month and year!

 

 

PRIMAL COACHING WITH ME:

Facebook Message me on Facebook At  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1441770011

 

RESOURCES COVERED ON EPISODE

Organic and Natural Sunscreens:

Two Peas Organics https://amzn.to/2YiHWYe

All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter https://amzn.to/2LBcONA

Miami Gorgeous Zinc Stick https://amzn.to/30RZnwp

 

Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3:

https://amzn.to/2Y5iRM4

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

What's up Unleashed Humans! On this episode I had the amazing pleasure to interview Jennifer Fugo who is helping hundreds to thousands of people eliminate poor skin and poor digestion. Not only is she one of the most intelligent guests I've had, but she truly understands the human boy better than most medical doctors, as she treats each of her clients as an individual with specific needs.

She covers how she takes a person from sickness to wellness by first understanding each person's history on an extremely detailed level and by ordering specific tests to precisely determine what is causing a person's gut dysfunction leading to skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. If you didn't know, skin issues are some of the hardest conditions to mitigate because most people think that it is either caused by an external irritant in our environment or from food allergies. Now, these can both lead to chronic skin issues and gut dysfunction, but you will learn from Jennifer, that it isn't that simple and that fixing your skin and gut is much deeper than what you've been told.

 

It was an absolute treat to have Jennifer on the show as I learned some things myself and I am sure you will benefit greatly from listening to this episode. Jennifer is an amazing resource to have and I am thankful to call her a colleague and friend. Without further ado, lets jump right into the show!

 

Jennifer Fugo, MS, CNS:

 

1:50 - Jennifer talks about her battle with Eczema and Gut Dysfunction. For the longest time she thought that having bathroom issues was normal. She had developed circular rashes on her legs with chronic fatigue, headaches and couldn't get out of bed. She realized that a lot of her issues were stemming from Gluten. She also quickly noticed that her Eczema was coming from large amounts of stress during her professional nutritional training. She went through the gauntlet of seeing doctors for her skin and nothing seemed to help.

 

8:36 – Jennifer talks about the things from inside the body are the real reason why people have poor skin. She talks about both physical and emotional stress that creates inflammation of the skin. Skin conditions can stem from 15 different reasons. Things like having thyroid dysfunction, low functioning liver detoxification, general stress, exposure to environmental allergens and food sensitivities. Jennifer believes that food allergies is not the major cause of skin inflammation. She says that gut issues, thyroid conditions and vitamin deficiencies come way before food sensitivities. Jennifer really thinks that testing is important

 

13:39 – Jennifer talks about lab testing and the mindset of why you should get lab tests. Jennifer likes having her clients go back to their primary care doctor to order fairly standard tests through Quest or LabCorp. Things like a CBC panel, fasted CMP panel to look at the kidney values and liver values. If someone is very itchy then maybe a plasma histamine is a good test to see how much inflammation you might have. She orders tests like Vitamin B12 + Folate, Vitamin D, Serum Vitamin A (for skin, eyes and thyroid) and a full thyroid panel (free t3, free t4, TSH, reverse t3 and thyroid antibodies). She also orders red blood cell magnesium aka erythrocyte magnesium which is not the same as serum magnesium… We want to know how much magnesium is inside our red blood cells which we need to power our cells for the creation of ATP. She likes to order Red blood cell zinc because zinc is important for healing. She also likes to order homocysteine panels.

 

17:30 – Jennifer talks about how she breaks down her clients as an individual like a cube. She looks at all the angles to a person's life, health, history, drug usage, illness history and based off that, she decides how to test them and which route of care to go. She talks about how the current medical model is not conducive for health but in their defense medical doctors are under a very stringent watch. Medical doctors are under a tight radar to practice within their scope of care and are dinged if they order too many lab tests. Jennifer says it isn't too late and that you should never give up.

 

24:20 – Jennifer talks about having health NOW is vitally important. Preventative care starts NOW not later. People wait too long to be healthy. There is a window for a person to return to maximum health. When certain things go wrong, it isn't always possible to return to full health.

 

26:45 – Jennifer talks about the foods that people with Eczema, digestion issues and autoimmune diseases should stay away from. HOWEVER, people need to stop being fearful of foods. She does not put people on elimination diets unless a food absolutely creates a poor response like running to the bathroom right after eating it. She does not like taking foods away from someone because it perpetuates the fear of food in people. She would rather remove the issue at hand, rather than the foods. She talks about how gluten, however, is the only food that has been clinically shown to increase gut permeability.. meaning it creates leaky gut. Jennifer is more interested in getting to the reason or weakness in your body that is creating the issue first.

 

34:12 – Your gut microbiome directly communicates to your skin microbiome through short chain fatty acids (butyrate) which helps to acidify the microbiome. Butyrate in the gut communicates with the skin and when there are not adequate amounts of Butyrate.

 

36:10 – Jennifer talks about what she does with someone with SIBO and Candida Overgrowth. Jennifer talks about how SIBO can be a long and complicated road that might need to be co-managed with a doctor. She helps people with Candida by making sure they have enough water, possibly implementing S. Boulardii, reducing sugars and making sure that they are pooping a lot. Jennifer stresses how getting the bowels moving is the most important part in eliminating Candida. Being stopped up and constipated will hinder someone's ability to eliminate Candida. She says how the Candida diet doesn't actually work. She speaks about how SIBO is directly related to Rosacea.

 

42:40 – Jennifer talks about why having enough stomach acid is vitally crucial. Having low stomach acid can lead to SIBO and malabsorption of foods. Having low and high stomach acid actually show the same symptoms. Jennifer talks about The low stomach acid test – Mix baking soda with water and drink on an empty stomach. If you get small burbs or no burps at all, this can mean that you have low stomach acid.

 

45:55 – Why ant-acids were never meant to be used long term and are extremely unhealthy for your body. They can severely affect your b-vitamins. Chewing your food enough and slowing down while you eat will allow you to generate enough digestive enzymes and acid for healthy digestion. Listen to your body for symptoms that are sending you red flags that you are not digesting food like you should. Things like brain fog, memory issues, gastric distress, diarrhea, skin inflammation, depression, lethargy and social isolation.

 

52:02 – Jennifer speaks to the emotional, psychosocial and traumatic turmoil that adds to skin issues. She speaks about how both her and I are supposed to be poster kids for what it means to be healthy. During our professional training we both hid from people and our colleagues to avoid embarrassment. We both found that it completely consumed our life and likely made us worse for not being more open about it. She talks about how you need to learn to love yourself, no matter how bad it has gotten. Jennifer speaks to how severe emotions can run with skin conditions. There are people who threaten to kill themselves due to the emotional turmoil they put themselves through.

 

59:20 – Jennifer talks about the cost of skin medications and how absurd it is. How these people have to stay on these medications the rest of their lives. She speaks to how health care should be better for chronic skin conditions and the causes for skin issues rather than giving band aids like steroid creams. "Nobody has a steroid cream insufficiency."

1:02:10 – Jennifer talks about how there are some serious side effects to using steroid creams which can affect your adrenal glands. People's skin can become addicted to corticosteroid creams and most of the time can lead to worsening of your skin issues.

 

1:03:54 – Jennifer talks about the top 3 things someone should do for Eczema. First She says not to use coconut oil and use Jojoba oil instead. Second she says to get enough protein in your diet with 70-80 grams of protein daily. Thirdly she says to listen to the natural skin show to learn more. Fourthly she says to check out your stomach acid levels.

 

1:06:21 – Jennifer's last meal would be homemade fettucine with Bolognese sauce from Italy

 

1:07:15 – Jennifer's last week of life would be a trip to Florence Italy

 

1:07:45 – Jennifer's one piece of advice – hug the people in your life because we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Love and give thanks for those in your life. Freak accidents happen every day. You should tell them you love them. Tell people how you feel because it might be the last chance you get.

 

 

Thank you for listening to this episode, I hope you got a lot out of it. If you haven't already head over to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed to get your free copy of my book to supercharge your life. That's it from me. Have an amazing day Unleashed Humans. Speak soon!

 

Jennifer's Contact Information:

Websites: http://www.skinterrupt.com, https://www.jenniferfugo.com

Healthy Skin Show Podcast: http://skinterrupt.com/podcast

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlutenFreeSchool

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gfreeschool

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/follow/gfreeschool

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gfreeschool

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=jenfugo

 

 

Low Stomach Acid At-Home Test → https://gfschool.clickfunnels.com/low-stomach-acid-test-optin

 

Having appropriate levels of stomach acid is key to a healthy gut. Unfortunately, 95% of my clients have low stomach acid (even though they have heartburn or no symptoms at all!). Low stomach acid can make a mess out of your digestion, and in turn, wreck your gut and your skin. Here's how to do this free test at home to discover whether you've got low stomach acid and what to do about it.

 

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow Dr. TJ Woodham:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

What's up Unleashed Humans! This episode is going to be fantastic because everyone is always asking me which tests and labs they should get to be their healthiest self and what kind of lifestyle they should live as a preventative measure. I am also going to talk about why you should know exactly what your spine should look like and how to make sure your spine and posture is healthy into old age. People also ask me which tests they should get to assess a current condition they have and what they should to alleviate their current condition. Now, If you know me, I am extremely big on running lab tests on myself. I do this to check my blood chemistry which looks at my hormones, red blood cell metabolism, vitamin metabolism and blood sugar regulation.

 

We will also be looking at genetic testing and which ones to do for best results and understanding.

 

I am also very big on testing my gut on a regular basis to make sure I am properly digesting my foods and absorbing nutrients for the health of my brain and nervous system. I also look to see how well my gut microbiome is performing and if my beneficial bacteria are doing their job. That is why on this episode I am covering all of the lab tests that I believe any human on planet earth should get done. These are labs you will want to get done at least once a year and are some of the baseline or foundational lab tests. If you have never had any of these tests done before, then you should get on it now! It is never too early or too late to understand the health of your body and harness your knowledge of your health to live beyond what it means to be an Unleashed Human.

 

So we will cover blood tests, saliva tests, genetic tests and digestion tests which covers just about everything.

 

Now as I mentioned, I will cover all the lab tests that I recommend you start out doing. Here's the cool thing… If you have a condition that is bothering you and would like me to order tests for you and do a professional read for you, please let me know. Being a healthcare provider allows me to order you tests that have extremely high reliability and gives me the ability to make clinical decisions and treatment plans specifically for you. Even if you don't have a condition that you are concerned about and just want to be the healthiest human possible, then I can order any test you would like and do a professional read on those as well! I get lab tests all the time even though I don't have any serious illnesses… If I didn't order lab tests myself then this show wouldn't be called The Unleashed Human right? You can personally message me on my Instagram @theunleashedhuman or message me on my personal Facebook at TJ Woodham and I will love to get something started for you!

 

Before we start, I want to mention that all of the lab tests and companies I mention today will be in the show notes below so you can check them out for yourself!

 

With that out of the way let's get onto the tests…

 

 

 

 

Now First and foremost, we are going to start with the generic BLOOD tests that you should have at the very minimum of once a year:

 

First thing first.. get a yearly Complete blood count with differential aka CBC with differential:

You can usually get this done by your general practitioner or family doctor. A complete blood count (CBC) is a blood test used to evaluate your overall health and detect a wide range of disorders, including anemia, infection and leukemia. It measures Red blood cells, which carry oxygen… and White blood cells, which fight infection. It tests for Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. It tests for Hematocrit, the proportion of red blood cells to the fluid component, or plasma, in your blood. And it also tests for Platelets, which help with blood clotting or we would bleed to death. This is a standard test for most people but can be used to assess why you might have unusual bleeding or bruising, why you get infections often and why you feel weak and tired all the time which are usually signs of anemia. Having a healthy CBC with differential can be changed by living a healthy lifestyle and making sure you are eating a balanced diet that supports your cardiovascular system and cells. If you have a rare or congenital blood disorder then this changes things and you should always advise with your medical doctor as to which route of care you should follow based on your condition. Hopefully they are conservative and try to treat your condition with natural methods like diet and lifestyle modifications.

 

Next is getting a Vitamin D assay

You can get a Vitamin D panel from your General Practitioner

Vitamin D is extremely important to have normal levels of. By having lower levels of vitamin D you are at risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive diseases, autoimmune diseases and some cancers. Vitamin D is created by the foods we eat and by the sunlight we receive on our skin. Those at risk for vitamin D deficiency are those who don't get adequate sunlight and who adhere to a strict vegan and even vegetation diets. High levels of vitamin D are found in fish like salmon, liver oils, egg yolks and cheeses. Vitamin D is extremely important for strong bones, the health of our cell membranes, the health of our nerves, our digestive health and the health of our brain. At the time of this recording I live in Wyoming during the winter and I am not getting too much sunlight due to subzero temperatures. So I supplement with 10,000 IU of vitamin D every other day and try to eat foods higher in vitamin D. Normal levels of vitamin D should be between 30 to 100 nanograms per milliliter. But you should shoot between 60-80 in my opinion.

 

 

 

Hemoglobin A1C

You can get a Hemoglobin A1C from your General Practitioner

The hemoglobin A1c test tells you your average level of blood sugar over the past 2 to 3 months. People who have diabetes need this test regularly to see if their levels are staying within range. It can tell if you need to adjust your diabetes medicines. The A1c test is also used to diagnose diabetes. The sugar in your blood is called glucose. When glucose builds up in your blood, it binds to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. The A1c test measures how much glucose is bound.  The normal range for the hemoglobin A1c level is between 1% and 5.6%. Hemoglobin A1c levels between 5.7% and 6.4% mean you have a higher chance of getting diabetes. Levels of 6.5% or higher likely means you have diabetes. Limit your risk for diabetes by eliminating processed foods, sugars, and fats. Stop drinking sodas and eating candy. Don't consume so much refined grains and breads. Maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly. If you stick to a paleo or keto type lifestyle of eating and having occasional cheat meals on the weekends you will be just fine.

 

 

Vitamin B12 and Folate

 

You can get a B12 and Folate panel from your General Practitioner

This test is helpful to diagnose someone with anemia or neuropathy aka having nerve pain, nerve weakness, and possibly numbness and tingling in the arms, hands, legs, feet. It is also used to assess nutritional deficiencies in people because vitamin B12 is extremely important in digesting and absorbing nutrients in the large intestine and colon. B12 and folate are necessary for normal red blood cell (RBC) formation, repair of tissues and cells, nerve tissue in our spinal cord and brain and synthesis of DNA, which is the genetic material in cells. Both are nutrients that cannot be produced in the body and must be supplied by the diet from food. B12 deficiency might be more common than you think. Found mostly in vegans and vegetarians who lack B12 from animal meats and products. Foods like fish, meat, eggs, and poultry. Those with poor digestive capability also can lack B12 and folate.

 

 

 

Testosterone

You can get a Testosterone and panel from your General Practitioner

I recommend getting both total testosterone and free testosterone tests. Total testosterone measures testosterone that is bound to proteins in the blood like albumin and sex-hormone binding globulin [SHBG]. 96 percent of the testosterone in our body is bound to proteins which makes the Total Testosterone test usually sufficient enough. However, on the other hand..  Free testosterone test measures testosterone that is not bound aka free testosterone and accounts for less than 4% of our body's testosterone

Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men, produced mainly by the testicles, and is responsible for male physical characteristics. Although it is considered to be a "male" sex hormone, it is present in the blood of both males and females, so it is actually very important for the functioning of women as well.

In men:

• hair loss(including on the body and face)
• reduced muscle tone
• fragile skin
• a reduced sex drive and erectile dysfunction
• disturbed mood
• memory or concentration problems
• Men feeling more sensitive or emotional than they normally do
• Testicular tumors in men

Symptoms in women can be:

• irregular or missed periods
• low sex drive
• vaginal dryness
• weak bones
• fertility problems aka can't have a baby

 

If testosterone levels show to be abnormal, other panels should be tested to follow up on contributing factors. Other hormone panels may want to be looked at. Panels such as:

 

Sex hormone binding globulin

Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Luteinizing Hormone

Estrogen Panel

DHEA Panel

Prolactin Panel

Progesterone Panel

And Andro-Steen-Dione

 

For men ages 19 and up Testosterone levels should range from 400-1000 nanograms per deciliter

For women ages 19 and up testosterone levels should be 10 to 60 nanograms per deciliter

 

As we age, testosterone naturally declines.. so your testosterone levels should be at their highest in your twenties.

 

To increase testosterone naturally you can try a few things:

Take 5mg of creatine a day

Take DHEA supplement

Take Zinc Supplement

Take Omega-3 Fish oil Daily

Take Magnesium Supplement Daily

Take Vitamin D supplement daily

Get high quality sleep

Get Sunlight Daily

Eat adequate protein, fats and carbs

Minimize stress by doing yoga and meditation

Exercise and lift weights

Stop eating all sugar.. even from fruits and stop drinking all alcohols

 

 

Genova Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment

Most thyroid panels are done separately.. but I like that Genova tests the entire functioning of your thyroid in one swoop. It includes central thyroid gland regulation and activity, thyroid production and secretion, peripheral thyroid conversion, and thyroid autoimmunity. This test analyzes serum levels of TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, anti-TG antibodies, and anti-TPO antibodies to assess central and peripheral thyroid function, as well as thyroid auto-immunity.

Symptoms of thyroid hormone imbalances can include:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Coldness
• Constipation
• Poor skin
• Headaches
• PMS
• Dysmenorrhea
• Fluid retention
• Weight gain
• Anxiety/Panic attacks
• Decreased memory and concentration
• Muscle and joint pain
• Low sex drive

• Optimal thyroid function may help safeguard against the pathogenesis of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression. Thyroid hormones also play central metabolic roles in healthy sexual and reproductive function in both women and men. So if you have been having a hard time having baby… this may be a test you will want to consider.

 

 

 

Now lets move onto GENETIC testing:

 

23andMe

I mainly got 23 and me genetic testing done to see my risk for conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But the cool thing is that you can also do 23 and me to see your heritage and family lineage, so I did them both together. Turns out that I am 63 percent British and Irish. 18 percent Northwestern European and 14 percent French and German. It comes to no surprise that I am mostly British because my last name is Woodham for crying out loud. But I always thought I was Scottish not Irish. 23 and me goes super deep into family lineage so if you're into this, totally get this testing done.

 

I highly recommend you invest in 23 and me genetic testing not just because it will give incredible insight to your heritage and health but, because it opens doors for you to see your genes in much greater detail by allowing you to upload your raw genetic data to DNAfit.com and go.strategene.com

 

That being said, 23 and me is AN ABSOLUTE MUST. So, if you've been on the fence, JUMP OFF the fence and just buy a damn 23 and me kit. All you have to do is order it online and they send a kit right to your door. You spit your saliva into a tube and then send it back. Simple as that! Then you can learn all about where your ancestors came from in super deep detail and simultaneously harness your genes to make you a super human. What could be better than that?

 

 

DNAfit

By taking your RAW data from 23 and Me.com you can upload your DNA to DNAfit.com and they will tell you a whole bunch of things regarding your athletic performance and ability. They will also give you a nutrition plan based off the foods you should eat or foods to stay away from based on your genes. They give you are really badass infographic giving you an overview of your athletic ability and wellness potential.

 

Like I said DNAfit will tell you what diet, workout plan and lifestyle will fit you best based off your genes. It is actually extremely impressive how detailed DNAfit is and you will get to hear all of my athletic performance and nutrition markers from DNAfit. And to be honest Its almost overwhelming how much info they give you. It is amazing.

 

Here are the things they test for athletic performance:

If you are an endurance athlete or strength athletes

They test your VO2 max aka how much oxygen you effectively use during exercise

They test your post exercise recovery performance

They test your risk for injury

 

On the diet side of things they test:

Carbohydrate metabolism

Saturated fat metabolism

Dairy and lactose metabolism

Celiac disease susceptibility

Caffeine tolerance and sensitivity

Salt and sodium sensitivity

Antioxidant and free radical performance

Omega-3 metabolism and efficiency

Immune system functioning and ability to respond to inflammation

The efficiency to metabolize vitamin B12 and need for B12

The efficiency to metabolize Vitamin D and need for Vitamin D

Last they test your ability to detoxify and fight off free radicals

 

It is, in my opinion an amazing option to use DNAfit's services to boost your athletic performance based off your genes

 

 

Last genetic testing is utilizing Strategene

If you want to nerd out and learn about your single nucleotide polymorphisms aka genetic variants associated with a certain gene, then go to go.strategene.org and enter your raw data. Dr. Ben Lynch will send you a report breaking down your genes and what they mean in a super detailed fashion.

 

 

Now let's get into the food allergy and digestion realm of lab tests. Which in my opinion are some of the most important tests you can invest in by far.

 

First test is Genova Diagnostics IgG4 Food Antibodies

Before discussing this test, it is important to note that the incidence of food sensitivities has increased dramatically over the years. It is estimated that up to 20% of the population have adverse reactions to foods

IgG4 antibody is related to delayed or non–atopic food reactions that exacerbate or contribute to many different health problems. This antibody food sensitivity test is ideal for patients who may suffer from delayed reactions/sensitivities to specific foods.

 

IgG4 food sensitivity reactions are more difficult to notice since they can occur hours or even days after consumption of an offending food. In some cases, a person's reaction to a food may occur several days after eating the offending food and the link between the food and their symptoms may not be connected. These hidden food "allergies" are actually food "sensitivities" and are caused by increasing blood levels of IgG4 antibodies in reaction to specific foods. This profile measures the IgG4 levels in serum that react to 90 different foods, including commonly eaten foods such as corn, milk, egg, and wheat. Food related symptoms may include:

 

 

• Asthma
• Arthritis
• Migraines
• Ear Infections
• Eczema
• Sinusitis
• Urticaria
• Colitis
•  

Next is the ALCAT TEST FROM CELL SCIENCE SYSTEMS:

This food sensitivity test was just published on PubMed as a very accurate test for the affect it has on the gut in those with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. In other words this test shows that even if you don't have Celiac's disease, gluten still shows damaging affect to a healthy gut lining.

 

The Alcat Test may help uncover which foods and other substances trigger chronic inflammation and its related health issues such as gastrointestinal, metabolic disorders and others. The Alcat Test measures cellular reactions to over 450 substances. Medical studies using the Alcat Test to guide diet have shown significant improvement of many common symptoms

Over 450 individual foods, additives, colorings, molds, functional foods, medicinal herbs and chemical substances (such as environmental, chemical, pharmaceutical substances) can be tested. The Alcat Test is designed to assess sensitivities to over 450 food, chemical and environmental substances like I mentioned. These sensitivities are shown to be associated with both acute and chronic conditions.

 

• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), indigestion, constipation, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's Disease

 

• Metabolic disorders, such as obesity, Type II diabetes, inability to lose weight 

 

• Inflammatory conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, arthritis or asthma, autoimmune disorders 

 

• Others, such as fatigue, headache, migraine, cognitive impairment 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Third on the list is Genova Diagnostics SIBO Test

 

SIBO which is short for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth is a very common condition which most people don't even know they have. This condition occurs when our natural gut bacteria moves backwards from our large intestine into our small intestine where it should not be.

 

This test involves a person drinking a solution of lactulose sugar which bacteria will feed off of and create either hydrogen and methane gas as by-products. Over a 2-3-hour window, you will breathe into 4-5 tubes every 30 minutes or so to see how much hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) gases are produced by the bacteria. This will help physicians gauge how much bacterial overgrowth is occurring in the small intestine and at which of the three parts of the small intestine the overgrowth is occurring at.

 

Conditions commonly associated with SIBO include:

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Irritable Bowel Disease like Chron's and Ulcerative Colitis
• Celiac Disease
• Diabetes
• Fibromyalgia
• Rosacea, Eczema, Psoriasis
• Parkinson's Disease
• Obesity

Development of SIBO include structural/anatomic issues, motility disorders, organ system dysfunction, elderly age and various medications like too many any antibiotics and ant-acids that alter the gut microflora populations.

 

 

 

 

Fourth on this list is Genova Diagnostic GI Effects Comprehensive Profile Stool

The GI Effects Comprehensive Stool Profile can reveal important information about the root cause of many common gastrointestinal symptoms such as gas, bloating, indigestion, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. It also uses biomarkers to differentiate between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) which are two distinct conditions. IBD is typically more severe and has more of an autoimmune disease relation with conditions like Chron's disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Celiac's Disease.

 

GI AFFECTS TESTS YOUR GUT TO SEE HOW WELL:

You are digesting of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and if you are even digesting them at all

It will test for potential lack of digestive enzymes for the breakdown of your foods

It tests to see the difference between IBD and IBS

It tests to see how your immune system is functioning in your gut aka allergic response to foods and how well your gut lining is functioning to keep intruders out of the blood stream

It tests your gut microbiome to see if you have pathogenic strains of bacteria, if you have too little good bacteria and if you have too much bacteria.

It tests to see if you have occult blood in your stool that you may not normally see

It tests for potential parasites in your gut like tapeworms, roundworms, flukes, protozoa and even giardia

It tests for the functioning of your beneficial fats responsible for keeping cell walls strong to keep the bad guys out

It will test for potential yeast infections or fungus growth

If you have had complicated gut issues recently or if you have had it for years, this test will give you a wealth of knowledge regarding the reason for your poor digestion and poor health.

 

In other words.. this test might be the grand-daddy of all stool tests at the time of this recording.

 

 

 

 

With all of the lab tests out of the way… let's talk about one of the greatest preventative measures you can take to make sure your health is where it should be. And this is done by

 

Getting your spine checked by a Chiropractor:

 

However… Before you say chiropractors are quacks or I had a bad experience… not all Chiropractors are the same, just like not all medical doctors and dentists are the same. Here is the most important thing that I can tell you… make sure your Chiropractor takes X-rays before they lay their hands on you. If they don't, I personally would opt-out of treatment and find a chiropractor who will do full-spine x-rays. This includes x-rays of your neck, midback and low back. If you are the kind of person who still thinks X-ray radiation will harm you, then I have a newsflash for you… Medical journals and published research shows that x-ray radiation is now considered negligible and actually provides more therapeutic effects than harm to the human body. So get over the idea that X-rays harm you. You get a ton more radiation from one airplane ride than nearly 100 spinal x-rays.

 

Now back to Chiropractic… If you have ever been hurt by a chiropractor in the past, he likely didn't do a thorough examination and x-rays to accurately analyze your spine. It's funny… people hate chiropractors… yet these same people love to get cut open by surgeons on a table to put long rods into their spine and are willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars and at the end of it all they still have pain after surgery… completely blows my mind. Yet, they demonize conservative and preventative health care. It makes zero sense to me.. but hey…. to each his own.

 

Now… I do not care how amazing a Chiropractor thinks he is at palpating the spine, they cannot feel for serious pathologies that you've had in the past or are possibly existing in your spine right now. Chiropractors who don't take x-rays cannot feel for fractures that may be present in your spine. They cannot feel for degenerated spinal segments and severe arthritis you may have. They cannot feel calcification of the vertebral or carotid arteries. They cannot feel for abdominal aortas that have become enlarged and are on the verge of rupturing due to atherosclerotic arteries from cardiovascular disease. They cannot feel for possible tumors or cancers in the lung, in the ribs or even in soft tissues of your skin. They cannot feel for infections inside your bones or the discs in your spine. They cannot feel for instabilities of your ligaments which allows bones to slip-slide across each other and put you are greater risk of becoming paralyzed in traumatic injuries. They cannot accurately measure your pelvis to see if you might have a short leg, which can completely alter the mechanics of your tailbone, which can lead to scoliosis in children if not treated quickly enough. As a side note, children and adults who have a clinically diagnosed case of scoliosis, almost always suffer from psychosocial disorders like depression and anxiety from physical pain and emotional pain due to their outward appearance leading to low levels self-confidence.

 

It is vitally important you get full-spine x-rays as a preventative measure, even if you do not suffer from musculoskeletal pain. Let me mention something extremely important just to add more emphasis to that last statement. YOU CAN HAVE A VERY UNHEALTHY SPINE WITHOUT PAIN. This means you can have scoliosis without pain. However, when your spine is not aligned properly, such as those with scoliosis, your body suffers even if you don't have pain. Listen carefully. Our Brain feeds right into our spinal cord which is surrounded by our spinal bones. Then nerves project out from our spinal cord and those nerves go to EVERY. SINGLE. ORGAN. TISSUE AND CELL IN OUR BODY. When you have a scoliosis, those nerves are getting crushed and strained. Which means your organs and entire body is suffering and is functioning at an extremely low level. THIS CAN GO YEARS WITHOUT PAIN. The problem in our world today is that we only react to things or go to the doctor when we are in pain or when we FEEL something is wrong. Once you feel pain anywhere in your body, not just your spine, this means you have a neglected taking care of yourself and you've waited too long to help your body remain healthy. It's just like if an Olympic track athlete were to run his entire life and never stretch after his races, never ice when he was inflamed, never eat the right nutrition for recovery and then one day his knees blow out, he pulls multiple muscles and he develops severe gastric pain and arthritis in the joints. And then, mind-blowingly, these people wonder why they hurt so bad when waking up in the morning or during a workout, when just the other day, they felt amazing. You see, the body accumulates toxins and trauma over-time until it cannot handle the stressful load and then your body is no longer able to help itself. I see this all the time in our office. A patient comes in and says they are healthy. By the time the consultation and exam is over, they have about 10 health conditions and a ton of spinal pain they didn't realize was there. Then we take spinal x-rays and their entire spine has significant spinal degeneration and massive shifts in their posture that leads to organ dysfunction.

 

Here's the bottom line, you may not have pain in your spine, joints or muscles… great good for you.. but that does not mean you are off the hook because you could have a list of conditions that aren't synonymous with pain. Things like poor digestion, frequent gallstones, kidney stones, irregular heartbeats, asthma, headaches, irregular and painful periods, poor sexual function, erectile dysfunction, inability to conceive a child, constipation, diarrhea, thyroid dysfunction, ringing in the ears, vertigo, heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion, poor vision, high blood pressure, clicking in the jaw, grinding your teeth, poor energy, poor sleep, depression, and so much more… which are almost all likely coming from a weakened spine. Remember all the energy your body gets comes from your spine and spinal cord first. So it is vitally important that your posture and spine are in proper alignment to be healthy and to stay healthy.

I am biased, but if you are serious about your posture, your spine, and the overall functioning of your body, you owe it to yourself to see a certified Chiropractic Biophysics Doctor. You can find the nearest Physician near you by going to idealspine.com/directory. You can enter your city, state or zip into the box, and it will pop up with the closest trained physician. Here's one thing you need to know, there may be doctors on the list that may not currently practice Chiropractic Biophysics technique, so make sure to visit their website before assuming they still practice Chiropractic Biophysics technique. Another helpful tip is that they will have CBP Basic or Advanced certified by their name.

 

 

And there you go folks… I hope you got something out of this episode and maybe I brought some new information to light for you. If you have a condition that is bothering you and would like me to order tests for you and do a professional read for you, please let me know. Even if you don't have a condition that you are concerned about and just want to be the healthiest human possible, then I can order any test you would like and do a professional read on those as well! You can personally message me on my Instagram @theunleashedhuman or message me on my personal Facebook at TJ Woodham and I will love to get something started for you! Cool, with that being said.. that is it from me. Have an amazing morning, afternoon and night. Talk soon Unleashed Humans! Cya!

 

 

 

 

 

23andMe:

https://www.23andme.com/

 

DNAfit:

https://www.dnafit.com/us/

 

Strategene:

http://go.strategene.org/genetic-analysis

 

Genova Comprehensive Thyroid Assessment

https://www.gdx.net/product/comprehensive-thyroid-hormone-test-blood

 

Genova Diagnostics IgG4 Food Antibodies

https://www.gdx.net/product/allergix-igg4-food-antibodies-90-food-sensitivity-test-serum

 

ALCAT Allergy Test By Cell Science Systems

https://cellsciencesystems.com/patients/alcat-test/

 

Genova Diagnostics SIBO Test

https://www.gdx.net/product/bacterial-overgrowth-of-the-small-intestine-sibo-test

 

Genova Diagnostic GI Effects Comprehensive Profile Stool

https://www.gdx.net/product/gi-effects-comprehensive-stool-test

 

Find A Chiropractic BioPhysics Physician Near You:

https://idealspine.com/directory/

 

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

Today's episode is likely going to be an eye-opener for most people, as you may find out that you could possibly have a problem with your jaw.. also known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction which is TMD or TMJD for short.

On this episode I interview Dr. Steven Schluentz who is one of the most elite Doctors in the United States when it comes to TMJD and TMD related issues. Things like clicking in the jaw, grinding your teeth, painful jaws, neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, poor sleep, sleep apnea, restricted breathing, difficulty swallowing and even having frequent cavities could mean you have TMJD.

We discuss how Chiropractors and Dentists work very close with each other to make sure people get the best care possible. This is because we know poor neck curvatures and posture can affect jaw function and vice versa.

This and so much more will be covered in the show today. Now on this episode, there are things you likely have never heard before and won't hear anywhere else, but hey that's what this show is about right? So Get ready to lock in for the next hour because Dr. Schluentz is going to rock your world with his wealth of knowledge and clinical expertise. 

 

Dr. Steven Schluentz:

 

2:23 - Dr. Schluentz discusses what Temporomandibular Joint and Temporomandibular Dysfunction. Which is TMJ/TMD for short.

 

3:38 – Dr. Schluentz talks about how to treat jaw pain and TMD. He speaks about how many of the current treatments of TMD aren't really addressing the issue. He recommends using a customized orthotic. He also speaks to how these orthotics even help with headaches, neck pain and shoulder pain.

 

8:52 – Dr. Schluentz and I discuss how Chiropractors and Dentists work together and refer patients to each other for many conditions like headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, shoulder pain because we know the neck and jaw are very interrelated.

 

10:15 – Dr. Schluentz touches on how Chiropractors are his go-to providers because the medical model is not conducive to true health. He discusses how the disease model of medicine is all that anyone knows. Drugs and surgery are not something that is always necessary. Health is something someone must understand as a lifestyle, not just the absence of disease. Dr. Schluentz speaks

 

15:00 – Dr. Schluentz talks about hidden symptoms that someone may not know are directly related to having a dysfunctional jaw. Things like not breathing properly, lethargy, poor sleep and even tooth wearing. He talks about the shape of your teeth can be indicative of an unhealthy jaw. As we age our teeth are not meant to wear out, despite popular belief. He speaks about trying out the laughing test to see if your muscles are too weak to support your jaw.

 

21:22 – Dr. Schluentz talks about how processed foods and diet has radically changed the shape of our jaws and teeth. He talks about how mal-occlusions have been created due to the poor health choices we have created. Orthotropics was created to study the change of peoples oral hygiene based off lifestyle choices.

 

25:20 – Dr. Schluentz talks about how dairy from USA is not allowed into Ireland because it is considered toxic. He discusses how he felt after eating foods in Ireland compared to eating foods inside the USA. It opened his mind to hidden symptoms that he did not know was going on inside his body.

 

28:30 – Dr. Schluentz speaks about how your teeth should never hurt. If it does, then that means this is a really bad sign. He discusses how a lot of the time a patient won't have pain or discomfort in their jaw, but they have an obvious misalignment. However, Dr. Schluentz will see that after he fixes their alignment, they will have better eyesight, sleep, breathing, swallowing and decrease in tension through the entire face and neck.

 

31:55- Dr. Schluentz talks about how he uses a Cone Beam CT scan of the sinuses, jaw, face and neck to objectively measure why someone is likely having jaw pain and dysfunction.

 

34:45 – Dr. Schluentz talks about how to help Dentists and patients understand why having healthy jaws and teeth is huge. He also explains how many Dentists and patients fail to communicate properly so both parties can get the best care possible.

 

38:20 – Dr. Schluentz advises you to go find someone who specializes in TMJD and that everyone should get a sleep study done even if you don't have symptoms right now. Dentists are now at the forefront of sleep apnea because they are the physicians looking for these pathologies.

 

41:02 – Dr. Schluentz covers who is more likely to get TMJD and what leads to getting TMJD. He covers that people who have been in car accidents or any kind of traumatic injury are likely to have TMJD. Those who get cavities easier than most are likely at risk for TMD or already have it. Stress can lead to a person having a higher risk of TMD, but it isn't the cause of it. If you have an airway issue, then you are likely to have TMD.

 

45:00 – Dr. Schluentz gives advice for those looking to get into dentistry and covers the model of care that a future physician resonates with. He talks about by getting into a specialty of dentistry will determine which path you will likely choose. Dr. Schluentz loves occlusion care and helping people with TMJD, while most dentists hate it. So find your space inside of dentistry.  

 

 49:40 – Dr. Schluentz talks about how he helps other business owners become successful and stay successful through creating relationships. He talks about how he always interviews patients before he accepts them for care which is very unlike any other new patient experience. The person and patient should be treated like a human, not like another number. The patient should feel like they belong. Dr. Schluentz talks about what the most successful people on the planet do and how they think.

 

56:00 – I talk about how our office makes sure that the new patient experience is the foundation for creating amazing patients from the first day they walk into the office. Dr. Schluentz adds to why creating an amazing environment for patients is vitally important to be successful and to establishing lasting relationships. He says that the more profitable you can be by creating great relationships, the more people you can serve and help. It is not about volume, it is always about service first.

 

1:00:56 – If he could eat anything for his last meal: Bacon Cheeseburger, Beer and Loaded Cherry NOS.

 

1:01:50 – If he could travel anywhere in the world in last week of life: Go to parents place and family for 1 day, would try to find a way to go to the moon and spend final 6 days on the moon.

 

1:02:52 – One piece of advice for anyone who wants to live a better life would be: Be very clear and intentional on your purpose for being on this planet. Don't work for money, work for your passion. Find out what makes you happy and make money doing that.

 

Dr. Steven Schluentz:

 

Dentists Go Listen To His Podcast:

Dental Practice Freedom Radio

 

Patients or Dentists Looking For Help:

https://www.mountainskydental.com

[email protected]

 

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

 

On today's episode we ask the question.. Is coffee good or bad for me? Well, to answer that question we must take an entire person into consideration. Things such as your current digestive health, current blood pressure, anxiety levels, your genetics, caffeine sensitivity, your current state of health and a whole gambit of other contributing factors. We must also first break down coffee and explain exactly what it is and what it does.

 

Most people don't know that coffee is actually a seed from a coffee cherry. The seed is separated from the fruit. Depending on if the fruit is dried before separating the seed or if the seed is removed earlier will change the flavor of the coffee. When the coffee seeds aka coffee beans are dried but have not been roasted yet, they are labeled as green coffee. Which you can see in the ingredients on the back of some energy drinks and is normally labeled as green coffee bean extract. Then the coffee is roasted which turns the color into a brown color and creates that aromatic smell that we have come to love. They are sold as either ground or full bean. My personal opinion is to always buy coffee as the full bean and grind it yourself since it will still contain all of its natural properties at the time of consumption. When you buy ground up coffee there is a higher and faster chance of spoiling and mold accumulation. The less amount of processing, the better.

 

Also, If you didn't know, Caffeine from Coffee in the most consumed psychoactive drug on the planet and an astonishing 90% of the united states consumes some form of caffeine every day. Yes, caffeine is a drug, but obviously not the negative connotation we normally associate when we think of drugs. In fact, caffeine has profound benefits on health for most of the world. If you have ever consumed caffeine, you know the feeling you get. You feel happy, focused, energized and ready to take on the day.

 

Now, when we break it down, coffee has two things going for it: Anti-oxidants and Caffeine as I just mentioned. I'm sure you are no stranger to anti-oxidants, as they are used to fight free-radicals aka cancer causing molecules. Coffee boasts a ton of anti-oxidants that all provide various health benefits for our bodies. For instance in coffee there are compounds called Diterpenes. Terpenes for short. One terpene is called Cafestol, which helps with cholesterol regulation in the liver and is a strong anti-inflammatory substance for our brain which may help with memory. Recent research is showing Cafestol as a promising prevention and treatment for type 2 diabetics who are unable to transport sugar into cells because insulin cannot bind at receptor sites to bring sugar inside. However, using Cafestol they found is that Cafestol increased insulin secretion and binding ability when glucose was present. They found that glucose uptake was increased in muscle cells which did the exact thing as an already existing anti-diabetic drug. Pretty amazing stuff.

 

Now, The second, and more likely reason people chose to drink coffee is the natural caffeine it has, which will usually transform a zombie into a fully functioning human. You coffee drinkers out there know what I am talking about. However, most people don't really know the physiological effects of caffeine and what it is actually doing inside your body. So with that lets quickly talk about what caffeine actually does.

 

When you take your first sip of coffee, it passes through your gut lining directly into your blood stream. Once in the blood stream, caffeine molecules are directed to your brain where they attach to receptor sites for a neurotransmitter called Adenosine. Adenosine is responsible for helping us wind down at night. As the day progresses, we create more and more Adenosine until the point where receptors on our brain have been completely exhausted and then we fall asleep. Of importance is that Adenosine actually stimulates GABA aka gamma-aminobutyric acid, which is another neurotransmitter responsible for healthy relaxation and sleep, which I'm sure a lot of you guys have heard of before.

 

However, here is the plot -twist, Caffeine has a very similar structure as Adenosine. So caffeine molecules actually hi-jack Adenosine receptor sites on the brain, thus kicking adenosine to the curb. When our brain absorbs caffeine, this gives us that initial jolt of energy and focus. And at the same time, Caffeine increases activity of Dopamine (aka Confidence, optimism and happiness) and also increases Norepinephrine (aka Adrenaline to increase focus and attention). This is why you feel so good after drinking coffee. What is better than being happy, confident and focused? I don't think much.

 

Here is the really cool thing about caffeine.. When it is consumed, it triggers adrenaline as mentioned a second ago.. but here's the thing… it will self-select where to send blood flow based on demand. So for instance, if you were running from a bear your body would flood your muscles, lung and heart with blood so that your body can survive. At the same time, during a bear attack, your body cuts off blood flow to your less vital tissues like your digestive tract so it can allocate all resources to staying alive.

 

The same thing goes for in the gym, when you are lifting heavy weight, your body shuttles a rush of blood to your muscles for maximum contraction. For maximum contraction of skeletal muscle.. muscles like your biceps, triceps and quadriceps, we need calcium and the cool thing is caffeine will stimulate calcium out of our cells to be pushed into our blood stream to produce nitric oxide responsible for having a quote-un-quote SICK PUMP in the gym. This pump you feel in the gym is from nitric oxide production, which creates vasodilation of your blood vessels. Vasodilation is when your blood vessels expand to create more blood in the area, where as Vasoconstriction does the opposite and narrows your blood vessels like in people with hypertension or atherosclerotic arteries.

 

Caffeine initially increases blood pressure and vasoconstricts blood vessels. This is why you may notice a slight increase of heart rate. But as it settles in, caffeine will vasodilate arteries.

 

This vasoconstriction property of caffeine is the reason why some people with chronic headaches may see relief with caffeine consumption. The onset of headaches comes from vasodilation of your brain vessels, in other words your brain vessels expand. When you drink caffeine, it causes the brain vessels to vasoconstrict and shrink which will give some people relief from their headaches. However, I will advise that you not use caffeine as a treatment but rather find out why you have headaches to begin with. Headaches can stem from a ton of different reasons. You weren't just born with vasodilated brain vessels. Headaches can come from the following issues: Having a poor neck curve… so having a straight neck or a military neck or having a head that projects forward too much from texting or being hunched over can create a ton of head and neck tension leading to headaches. Headaches can also come from temporomandibular joint dysfunction aka jaw dysfunction, getting poor sleep, chronic anxiety/stress, poor dietary choices, having dysfunctional digestion and even from chronic electrolyte imbalance or dehydration. I will advise you to go back to episode 10 where I talk all about headaches and how to eliminate them.

 

Now you're probably thinking TJ, all that is cool, but what does this mean? What is caffeine really doing for us? This tells us that caffeine is a huge regulator of cardiovascular health and blood flow. This is HUGE for Alzheimer's disease because we know blood flow is very important in those dealing with cognitive decline and dementia. This also means that those with heart disease or atherosclerotic plaquing of blood vessels will get increased circulation to distal extremities and venous return to the heart and lungs. Coffee and caffeine has also shown to help with certain heart arrhythmias. Uhm hellllooooo…. Greater blood flow also means that athletic performance and strength is strongly correlated with coffee and caffeine intake. Who wouldn't want maximum contraction of muscles while in the gym and while playing sports? Everyone should want that! And the best thing is that coffee and caffeine isn't illegal so try it out for yourself! Now, this is just the tip of the iceberg for what coffee does for the human body.. but don't get too excited because just like with anything… there is such as a thing of having too much of something good. Just like you can die from drinking too much water and you can become allergic to salmon or avocados by eating them too much.

 

When I say this, I mean that coffee and caffeine is NOT for everyone. For the general population and average human who is in good health… which, good health is so subjective these days because everyone thinks they are healthy for their age or compared to their friends but is that how health should be measured? I think not.

 

Here's the reality…. people will immediately know if coffee and caffeine is either good for them or bad for them based on their physical and emotional response to it.

 

Physical and emotional responses could come in many forms. Physical responses are things like getting stomach aches, heart burn, acid reflux getting muscle twitches, rapid heartbeat, sweating and uncomfortable increase in body temperature.

 

Emotional responses could be anxiety, difficulty focusing and insomnia. However, these symptoms are not that common. You either have to have pre-existing medical conditions, have a genetic sensitivity to caffeine or drank way too much coffee and caffeine.

 

 

I will say; however, caffeine is not created equal and the form caffeine is presented in will create different responses. For instance, some people won't do well drinking coffee, but they will do great drinking green tea.

 

This is for a couple reasons…

 

First reason is that a cup of coffee which is normally 6-10 ounces of water, will have anywhere from 150-200mg of caffeine which might be too much caffeine for those with caffeine sensitivities and green tea will be a better option because green tea has 30-50mg of caffeine which is substantially less. If you are wondering if you are sensitive to caffeine, symptoms are usually getting jittery, feeling very anxious, feeling stressed out, having an unnaturally fast heartbeat, sweating profusely, finding it hard to focus, having confused thoughts and tripping over words and having issues winding down or going to sleep. This sensitivity could also be coming from a preexisting condition like having high blood pressure and anxiety disorders.

 

The second reason people do better with tea over coffee is that tea has something called l-theanine which has a calming affect which works synergistically with caffeine and decreases the jittery and ramped up feeling. Whereas coffee has an alkaloid called trigon-elline which creates coffee's strong aromatic smell and has been shown to reduce the incidence of dental cavities do to its prevention from bacteria adhering to teeth enamel. Wow, who would've thought coffee could actually protect teeth?

 

 

Here is the other thing.. ALL COFFEE IS NOT THE SAME!! Let me say that again for clarity. ALL COFFEE… How much? ALL COFFEE is not the same.

 

This means types of roasts (light, medium and dark) are different. Light roast has the most caffeine, medium roast has less caffeine and dark roast has the least caffeine.

 

This also means brands of coffee (such as your local Walmart brand compared to an organic and mold free coffee brand is WAYYY different. Coffee beans from bulletproof.com and beans from purity coffee are beans that are mold free. If you have been out of the loop nearly 95% of coffee found inside the united states has mold toxins inside of them known as mycotoxins. If you have been sensitive to coffee in the past, been exposed to toxic mold or you have coffee crashes, it could be from the mold inside the coffee you are drinking.

 

Mold naturally forms on and in coffee beans if they are poorly stored or processed. One of those mold toxins is known as Ochratoxin A produced by mold that can be found on coffee beans when stored in humid conditions. The European Union has long known about Ochratoxin A and has been extremely strict on coffee bean processing. Meanwhile, the United States has been lagging behind and has just now seen this as a potential health threat. Ochratoxin A can lead to acute kidney disorders, brain fog, confusion and lethargy. So choose your coffee wisely!

 

 

 

Next.. LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!!

The location of where your coffee bean comes from is wayyy different. This means the country, altitude, temperature, rainfall and sunlight ALLLL affect the taste and quality of coffee. It is just like the difference between a $1000-dollar bottle of wine compared to a 10-dollar bottle of wine from your local store. WAYY DIFFERENT TASTES and AROMAS. In general, the best coffee comes from South America and Africa.

 

Now There are two types of coffee beans.. Ah-ra-bica and Robusta.

 

Arabica are sweeter, fruitier with higher acidity but are of higher quality and are more expensive.

 

Robusta on the other hand has a harsh and peanuty taste and is considered low quality but with twice the amount of caffeine.

 

Most coffee in the US is Arabica, however.

 

Here's the other thing… there is differences in coffee preparation. Fresh pressed hot coffee versus cold brewed coffee. The chemical composition and physiological effect of coffee changes between these two.  

 

If you notice that you have digestion issues like stomach pain, heart burn and a general dislike when drinking regular hot coffee due to bitterness.. switch over to cold brew coffee. Because cold brew coffee has less acid and less bitterness.

 

This is because different temperatures of liquids will pull out different chemicals and compounds. For instance… water temperature for brewing hot coffee should be at 195-205 degrees Fahrenheit.. if you brew at 210 degrees and higher, this can result in a bitter tasting coffee because hotter water will cause acids to decay into very bitter compounds. On the other hand.. Temperatures at or around 185 degrees will create sour tasting flavor because the water didn't dissolve enough non-acidic compounds to balance flavors.

 

Now cold-brewing on the other hand is wayyy different. Cold water slows down the extraction of the compounds that normally taste bitter and don't actually get extracted at all. And the acids that normally oxidize in hot water don't react. Which results in smoother and less acidic coffee. Cold brew has been shown to decrease acidity and bitterness by 65 to 70 percent. Cold brew also lasts much longer, doesn't spoil and can last up to 2 weeks in a large vat that you can make yourself at home. All you do to make it is grinding beans until they are course. Then put them into a container with water.  Let them sit for 12-24 hours inside your refrigerator. When ready, strain the coffee using a cheese cloth or a strainer.

 

Now, don't worry, I will post a link in the show notes for the directions on how to do this step by step. I will also post all the other coffee companies and resources I mention in the show notes.

 

With that out of the way, I'm first going to cover the badass benefits of coffee and then I will discuss the potential downsides for certain people drinking coffee.

 

All of the health benefits associated with coffee are from consuming 1-5 cups of BLACK coffee per day. AGAIN BLACK COFFEE. None of that cream and sugar shit. That completely destroys the purpose of coffee from a health benefits standpoint. If you want to put butter, mct oil or coconut oil into it that is okay. But anything else is not doing you any favors. Now, in my opinion, anything over 5 cups of coffee day might push into caffeine overload and could possibly tax your adrenal glands a little too much. So remember, 1-5 cups of coffee but to be honest I think 1-3 cups a day is totally cool. And to be clear, a cup of coffee is considered a 6-8 oz cup.

 

Now this is very important…. if you are going to drink coffee or any other caffeinated beverage, make sure to have your last sip at least 7 hours before bedtime. So for instance, I will not drink coffee any later than 2pm in the afternoon. This is because caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours in the human body.. meaning it takes 5-6 hours to eliminate half of the caffeine you consumed via urine or sweat. By drinking coffee by 2 pm, this will allow your brain to adequately attract more adenosine in order to wind you down for sleep by 9 or 10pm. Now, if you are a shift worker such as a police officer or fire fighter, this is the same for you… drink your last sip of caffeine 7 hours before laying down for bed. So if your shift starts at 7pm at night, then have your last sip of caffeine by roughly 2am and in bed by 9am.

 

Also if you are pregnant DO NOT DRINK OR CONSUME ANY CAFFIENE AT ALL. This also includes dark chocolate or anything else containing caffeine. This increases your chances for miscarriage, birthing complications and birth defects in children at birth.

 

Also do not let children under the age of 12 consume coffee or caffeine if you can. This is likely because their brains and nervous system are growing at an exponential rate and caffeine directly affects the nervous system, even there are benefits we don't know about, it could potentially affect their development. Until more news comes out about caffeine for kids, I would avoid allowing kids to have caffeine completely. Plus, kids don't need it anyhow, they are already energetic enough. High school kids may be able to have moderate amounts of caffeine at about 60-100mg daily… but even then, I would limit caffeine completely.

 

 

One last thing is… if you are a big-time consumer of coffee, it is suggested to take a break from coffee every once and a while to reset your adrenal glands. 4-5-day resets are usually sufficient enough. Just because coffee is good for you, it is okay to take a break from it every once in a while.

 

Okay, now onto the benefits of coffee:

 

First and foremost:

Coffee helps with mood, performance and gives us laser focus.

When caffeine blocks adenosine, our body naturally pumps of dopamine and glutamine making us more excited, more alert and more happiness. A handful of studies have found a connection between caffeine intake and showed a 20% reduced risk of depression especially if the subjects were drinking coffee. What is even more interesting is that a 2013 Harvard study showed those who consumed two to three cups of coffee were 45% less likely to commit suicide, mostly in men. This is most likely due to the massive amount of feel good hormones that a released during the caffeine high.

 

 

Secondly and even more importantly:

Coffee may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, Dementia, and Parkinson's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and leading cause of dementia in the world. There is no known cure and usually shows symptoms after 65 years of age. However, eating healthy and treating your body right has been said to be the best preventative measure for getting Alzheimer's. However, studies out of The University of Florida which is my alma mater suggests that drinking high-octane coffee with caffeine in your 40s and 50s will reduce your risk of Alzheimer's up to 70 percent in your 70's. Other studies have shown that by drinking 3-4 cups of coffee daily reduces your risk of Parkinson's disease by 32-60%. So drink up! But of course, not too much!

 

Third:

Coffee may improve heart and cardiovascular health. A recent review of research that took that data of more than 330,000 people who had irregular heartbeats that started drinking coffee decreased their irregular heartbeat frequency by 5-15 percent. The exact same review of research found that those same people who had a heart attack and started to drink 3 cups of coffee a day had better functioning heart rate and less irregular heartbeats! That is absolutely killer to hear! I thought that was one of the coolest things I saw when I was going through my research. When caffeine blocks the adenosine receptor sites, it blocks heart risks because we know that adenosine actually triggers irregular heartbeats. Super fascinating. Coffee can also reduce your risk for stroke. A 2009 US study and 2011 Swedish study found that older women who drink more than a cup of caffeinated coffee have a 20 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke. However, if you know that you have high blood pressure.. please refrain from drinking coffee if you notice that it makes your blood pressure worsen. That is very important to understand. I do not condone drinking caffeine or coffee if it worsens any current condition that warrants to from consuming such substances.

 

Fourth:

Coffee and caffeine increases and enhances athletic performance as we mentioned earlier. It is also good for losing extra weight or belly fat. Caffeine is the most common performance enhancing drug in sports and it is legal! If you take the correct amount 100-150 mg of caffeine, then athletes can notice amazing performance boosts of 15-20%. It is not wise to take large amounts of caffeine and perform super strenuous or cardiovascular activities, as your blood pressure will spike to very dangerous levels if dosage is not correct. I advise to stay below 200 mg of caffeine during your workouts, as it puts a ton of stress on your cardiovascular system and heart. Caffeine is also found in almost every fat-burning supplement because caffeine can increase fat burning capabilities by 10% in obese people and 29% in lean people.

 

Fifth:

Coffee decreases your risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes. Studies show that those who drink coffee daily have a 20-50% decreased risk of getting type two diabetes, with one study showing a reduced risk as high at 65%.  A massive review of studies with a total of 458,000 people, showed that each daily cup of coffee showed a 7% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes each cup consumed.

 

Sixth:

Coffee may lower your risk for developing certain cancers such as liver and colorectal cancer. Studies show that coffee drinkers have up to 40% reduced risk of liver cancer. Coffee has also been shown to possibly protect against liver cirrhosis by up to 80% reduced risk in those who drink 4 or more cups a day of coffee! And a study of 490,000 people found those that drank 4-5 cups of coffee a day had a 15% reduced risk of getting colorectal cancer.

 

Seventh and Lastly:

Coffee may extend your life and is the single greatest source for antioxidants in the western diet. Studies show that most people get more antioxidants from their coffee on a daily basis than fruits and vegetables combined. The largest study to date done by National Institute of Health and American Association of Retired Persons followed 400,000 men and women ages 50 to 71 for more than 10 years and found those that drank either decaf or caffeinated coffee on a daily basis had a lower risk of death than those who didn't drink coffee. Drinkers of coffee were less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, infections, accidents and strokes.

 

Well, if that wasn't enough to convince you to drink a nice cup of joe every once and a while then I don't know what will get you on the bandwagon.

 

Now, I always try to be completely non-biased, so I will now discuss why coffee and caffeine may not be in your best interest and the potential downsides.

 

First and foremost:

If you have high blood pressure, I would 100 percent recommend you check with your doctor and take regular blood pressure readings at home with your personal blood pressure cuff reader. Coffee and caffeine has known to significantly affect blood pressure for those who have a condition that contributes to higher blood pressure. I am not messing around, so please do not screw around with your health if you know caffeine is a trigger and makes your cardiovascular health worse. You may have decaffeinated coffee and enjoy the antioxidant properties.. but make sure if you are going to buy decaffeinated coffee that it is from bulletproof, because decaffeinated coffee has a ton more mold than caffeinated coffee.

 

Second:

Coffee can make certain digestive disorders, autoimmune conditions and acid reflux conditions worse. Due to coffee being acidic and the effect of caffeine also producing more acid in your stomach, acid can rise quickly, and it can really stir up problems with people that have acid reflux and heart burn. It can also be bad for those who already suffer or have suffered with stomach ulcers. In order to combat this or to potentially mitigate the situation you can either stop drinking coffee or try out cold brew coffee to see if the less acidity helps. I personally have a patient in the office who switched to cold brew coffee and saw a world of difference in her stomach issues. If you have Chron's disease, ulcerative colitis, Small intestine bacterial overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome and even psoriasis, you may want to stay away from stimulants and coffee. Know your body by testing the waters and try things out. Try decaf over caffeinated coffee and see if it helps.

 

Third:

Coffee and caffeine can create anxiety and magnify insomnia in insomniacs, especially those sensitive to caffeine. If you are severely sensitive to caffeine then you will feel the effects quickly but normally it takes a lot of coffee to start feeling jitteriness, anxiety, heart palpitations and even panic attacks. You can test your genetics on 23andMe or DNAfit or any other genetic testing platform to see if you are susceptible to caffeine sensitivity. I know that myself, it takes longer for my caffeine to wear off compared to most people, so I make sure to drink my last cup of caffeine before 2pm in the afternoon. By drinking coffee later in the day, this will affect your sleep indefinitely, even if you think you had a good night's rest and can make insomniacs much worse.

 

Fourth and lastly:

Coffee makes you poop which is good, but it can make you poop prematurely. Our body is actually supposed to release fecal matter on its own schedule, but when we drink coffee or any caffeinated substance, it will expel all contents without giving the intestines and colon to absorb all the small nutrients we need for healthy nerves and tissues. Now, it isn't a super big issue to be honest, but if you think about it, it does artificially stimulate our body to do things it normally wouldn't do. So in that realm, coffee and caffeine hijacks our absorption ad digestive process. But just like with anything there are tradeoffs to healthy and unhealthy practices. This is one of those pros and cons situations. Pros of coffee, in my mind, severely outweigh the cons, unless of course you have any condition that hinders you from consuming caffeine and coffee. Remember these benefits apply to the average, healthy human being who can tolerate caffeine and acidity.

 

 

Now, here's the thing, as I mentioned earlier there are many different sources of caffeine but not all are quality sources of caffeine. For instance, almost every soda has caffeine in them, but they also have a billion grams of sugar inside of them. A 12 oz of Coca-Cola has 40 grams of sugar in one can alone! Not to mention a 12 oz can of Coca-Cola or any other soda for that matter only has 30-50 mg of caffeine which is a peasants amount of caffeine. The sugar content in these sodas is doing much more harm to your brain, than the caffeine is doing for your advantage.

 

Then you have milk chocolate that is the garbage of the chocolate family and barely has any caffeine… which by the way, milk chocolate only has 20mg of caffeine per 100 grams of milk chocolate. Milk chocolate is found in cakes, ice creams, deserts, candy bars and the like. Milk chocolate is almost always loaded with sugar so cut this crap out of your diet and only have on occasions like at parties. Now, on the other hand dark chocolate is a completely different story. Dark chocolate is naturally bitter and is usually without any sugar added. Dark chocolate aka cacao is the more natural form of chocolate packed with antioxidants and has 24mg of caffeine per 1 oz square! I would say this certainly kicks milk chocolates ass!

 

The others awful source of caffeine comes from disgusting and toxic energy drinks like Monster, Redline, Rockstar and all of those shitty brands. They have way too many artificial colorings, artificial flavors, additives and tons of sugar. Yes, I know they have sugar free energy drinks but that does not outweigh the extremely toxic ingredients. Just to let you know.. there are organic energy drinks out there… Don't settle for absolute shit. I personally like an organic energy drink by guru energy. I usually drink the sugar free version.  

 

Also – pre-workout supplements are extremely toxic for you too. They put way too many ingredients that are so unneeded to have a good workout. You can also find organic pre-workouts online. Don't always cling to taste.. Yes, some organic things don't taste as good as others… but who cares… at the end of the day it comes down to performance and health. I personally like Pure Pump Pre-workout by Do Vitamins. I will post all these in the show notes.

 

Quickly just a recap… the great sources of caffeine comes from:

Organic mold free Coffee, Organic Green tea, Organic black tea, Organic dark chocolate of 80% cacao at least, organic pre-workouts and organic energy drinks.

 

Test and try each type of caffeinated source to see which one works best for you. You may find that you do better with Tea than with Coffee and that is totally cool! You are still getting amazing benefits from the antioxidants from both Tea and Coffee. If you decide to go the organic energy drink or pre-workout route.. you likely will also get antioxidant benefits due to companies usually using great caffeine sources in their products. And on top of it… you will get benefits from caffeine from any option you choose. But remember… keep your daily caffeine intake to no more than 500mg a day and make sure to stop drinking caffeine at least 7 hours before bedtime.

 

Now, I could have gone into the benefits of teas and what makes them so special on this episode, but we would be here forever if I did that. I wanted to keep it focused mainly on coffee and its amazing effects on the human body. I also wanted to bring to light a lot of the myths and misconceptions regarding coffee and caffeine so that people could understand that one the healthiest things you can do is to drink coffee regularly. That is of course, if you are healthy enough to partake in coffee and caffeine consumption. Always advise with your medical doctor on any serious medical conditions you are dealing with before considering adding a drug like caffeine into your daily repertoire.

 

Well, with that, I hope you guys learned something from this episode because I know I did during my own research in order to bring you the information everyone should know about coffee and caffeine. Who knows, maybe I'll do another episode on just tea and the benefits of tea.

  

EPSIODE RESOURCES:

At Home Cold Brew Process:

https://www.wikihow.com/Cold-Brew-Coffee

 

Bulletproof Coffee:

https://www.bulletproof.com/products/coffee-the-original-whole-bean-12oz

 

Purity Coffee:

https://puritycoffee.com/product/whole-bean-coffee/

 

Do Vitamins – Pure Pump Organic Pre-Workout

https://dovitamins.com/products/purepump

 

Guru Organic Energy Drinks

https://www.guruenergy.com/en/

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

 

What's up unleashed humans! On today's episode I have the privilege to interview Wendy Laidlaw who has helped hundreds to thousands of women overcome endometriosis naturally. Ladies listen up! If you have painful periods and have accepted them as normal, then this episode is for you!

 

Endometriosis can be a severely debilitating condition in women, and I will explain what endometriosis is in just a second Because I first want to say this episode isn't just for women! Guys this episode is for you too! If your girl-friend, fiancé or wife is going through this process, it also affects you too. As the psychological battle these women deal with is extremely difficult, with mood swings, depression, anger and anxiety. Guys, this is something we will never truly know the feeling of, but if you know what these women are going through you can start to understand the emotional and physical roller coaster these women are experiencing.

 

For those of you who don't know, endometriosis is a condition in women in which their uterine tissues grow and spread outside of the normal uterine area. This can lead to heavy bleeding, heavy cramping, severe pain, irregular cycles and a severely limited quality of life. The pain we are talking about is equivalent to having appendicitis, which if you have had it, it is brutally painful.

 

Women who go the medical route typically see no real change in their endometriosis because medical treatments don't attack the problem at hand which is usually a dietary, lifestyle and hormone issue that needs careful tending to. This is why Wendy Laidlaw is your go-to person for everything endometriosis related, as she suffered for 30 years until she finally found the magic bullet for endometriosis

 

Now the best part is that Wendy heals endometriosis without drugs, surgery or any other invasive measure. She simply utilizes amazing and super easy nutrition protocols, she helps women create healthy head spaces and cleans up their daily environment.. If you know someone suffering with endometriosis, painful periods, irregular cycles, heavy bleeding and cramping please share this episode with someone you care for. It will likely change their life forever. As I said earlier, this episode is not just for women but for men too. Because when Wendy's women start this protocol, the whole family typically gets on board and the men of the families end up losing a lot of weight, get better sleep and feel better! So don't just think this is for women. It is for men too!

 

What's even better is that Wendy has a FREE book detailing her experiences and how to crush endometriosis naturally. I will add a link to her FREE BOOK in the show notes so you guys can click right on over to her website to get your FREE copy of Healing Endometriosis Naturally.

  

1:10 – Wendy describes what endometriosis is. She explains that it is a condition in which the inside of woman's uterus finds its way into the abdominal cavity. During a woman's natural monthly period, the uterus normally sheds itself and is released outside of the vagina. However, in endometriosis, these sheds of blood can find their way into areas they shouldn't be and lead to painful periods and decreased quality of life.

 

2:10 – Wendy talks about the signs and symptoms someone might have with endometriosis. A diagnosis for endometriosis typically doesn't occur until an average of 8 years into the condition. Wendy says that significant pain with a period is actually not normal. She describes the pain that would someone would experience would be as if they had appendicitis.

 

5:35 – Wendy talks about the struggle with finally being diagnosed with endometriosis and how women do not get the treatment and attention they need from the medical community. Often they are under-diagnosed and misdiagnosed. Most women are shewed out the door with medicine and are given band-aid treatments not targeting the true cause.

 

9:20 – Wendy talks about her history with endometriosis and how long she was taken down the medical route. For 33 years she put up with her endometriosis and learned how to re-navigate her life around her condition. Wendy's mother had also suffered from endometriosis and so she has known endometriosis her whole life.

 

12:00 – Wendy talks about her symptoms and what the medical treatment was for the 3 decades of her life. She talks about intense bleeding and unbearable pain. She tells a story about being in a meeting when she had a massive episode of bleeding.

 

15:05 – Wendy talks about the causes of endometriosis whether that is through Epigenetics and/or lifestyle factors that creates it to come out of its nasty shell. Wendy explains endometriosis typically stems from massive inflammation and hormone dysregulation.

 

17:03 – Wendy talks about Foods, Environment and Emotions and how using these can make a massive change in endometriosis. She talks about how most women with endometriosis have poor digestion and she talks about how starting her women on a liquid meal plan initially to reset their gut. She talks about the major food offenders such as wheat and has seen massive changes in her women.

 

23:44 – Wendy talks about the hidden benefits of helping her women conquer endometriosis. She sees her women lose a ton of weight, their energy gets better, they sleep better, their happiness is better, bowel movements are better, they finally become pregnant their vision gets better and that is just to name a few. 

 

27:00 – We talk about how community is paramount for people to get their health back. Family members, spouses and kids should all be on board if people want to get the best results. Accountability is huge when it comes to health success.

 

31:05 – Wendy talks about the hardest part women have transitioning into her protocol and how Wendy grabs them by the hand to let them know it is going to be okay. These women have been through the gambit of failed treatments. Wendy does an amazing job getting them to make a mindset shift and change their current vehicle onto a new path. Wendy works with each woman individually and peels back the layers of years of toxic buildup.

 

35:45 – Wendy talks about the 5 P's. She talks about emotional health and environment being a major contributor to helping a woman overcome endometriosis. Wendy talks about the whole body and whole person approach to healing endometriosis.

 

38:22 – Wendy talks about meditation for headspace and the different types of clearing headspace. She believes everyone is different, so picking the best meditation for you is the best option.

 

39:46 – Wendy talks about when her endometriosis started to get better and how she figured out the best way to achieve eliminating endometriosis. She talks about the power of having strong mitochondria health. This is when she knew food was the answer and which foods were the major contributors to her endometriosis.

 

42:05 - Wendy talks about her take on eating meat. She talks about how all meats are not created equally and that meat has been given a bad name. She talks about how meats have extremely important amino acids and that we have eaten meats for thousands of years. Wendy stresses how important it is to chew your food and chew slowly.

 

46:00 - We talk about how vegans and vegetarians get the meat theory wrong and their arguments lie mostly around conventional meats that everyone knows are unhealthy. They do not talk about grass-fed and pasture raised meats.

 

48:15- Wendy talks about her morning rituals and how it primes her for the day ahead. She journals, has her power shake and yoga.

 

50:44 – Wendy talks about her 12-week foundation program for women who are ready and want to support to figure out her root-cause of their endometriosis. She has a ton of educational videos and downloads giving you step by step approaches. It is a well-tested protocol to help a woman and even men achieve amazing health. Wendy is alongside women every step of the way.

 

54:00 – Anything for her last meal? She would have her power shake consisting of her Amino acids, multivitamin, micro-greens, juice cucumber, celery, carrots, apple

 

54:41 – Where would she travel? She wants to visit more of Europe. Places like Prague, Budapest, Italy

 

55:20 – Advice for anyone wanting to live their best life? Trust your instincts. Go against what everyone else is telling you. The answers to your health and life decisions are already inside you. Trust your gut and go with what makes you your best self-every day. Never doubt yourself. 

 

EPSIODE RESOURCES:

Wendy K Laidlaw:

 

Heal Endometriosis Naturally Without Painkiller, Drugs or Surgery FREE BOOK:

https://healendometriosisnaturallybook.com/order36212215lbqnh89?affiliate_id=1455555

 

Wendy's Healing Endometriosis Naturally Facebook Group:

https://www.facebook.com/HealEndometriosisNaturally/

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

What's up Unleashed Humans! On this episode I discuss my results from 23 and me genetic testing and why you should without a doubt get your 23 and me testing done ASAP. Now Before we jump in I wanted to again let you know about my FREE book you can get by going to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed. I know you've probably heard me talk about my book like a million times but if you haven't it has the cheat codes for health, happiness, having a killer digestion, amazing bio hacks, becoming stronger, smarter, getting better sleep and unlocking what you've been missing in your life. Just go to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed to get a copy of my FREE book. No shipping, no payment. Totally free straight to your email. Check it out while it is still up for grabs!

 

So, I just did my 23 and me genetic testing and I am so freaking pumped to tell you the results. I have been waiting nearly a month for my results and finally got them back. I mainly got 23 and me genetic testing done to see my risk for conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But the cool thing is that you can also do 23 and me to see your heritage and family lineage, so I did them both together. Turns out that I am 63 percent British and Irish. 18 percent Northwestern European and 14 percent French and German. It comes to no surprise that I am mostly British because my last name is Woodham for crying out loud. But I always thought I was Scottish not Irish. 23 and me goes super deep into family lineage so if you're into this, totally get this testing done.

 

Now, like I said, On this episode I discuss my results from 23 and me genetic testing and why you should without a doubt get your 23 and me testing done ASAP. I will talk about the top 8 conditions relating to health predisposition and the genetic variants associated with them. I will also cover the are risk factors for each of these conditions and I will share how you can prevent these through lifestyle alone.

 

Like I said, I highly recommend you invest in 23 and me genetic testing not just because it will give incredible insight to your heritage and health but, because it opens doors for you to see your genes in much greater detail. For instance, I uploaded my raw data from 23 and me uploaded it both DNAfit.com and go.strategene.org.  DNAfit will tell you what diet, workout plan and lifestyle will fit you best based off your genes. It is actually extremely impressive how detailed DNAfit is and you will get to hear all of my athletic performance and nutrition markers from DNAfit. And to be honest Its almost overwhelming how much info they give you. It is amazing.

 

Secondly, if you want to nerd out and learn about your single nucleotide polymorphisms aka genetic variants associated with a certain gene, then go to go.strategene.org and enter your raw data. Dr. Ben Lynch will send you a report breaking down your genes and what they mean in a super detailed fashion.

 

That being said, 23 and me is AN ABSOLUTE MUST. So, if you've been on the fence, JUMP OFF the fence and just buy a damn 23 and me kit. All you have to do is order it online and they send a kit right to your door. You spit your saliva into a tube and then send it back. Simple as that! Then you can learn all about where your ancestors came from in super deep detail and simultaneously harness your genes to make you a super human. What could be better than that?

 

Now before we begin, understand that genetic testing does not diagnose or give treatment Recommendations for any condition what so ever. So please do not think you are going to get Alzheimer's or Parkinson's of you get genetic variant for these conditions. Genes only mean you have a predisposition to certain conditions if you chose to live an unhealthy lifestyle. Do not go overboard on supplementation or nutritional advices given by these websites because they are not designed to be treatment routes for any serious illness or disease. They are merely suggestions and supplemental info to help prevent certain diseases. Remember, you chose to live your best life every day. As a general rule of thumb, if you eat healthy, workout regularly and stay away from harmful substances, you are likely to live a long and rewarding life. Don't overthink or stress out about your genes. They are not your fate. Your lifestyle, however, is your fate, so live accordingly.

 

With that being said, lets jump in!

 

So first I am going to go over the 9 most common health conditions tested on 23 and me. They are as follows:

Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Celiac Disease, Hereditary Hemochromatosis, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, BRCA1/BRCA2, G6PD Deficiency, Hereditary Thrombophilia, Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.

 

Remember, these are only 9 of the most common conditions. 23 and me also tests like 50 more conditions and they get super detailed. I'm not going to go over those because we would be here forever, and I didn't haven't any genetic variants for those anyway.

 

Now, from my results, out of those 9 conditions, I only had 3 genetic variations. 2 of them were unlikely to cause risk, while one of them slightly increased my risk. The two that were unlikely to put me at risk were Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Hereditary Hemochromatosis. The one that puts me slightly at risk was Celiac Disease, which doesn't surprise me because I have always had a sensitive digestive tract.

 

Now, I am going to first talk to you about the three conditions I mentioned, what they are, how they manifest and how to avoid them.

 

The first one is Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces.

 

I have one of the two genetic variants tested in the CFH Gene

However, I am not likely at increased risk of developing AMD based on my genetic result. Lifestyle and other factors may also influence my risk.

About 2% of people over the age of 50 develop AMD.

 

 

Smoking is associated with higher risk of developing AMD. If you smoke, quitting is one of the easiest ways to reduce your risk.

 

The risk of developing AMD increases greatly as a person ages. This condition is rarely diagnosed in people under the age of 50. Over the age of 80, 2-14% of people have AMD, depending on ethnicity.

 

Parents, siblings, and children of an individual with AMD have a higher chance of developing AMD themselves

 

People of European descent are more likely to develop AMD than people of African, Hispanic, and Asian descent.

 

Eating a healthy diet has been associated with a reduced risk of developing AMD.  A healthy diet that benefits the eyes emphasizes the consumption of dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts, and whole grains. Consuming healthy fats — found in fish, nuts, and olive oil — and minimizing saturated and trans fats are also important.

 

 

 

When does it develop?

 

AMD is rarely diagnosed in people under the age of 50. Vision loss related to AMD usually becomes noticeable in a person's 60s or 70s and tends to worsen over time.

  How common is the condition?

 

The prevalence of AMD reports to affect about 2% of individuals over the age of 50 in the U.S. Approximately 2 million Americans are currently living with AMD.

 

Typical signs and symptoms are

• Blurred or distorted vision
• Vision loss
• Yellow fatty deposits in the retina called "drusen"
• Blood or fluid leakage in the retina

 

There is currently no known prevention or cure for AMD. Having regular eye exams can help detect early signs of the condition. Progression of AMD can be slowed with the use of certain treatments and medications.

That is it for AMD… now onto Celiac Disease.

 

Celiac Disease

Now, Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which the consumption of gluten (found in wheat, barley, and rye) can result in damage to the small intestine. Celiac disease can lead to both digestive and non-digestive problems. This test includes two common variants associated with an increased risk of developing this condition.

 

I have one of the two genetic variants we tested in the HLA-DQB1 gene

 

I have a variant linked to the HLA-DQ8 haplotype.

 

People with this result have a slightly increased risk of developing celiac disease. Lifestyle and other factors can also affect a person's risk.

 

 

However, studies estimate that only about 3% of people with one or more copies of the HLA-DQ2.5 or HLA-DQ8 haplotypes develop celiac disease.

 

 

Gluten (found in wheat, barley, and rye) is the main non-genetic factor that triggers the development of celiac disease in people with increased genetic risk.

 

Parents, siblings, and children of an individual diagnosed with celiac disease have a higher chance of developing the condition themselves.

 

People with certain health conditions, such as Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, or type 1 diabetes, are more likely to develop celiac disease.

 

Celiac Disease is Also known as: celiac sprue, CD, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, non-tropical sprue

 

Celiac disease can develop anytime from infancy to adulthood, most commonly between the ages of 10 and 40. In people with celiac disease, symptoms occur after consuming gluten.

Typical signs and symptoms are

• Diarrhea, gas, and bloating
• Poor appetite
• Skin rashes
• Fatigue
• Anemia
• Headache

Celiac disease affects people of all ethnicities. About 1 in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease.

Celiac disease can be effectively treated by removing all sources of gluten from the diet. This includes foods and drinks made with wheat, barley, and rye.

 

And that is it for Celiac Disease.. not too bad, unless you are obsessed with grains, like most people, then it can certainly destroy someone's quality of life…as I am sure some listeners suffer with celiac disease regularly. Now.. onto the next condition which is.. Hereditary Hemochromatosis

 

Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HFE‑Related)

Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic condition characterized by absorption of too much dietary iron. This may lead to iron overload, which can cause damage to the joints and certain organs, such as the liver, skin, heart, and pancreas. This test includes the two most common variants linked to this condition.

  I have one of the two genetic variants tested in the HFE Gene

Hereditary hemochromatosis is caused by certain combinations of genetic variants. People with only this variant are not likely at risk of developing iron overload related to hereditary hemochromatosis.

 the H63D variant in the HFE gene was detected in my sample

 

As I said before, Hereditary hemochromatosis is caused by certain combinations of genetic variants, and only some combinations increase risk for iron overload.

 

Although developing symptoms of iron overload related to hereditary hemochromatosis is rare in younger people, the risk increases as a person ages. Symptoms of iron overload are most often diagnosed in men between the ages of 40 and 60, and in women after the age of 60.

 

Men with hemochromatosis are at higher risk than women for developing symptoms of iron overload, mostly because women lose iron through menstruation.

 

In people with hemochromatosis, the liver is at risk of damage from iron overload. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can lead to further liver damage.

 

Consuming foods high in iron or taking certain supplements can increase the amount of iron stored in the body. For people with hemochromatosis, this may increase the chances of developing symptoms of iron overload.

 

About Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HFE‑Related)

 

 

Also known as: HFE-HH, primary hemochromatosis, hemochromatosis type I

 

 

Now, Because it is a genetic condition, hereditary hemochromatosis is present at birth. Many people with this condition never develop iron overload. Of those who do develop iron overload, only a small number develop symptoms. If men develop symptoms, they typically appear between 40 and 60 years of age. Women rarely develop symptoms, and when they do it tends to be after menopause.

Typical signs and symptoms of iron overload are

• Joint and abdominal pain
• Fatigue and weakness
• Darkening of the skin
• Liver disease
• Heart disease
• Diabetes

Hereditary hemochromatosis is most common in people of Northern European descent. Around 1 in 250 people of European descent has the genotype most commonly associated with hereditary hemochromatosis. However, only some of those people will go on to develop symptoms of iron overload related to hereditary hemochromatosis.

 

People with hereditary hemochromatosis are typically monitored for symptoms or complications. Iron overload related to hereditary hemochromatosis is a treatable condition. In some patients, having blood drawn on a regular basis can help lower iron levels. People with iron overload are encouraged to avoid drinking alcohol to minimize liver damage and to limit intake of iron-rich food.

 

 

And those were the three conditions that I had with genetic variation.. I'm going to quickly fly through the rest of the conditions that were tested then we are going to dive right into my DNA fit results which you are not going to want to miss. They are so damn cool. I get so excited talking about them.

 

First is Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

AAT deficiency is a genetic condition that can lead to lung and liver disease. It is caused by decreased levels of the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein. This test includes the two most common variants linked to this deficiency.

 

Because it is a genetic condition, AAT deficiency is present at birth. Symptoms of lung disease usually appear later in life, and age of onset is strongly affected by smoking. Some people may never have symptoms of lung disease, especially if they don't smoke. Liver problems may develop anytime from infancy to adulthood.

 

Potential signs and symptoms are

• Shortness of breath and wheezing
• Chronic cough
• Recurrent lung infections
• Lung disease, including emphysema
• Liver disease, including cirrhosis

 

 

Second Condition is BRCA1/BRCA2 (Selected Variants)

Specific genetic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are associated with an increased risk of developing certain cancers, including breast cancer (in women and men) and ovarian cancer. These variants may also be associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer and certain other cancers. This test includes three genetic variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are most common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

 

However, more than 1,000 variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are known to increase cancer risk, so I could still have a variant not included in this test. In addition, most cases of male breast cancer and prostate cancer are not caused by inherited variants, so men without a variant are still at risk of developing these cancers. 

 

In the general population, about 1 in 9 men develops prostate cancer during his lifetime, and about 1 in 800 men develops male breast cancer

 

• Men with a BRCA1variant have a 1-2% chance of developing male breast cancer. They may also have an increased risk for prostate cancer and pancreatic cancer.
• Men with a BRCA2variant have a 7-8% chance of developing male breast cancer and an increased risk for prostate cancer. They may also have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer and melanoma.
• Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant have a greatly increased risk for breast and ovarian cancer and may have an increased risk for pancreatic cancer and melanoma.
• In general, the chances of developing cancer increase as a person gets older. However, men with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant may develop earlier and more aggressive prostate cancer. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant have an increased risk for early-onset breast cancer (before age 45) and multiple breast cancers. In addition, women with a BRCA1 variant may develop ovarian cancer at an earlier age.
• About 1 in 400 people in the general population has a BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant linked to hereditary male breast cancer and prostate cancer, although most of those variants are not included in this report. Among people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, about 1 in 40 has a variant (usually one of the three variants in this report).

 

Decrease your risk of cancer by maintaining healthy body weight, avoid exposure to harmful chemicals, eat organic veggies and grass-fed meats.

 

 

Next is G6PD Deficiency

G6PD deficiency is a common genetic condition caused by defects in an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, or G6PD. The G6PD enzyme helps protect red blood cells from damage. In people with G6PD deficiency, red blood cells are destroyed upon exposure to certain environmental triggers, which can lead to episodes of anemia. This test includes the most common variant linked to G6PD deficiency in people of African descent.

 

Because it is a genetic condition, G6PD deficiency is present at birth. However, people with this condition typically don't develop symptoms unless they are exposed to certain triggering factors. Many people with G6PD deficiency never develop symptoms.

 

Typical signs and symptoms

• Anemia
• Dark urine
• Fatigue
• Pale skin
• Shortness of breath
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Approximately 400 million people worldwide have G6PD deficiency. The condition occurs most frequently in people from certain parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. About 1 in 10 African-American men has G6PD deficiency. Because of the way it is inherited, men are more likely to have this condition than women.

 

Most people with G6PD deficiency do not require treatment. People with G6PD deficiency often manage their condition by avoiding certain medications and foods that may trigger symptoms. If a person is exposed to a trigger and develops anemia, symptoms usually clear up on their own. However, in some cases patients may require a blood transfusion.

 

Next is Hereditary Thrombophilia

Hereditary thrombophilia is a predisposition to developing harmful blood clots. These harmful blood clots most commonly form in the legs and can travel to the lungs. This test includes the two most common variants linked to hereditary thrombophilia.

 

 

A major Risk Factor is: Undergoing major surgery which increases a person's risk of developing harmful blood clots.

 

Harmful blood clots are rare in people younger than 30, but they become more likely as people age.

 

Long periods of not moving, such as long-distance travel like being on plane or being bedridden, can increase a person's risk for harmful blood clots. Clots like DVT aka Deep Vein Thrombophlebitis.

 

Women using oral contraceptives containing estrogen are at an increased risk for harmful blood clots.

 

Obesity can also increase a person's chances of developing harmful blood clots.

 

Hereditary thrombophilia is a predisposition to developing harmful blood clots. Harmful blood clots are more generally known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). When they form in the legs, the condition is known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When they travel to the lungs, the condition is known as pulmonary embolism (PE)

Hereditary thrombophilia is genetic, but the risk of developing harmful blood clots increases with age and other factors.

 

Typical signs and symptoms of harmful blood clots

• Pain, tenderness, swelling, or redness in one or both legs
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Hereditary thrombophilia may also be associated with recurrent late pregnancy loss in some women.

It is estimated that 1 in 20 people of European descent has a variant linked to hereditary thrombophilia. Around 1 in 1,000 people of European descent develops harmful blood clots each year. Some of these people have genetic variants and many others do not. Estimates are not as well known for people of other ethnicities.

 

 

Hereditary thrombophilia typically does not require any ongoing treatment. In some cases, medications can be used to prevent harmful blood clots from forming. Medications and surgery can also be used to break up existing clots.

 

    Next Is Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and personality changes. Late-onset Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of Alzheimer's disease, developing after age 65. Many factors, including genetics, can influence a person's chances of developing the condition. This test includes the most common genetic variant associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

 

My results showed that I do not have the E4 variant in the APOE Gene

 

There is still a chance of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Studies estimate that, on average, a man of European descent has a 3% chance of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease by age 75 and an 11% chance by age 85. There is not enough data to estimate the chances in men of other ethnicities. Keep in mind that other factors also influence your risk.

 

 

The risk of developing Alzheimer's disease increases greatly as a person ages. This condition is most often diagnosed in people over the age of 65.

 

More women than men have late-onset Alzheimer's disease, perhaps due to both biological and lifestyle factors.

 

Parents, siblings, and children of an individual with late-onset Alzheimer's disease have a higher chance of developing the disease themselves.

 

Research shows that high blood pressure and high cholesterol are both associated with an increased risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease.  Maintaining normal blood pressure, keeping a healthy weight, and exercising regularly are a few things you can do to promote and maintain your heart health

 

A heart-healthy diet has been associated with a decreased risk for Alzheimer's disease.  A heart-healthy diet emphasizes the consumption of green leafy vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. Consuming healthy fats — found in fish, nuts, and olive oil — and minimizing saturated and trans fats are also important.

Fewer years of education has been associated with a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life.  While the reason for this is still unclear, researchers suggest that exercising the brain through activities like reading, writing, and doing puzzles may help promote brain health.

 

Late-onset Alzheimer's disease develops after 65 years of age.

 

Typical signs and symptoms are

• Memory loss that worsens over time
• Mood and personality changes
• Trouble planning or solving problems
• Confusion with place or time
• Difficulty performing daily life activities

Late-onset Alzheimer's disease affects people of all ethnicities. One in nine Americans age 65 and older is affected by Alzheimer's disease. Elderly African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to develop the condition than people of other ethnicities.

There is currently no known prevention or cure for Alzheimer's disease. Medication may be used to delay or ease symptoms.

 

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is characterized by tremor, muscle stiffness, and problems with movement. Many factors, including genetics, can influence a person's chances of developing Parkinson's disease. This test includes two genetic variants associated with increased risk of developing the condition.

  There is still a chance of developing Parkinson's disease even though I don't have a variant for it.

About 1 in 100 people develops Parkinson's disease during their lifetime, typically after the age of 55. Most cases of Parkinson's disease do not have a genetic cause. Keep in mind that other factors also influence your risk.

The risk of developing Parkinson's disease increases as a person ages. This condition is most often diagnosed in people over the age of 55.

 

Men have a higher chance of developing Parkinson's disease than women, perhaps due to both biological and lifestyle factors.

 

Parents, siblings, and children of an individual with Parkinson's disease have a higher chance of developing Parkinson's disease themselves.

 

Exposure to certain chemicals increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. These include chemicals used in agriculture, such as pesticides.

 

Parkinson's disease typically develops in adulthood, after 55 years of age.

 

Typical signs and symptoms are

• Tremor
• Muscle stiffness
• Slow movements
• Problems with balance
• Memory loss in some cases

 

Parkinson's disease affects people of all ethnicities. About 1 in 100 people develops Parkinson's disease during their lifetime.

 

There is currently no known prevention or cure for Parkinson's disease. Certain medications may be used to delay or ease symptoms. Speech, physical, and occupational therapies may also help with symptom management.

 

Now Quickly I want to tell you how amazing DNAfit.com is. By taking your RAW data from 23 and Me.com you can upload your DNA to DNAfit.com and they will tell you a whole bunch of things regarding your athletic performance and ability. They will also give you a nutrition plan based off the foods you should eat or foods to stay away from based on your genes.

They give you are really badass infographic giving you an overview of your athletic ability and wellness potential.

I will go through them one by one:

First they tested if I was an endurance athlete or strength athlete. Which turns out that I am 77 percent strength athlete and 23 percent endurance athlete. Endurance training is defined as lower intensity activity, performed for a longer period time. Power training is identified as high intensity exercise performed quickly, but over shorter time periods. This means that I have more fast twitch muscle fibers built for explosive movements and lifting heavy weights and less endurance-based performance like running and bicycling.

 

Second they tested VO2 max which measures the maximum or optimum rate at which an individual's body can effectively use oxygen during exercise. It is commonly used as a way of measuring a person's individual aerobic ability and it is an extremely popular measure of performance amongst endurance athletes. My VO2 max was measuremed as a medium level performance which is in the middle of low and high performance. In order to make the most of my natural VO2 Max capacity, I will need to cross-train by consistently including both endurance and power activities in my training program. Things like doing occasional extended runs or bicycling between weight lifting days.

 

Third thing that was tested was recovery after workouts. Some people are lucky enough to recover very quickly - ready to exert themselves again after very little rest, whereas others don't seem to bounce back quite as fast, needing a longer break between hard training bouts. Research has shown that certain genetic variations infer a delayed recovery from hard exercise training; those with these markers should take extra care with their training plan and nutrition strategy. My genes showed that I am genetically wired to recover fast after workouts, which is pretty badass and I totally support that finding, as I have always been fast to recover.

 

Fourth measurement was injury risk. Although of course injury is always a default risk when undertaking any form of exercise, some people do appear to be more predisposed to injury than others, and some of this is based on genetics. Scientific evidence has shown that certain genetic variations can affect injury risk. My genetic results indicate that I have an overall higher than average risk of a sports related soft tissue injury. This could be from genetic markers assessing that I might be more prone to inflammation in general. However, I have no experienced any significant injury as an athlete, so I may be taking good care of my body in general.

 

 

 

Now on the diet side of things many things were tested and were super cool to find out:

 

I found out that I have a high response to carbohydrates like breads because they spike my blood glucose very rapidly compared to the average person.. meaning I should stay away from refined carbohydrates and sugars stripped of their natural form.

 

I found out that I can tolerated saturated fats very well and digest them without issue. However, I am talking about healthy saturated fats.. fats that come from organic meats, grass-fed butters, and oils.

 

I found out that I am NOT lactose intolerant and my digestive tract can handle dairy products. However, this DOES NOT MEAN that I am not allergic to dairy. You can still be allergic to dairy and be tolerant to dairy.  They are two different things. Last time I checked I was allergic to dairy, so I try to limit dairy.

 

As I mentioned earlier.. I have a genetic variant related to celiac disease.. and DNA fit solidified this finding by mentioning that I have a medium risk for celiac disease and that I should avoid gluten and grains as much as I can.

 

I found out my caffeine tolerance and sensitivity. While a moderate amount of caffeine is usually harmless, in some people excessive caffeine intake can cause anxiety, insomnia, headaches, and stomach irritation. For some people, excess caffeine intake has also been linked to high blood pressure. My genetic result showed a slow version of the enzyme for caffeine metabolism and one copy for the rapid version which results in intermediate caffeine metabolism.. thus, I was advised to limit consumption of coffee.. as caffeine affects linger longer for me and can affect my sleep.

 

I found out my salt sensitivity. Salt is made up of Sodium and Chloride, for health reasons we are mostly concerned with our sodium intake as it can cause high blood pressure in those who are genetically susceptible. My genetic tests reveals that I have the "D/D" and Met/Thr genotype and therefore a possible predisposition to hypertension when salt consumption is excessive. I am advised to limit my salt intake to a maximum of 5.5g/day, equivalent to about 2.2g/day sodium.

 

 

I found out that my ability to utilize anti-oxidants and neutralize free-radicals is superb. In other words, my genetic test results did not indicate a reduced capacity to neutralize free radicals aka cancer causing molecules. It is important to note that dietary anti-oxidants are very important sources of protection from free radicals and other types of oxidative stress. Things like enough vitamin C, vitamin A, Vitamin E, Selenium and Adequate levels of glutathione are important to have.

 

I found out that my ability to metabolize Omega-3 fatty acids is superb. If you don't know what those are, they type of essential fatty acids that we need in lowering blood fats, helping reduce rheumatoid arthritis and having an effective anti-inflammatory affect.

 

My results showed that I have normal expression for IL6 (interleukin 6) which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by our immune system. I also had normal expression of TNF aka Tumor Necrosis Factor which a cytokine dealing with systemic inflammation.

 

I found out that I require a lot more B vitamins than the average person. Our nervous system, digestion and red blood cells depend on the B vitamins to maintain normal function in our day-to-day life, from how our body uses our food to create energy to forming red blood cells. I found that I have the heterozygous 677C/T version of the MTHFR gene that has been associated with increased homocysteine levels when dietary intake of folic acid is too low. The reduced activity can be compensated for by increased dietary folic acid, vitamin B6 & B12.

 

I also found that I need more vitamin D than most people. Vitamin D helps us maintain normal blood levels of calcium and strengthens our bone structure. Although it is found in certain foods, our skin also creates vitamin D when we are exposed to sunlight! Though for many of us living in colder climates, taking in enough sunshine each day is unfortunately not possible. Without adequate vitamin D, we may be at increased risk of osteoporosis and several other pathologies related to the functions of this important vitamin. I am heterozygous for this gene which has been shown to affect calcium absorption and bone structure. I am advised to increase consumption, above the standard guidelines, to obtain at least 800 IU Vitamin D and 1300 mg Calcium. I actually think this is too low, so I take 10,000 to 15,000 IU daily.

 

Lastly, I found that my detoxification ability was labeled as fast. When we talk about detoxification we are talking about body's actual biological process that takes place in the liver.

This affects our personal ability to detoxify harmful chemicals taken on in our diets

So for me, having a fast detoxification process means that it is advised for me to limit your consumption of grilled or smoked meat to 1- 2 servings per week or none at all. This is because when we smoke meats, smoke smothers the meats with free radicals and is harmful to ingest regularly.

 

Now, that was just scratching the surface on what DNAfit.com will do for you. DNA FIT will write up entire nutrition plans based off your genes and your food preferences. It is insane how much detail they put into this. They not only give you entire meal plans, but they give you a full workout regimen and how to work out based off your genes. They even ask you your fitness goals and what you intend on achieving so they can tailor make a workout plan just for your needs. In my opinion it is 1000% percent worth it. It is the most detailed lifestyle plan I have ever seen.

 

 

This was just a fraction of the information that 23 and me and DNA fit gives you. I'm telling you right now, you are going to want to get these tests. They will change your perspective on your health and being healthy in general. Again, genetic testing does not diagnose or give treatment recommendations for any condition. So please do not think you are going to get Alzheimer's or Parkinson's of you get genetic variant for these conditions. Genes only mean you have a predisposition to certain conditions if you chose to live an unhealthy lifestyle. Do not go overboard on supplementation or nutritional advices given by these websites because they are not designed to be treatment routes for any serious illness or disease. They are merely suggestions and supplemental info to help prevent certain diseases. Remember, you chose to live your best life every day. As a general rule of thumb, if you eat healthy, workout regularly and stay away from harmful substances, you are likely to live a long and rewarding life. Don't overthink or stress out about your genes. They are not your fate. Your lifestyle, however, is your fate, so live accordingly.

 

With that being said, go get your genes tested and live your best life! The next episode I will be doing regarding genes and wellness will be reviewing my microbiome via stool sample aka poop. I recently sent off a fecal sample to Viome to get analyzed. I cannot wait for that and will share everything when it comes back.

 

 

Well, that is it from me on this episode! If you enjoyed today's interview or if you are enjoying the hour-long episodes that I am doing packed with research and new advances in medicine I would be so appreciative if you left a review and rating and even share with your friends and family. I put a ton of time into making these episodes and it would mean a ton to me if you gave me some feedback. If you want to reach out to me personally I would love to help wherever I can! Message me on Instagram @theunleashedhuman and I will personally help you out with anything you have going on whether that is losing weight, better sleep, better headspace, getting stronger in the gym, cleaning up your diet or even to just say hello, I am always here to help out!

 

 

Lastly, if you haven't already you can literally right now go get my FREE book. It is seriously FREE. F-R-E-E. No shipping, no waiting. It is emailed directly to you. All you have to do is go to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed to get your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human.

 

Until then, take care of yourself and always strive to become an Unleashed Human. Talk soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Well that is it from me! Hope you guys and girls have an amazing morning, day, afternoon or night depending on what time you are listening to this!

 

 

As always, if you haven't already You can get your free copy of The Unleashed Human Book by going to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed. That is www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed to get a copy of my FREE book. No shipping, no payment. Totally free straight to your email. Check it out while it is still up for grabs!

 

 

 

 

Resources:

 

23andMe:

https://www.23andme.com/

 

DNAfit:

https://www.dnafit.com/us/

 

Strategene:

http://go.strategene.org/genetic-analysis

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

My guest today is seriously a freak of nature. He is the younger brother of Dr. Justin Wilcox who was previously on the show. Ever since I've known this guy he has been the hardest worker in the room and in the classroom and was valedictorian of his class. In undergraduate he did a dual degree in Engineering and Liberal Arts while he was a college athlete. He was a starting running back at University of Pennsylvania. At the combine he scored an 11.3 foot broad jump. As a freshman he power-cleaned 345 pounds. He was an IVY league champion and received an honorable All-Ivy mention. He is currently on the USA National World Cup Bob Sled Team and was the rookie push-champion. He, just like his brother is one of the greatest and giving people I know.

 

We talk about Kyle's incredible story and his struggle growing up and how it always made him strive for greatness even when the odds were against him.

 

We talk about where his influence in strength and performance originated and how he got so strong without performance enhancing drugs.

 

We talk about how hard it is to make it on the USA olympic bob-sledding team and how ONLY the ELITE make it.

 

We talk about the workouts and routines that Kyle and the USA olympic bobsledding team are doing each day.

 

We discuss Kyle's personal gym records and the advice, tips and tricks for anyone who wants to get stronger.

 

Kyle discusses his personal training regimen and what his daily nutrition is like for maximum athletic performance.

 

Kyle also discusses the supplements and extra oral enhancers that makes his performance better for that athletic edge.

 

We discuss the bio-hacks that Kyle uses everyday to get advantage over his opponents and dominate his health everyday. 

 

Kyle talks about his morning routine that sets him up for success and maximum performance everyday.

 

Lastly, Kyle shares his favorite books on increasing athletic performance and wellness.

 

RESOURCES:

Kyle Wilcox:

Instagram: @Kylewilcox41

USA Olympics Men's Bobsled National Team:

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Bobsled-Skeleton-Federation/Athletes/Mens-Bobsled-National-Team

 

Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham

On this episode we talk about why taking care of your spine extremely vital for you to be healthy. You know, that thing in the back of your body that keeps you upright and allows you to move your legs. That thing that controls every single organ in your body. Yea that thing is called your spine. You should pay attention to it more often because it is what determines your quality of life. When your spine becomes decrepit and degenerated it starts to lock itself into place, which means your spine is literally fusing itself… to itself. Your bones start to become fixated and your range of motion becomes severely restricted leading to nerve impingement. Your nerves then become compromised and all your organs, tissues and cells suffer due to loss of nerve flow to keep them alive and healthy.

 

This episode is likely to become very controversial, as I talk about different types of spine management approaches and why some of them fail. I will also be talking about types of Chiropractic care and why they are so different. So, if you have had a bad experience with a chiropractor, I will tell you why that was the case. Or if you went to a Chiropractor and you were immediately turned off because of how weird and quaky they were, I will tell you why. Trust me, I know how weird chiropractors can be, because a lot of them do really esoteric things that are beyond what seems scientifically reasonable. There are, however, chiropractors who provide scientific evidence and research for what they do. These Chiropractors are super analytical and make sure that their patients understand how the human spine works and functions based on biomechanics and loading forces on the spine.

 

You see, visiting a chiropractor is just like visiting a dentist or visiting a medical doctor. If you went to visit a dentist and they did a piss poor job leaving you with a bad taste in your mouth.. literally… would you just decide "I'm never getting my teeth cleaned again and never seeing a dentist as long as I live, or would you find better dentist?" I'm pretty sure you would find a new dentist, because regular checkups are crucial, as we know gum disease can lead to many issues like cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease and even diabetes. Just like you wouldn't just immediately opt-in for a spine surgery, you would seek all conservative approaches to spinal care before spending hundreds of thousands of dollars with the potential of becoming paralyzed or becoming worse from surgery. You also wouldn't ever discard all medical doctors forever because we need medical doctors for things like emergency medicine and severe bacterial or viral infections. Every single healthcare practitioner plays their role in healthcare today or else there wouldn't be board advisories set up for them to exist. This being said, find the right practitioner for you and don't lump them all into a group as the same. Do your homework and you will likely find the fit for you.

 

Here's the thing…. Dentists, just like Chiropractors all practice differently and have different techniques. Although both Dentists and Chiropractors both go through 4-year programs undergoing the core curriculum in order to pass national board testing, they also undergo specialized training in the technique or specialty of their choosing. Some people are either turned on or turned off by the specialty these physicians' practice. Now, In my experience, most humans prefer visible, tangible, factual and scientifically based health care and treatment routes. You know, care that someone can actually understand and visually make sense of. That is why I practice the most scientific and research-based form of Chiropractic on the planet which is called Chiropractic Biophysics. I am embarrassed to say that a lot of my Chiropractic colleagues do things that are way out of what is reasonably acceptable for health care standards. Things like energy-based chiropractic where the chiropractor doesn't even touch you and says that they were able to adjust your spine with their mind. Or muscle-testing techniques to see which nutrients your body is or isn't deficient in. Some people are into this kind of thing, and it works for some people, but if you are a more analytical person who needs the facts, then you are going to be extremely weirded out and then lump the entire Chiropractic profession into an insane group of quacks out to take your money. Believe me.. I get it.. because I would feel the same way if I was looking at Chiropractic from the outside-in.

 

However, just know that, that is just a small population of the Chiropractic profession and that many Chiropractors are extremely knowledgeable and research-based physicians.

 

That is to say that, myself and my other colleagues who practice Chiropractic BioPhysics technique work with some of the world's top orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, neurologists and medical doctors. This is because they understand how biomechanics, arthro-kinematics and postural deformities put stress and strain on the spine through repetitive micro and macro traumas over our lifetime. And when we show them how we are remolding healthier postures and spines by implementing chiropractic adjustments, strengthening weakened muscles with dynamic exercise, re-establishing proprioception and balance to the brain stem using vibration platforms and stretching spinal ligaments (which is the glue of our spine) into positions that keep our spine upright using spinal traction units. By using all of these tools, modalities and treatments, this allows other healthcare providers to understand what we do truly makes logical sense. Because at the end of the day we are trying to bridge the gap between the medical model of surgery and drugs towards implementing more conservative approaches to health care first through Chiropractic, nutrition and physical therapy.

 

Let's touch a little bit on this thing called Chiropractic BioPhysics… Now my job on this episode is not to persuade you or to show my bias towards Chiropractic BioPhysics. My purpose is to simply tell you about the technique and how it provides incredible outcomes. In fact, I don't have to persuade you into anything, because the research sells Chiropractic Biophysics alone. I don't intend on putting any other technique down but I do intend to show you how Chiropractic BioPhyics is a technique that is tangible and understandable that everyone on planet Earth can understand backed by solid research.

 

 Now Let talk about the technique…just like there are normal measurements for blood pressure and cholesterol levels, there are normal measurements for the human spine. These normal measurements of our spine is known as the ideal spine model. This model was founded by Dr. Don Harrison who received a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in applied mathematics. Which if that wasn't impressive enough, he attained these degrees simultaneously and had to have special approval from his university's educational board to work on these degrees simultaneously because nobody in their right mind would do these together due to how extremely rigorous they are by themselves alone.

 

This is to say, Dr. Don Harrison was an extremely intelligent and hardworking individual. Dr. Don was almost savant-like, with a passion to advance the Chiropractic profession to what health care should be focusing on.. which is looking to the spine first to determine how curvatures and posture affects a person's health. In other words, the further you get away from healthy and normal spinal curvatures, the lower the quality of life you will endure. The other side of the coin is the closer you are to the ideal spine model of humans, the healthier and higher quality of life you will endure.

 

Quickly before we move on I will tell you what the normal curvatures of each part of our spine should be according to the ideal spine model in humans. We have three major regions of our spine:

 

First is our cervical spine which makes up our neck and has 7 bones C1-C7. Our neck has a lordotic curve made from a piece of a circle. The ideal degree of curvature of our cervical spine is 42 degrees and a normal degree of curvature is 34 degrees. This being said you want a lordotic cervical curve anywhere between 34 and 42 degrees.

 

Second is our thoracic spine which makes up our upper and middle back and has 12 bones T1-T12. Our thoracic spine has a kyphotic curve that should have an ideal curve of 44 degrees T1-T12 so that our heart and lungs can function to their best.

 

Third is our Lumbar spine which makes up our low back and has 5 bones L1-L5. Our lumbar spine is a lordotic curve just like our cervical spine, but instead of a piece of a circle, it is a piece of an ellipse. The ideal degree of curvature for our lumbar spine is 40 degrees.

 

The more your spinal curvatures start to go below or above these values, the more pain and organ disfunction you are likely to incur.

 

 

 Now.. Like I said, after this episode I will likely have other chiropractors being mad at me or coming out of the wood-work stating their case… great! I invite that. But you cannot argue facts and science that have been given solid evidence that is published in the top spine journals on planet Earth.

 

That being said, the standard chiropractic adjustment which chiropractors are known for, is not what creates lasting change from pain, organ dysfunction, and posture deformities. The chiropractic adjustment is an amazing treatment for acute care and symptomatology. Things like headaches, neck pain, back pain, joint pains, jaw pain, constipation, numbness and tingling in extremities and the list goes on. However, as much as I hate to say it.. a chiropractic adjustment is a temporary band-aid, because if you've been to a chiropractor before you get adjusted and feel great for a week or so and then you have to go back for another adjustment. This is because an adjustment really only releases nerve pressure and increases physiological range of motion for short periods of time until your spine, muscles and ligaments go right back to where they were.

 

You want to know why? Because THE ADJUSTMENT DID NOTHING TO CHANGE YOU POSTURE LONGTERM. If you get nothing out of this episode other than understanding that permanent posture change is the ultimate determinant of eliminating spine pain and increasing nerve function then I will have done my job. That being said, a chiropractic adjustment can only change posture temporarily. The only way for posture to remain permanent is by retraining your muscles and ligaments to hold your spine in place. This will lead to much better outcomes like nerve function, athletic performance, brain performance, organ function and dramatic increase of quality of life. You also won't need to get adjusted every damn week. So put that idea that you have to see a Chiropractor for the rest of your life to bed.

 

Now, as I stated earlier, I myself am a Doctor of Chiropractic and I treat the spine in a conservative, non-invasive and drug-free fashion. At the time of this recording, I work alongside Dr. Miles Fortner who has been published in 5 peer-reviewed pub-med indexed journal articles on conservative treatments of spinal deformities utilizing Chiropractic Biophysics protocol. Two more research cases are expected to be published here in the coming months with my name on it as the lead investigator. If you don't know what pub-med is, it is one of the largest research databases in the world for new advances in science, health and human advancements. This being said, the type of Chiropractic care that we do inside our office is unlike any conservative treatment you will ever find.

 

 

 

Just about everyone has a spine related issue in their lifetime. Whether that is physical pain in the neck, upper, mid and lower back. Spine related issues, however, are not always perceived as spine generated. In other words, most people don't even realize that their current condition or issue is coming from their spine. For instance, having chronic migraines or headaches have been known to be spine generated but most people think they have a brain tumor or neurological deficit. What we find as chiropractors more often than not is that those people with chronic headaches are suffering from an unhealthy cervical spine also known as the bones in your neck. Headaches are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to poor functioning spine and spinal cord. The conditions and symptoms you have been suffering from your entire life could be coming from having a poor posture, which leads to a poor spinal structure, which puts a ton of pressure on your nerves and decrease nerve conduction velocity and impulse to every single cell, tissue and organ of your body.

 

Let's first start with some conditions relating to an unhealthy cervical spine aka an unhealthy neck. Again, these are things you have been living with that you may never think could be due to an unhealthy neck. Things like

 

Migraine headaches, tension headaches, ringing in the ears, vertigo, dizziness, nausea, jaw pain, jaw clicking, grinding teeth at night, snoring, sleep apnea, spots or floating lights, numbness and tingling in hands, coldness in hands, weakness on grip, forearm cramping, getting sick easier than most, staying sick longer than most, thyroid dysfunction and troubles regulating body temperature. A lot of stuff huh? And those were just the conditions related to a poor cervical spine aka the bones in your neck.

 

I'll give you a quick case report on a woman with a cervical spine condition that drastically decreased her quality of life. This woman had a large right head translation along with a surgical cervical spine fusion. If you don't know what a right head translation is, imagine a string is attached to your right ear and is pulling your ear purely to the right parallel to the ground. Now Two CBP colleagues Dr. Paul Oakley and Dr. Deed Harrison published a case report on this woman. I will mention that Dr. Deed Harrison is the son of Dr. Don Harrison we spoke about earlier. Dr. Deed Harrison is currently the President of CBP technique and seminars. Now this case I am going to tell you about can be found in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science and is titled Alleviation of pain and disability in a post-surgical C4–C7 total fusion patient after reducing a lateral head translation (side shift) posture: a CBP®case report with a 14 year follow-up

.

Now let's set the stage. This was a 56-year-old female who had turned her neck a certain way, she felt a pop in her neck and immediately had localized neck pain. She then went to see a local Chiropractor for pain relief but unfortunately this Chiropractor failed to do a proper examination and X-rays. What the Chiropractor failed to understand, is that the patient already had a pre-existing condition in her neck known as a congenital fusion of two segments of her cervical spine. Congenital means she was born with it, as opposed to a surgical fusion when bones are fused together with surgical material. The only way to know that is to take spinal X-rays, in which this Chiropractor failed to perform. She also had an injury of the joint above the fusion where a bone had shifted forward which is known as an anterior-listhesis which is commonly found above or below in those with congenital fusions.  So being completely blinded of her condition, this Chiropractor adjusted her neck and immediately made her neck flare up more and sent pain down her right arm.

 

Now, I am not here to put down Chiropractors because I am a Chiropractor. What I am putting down is any health care provider that fails to provide standard of care whether that is a Chiropractor, Dentist, Medical Doctor or even a naturopathic doctor. In this case, the Chiropractor didn't take an X-rays to see if she may have an underlying pathology whether that was an unstable cervical spine, spinal degeneration, cervical fusion or a more sinister but rare malignancy.

 

After the patient was adjusted, she got concerned so she went to an orthopedic surgeon and from here you can guess that the orthopedic surgeon said the Chiropractor caused the injury. The reality is that the condition already existed in the patient, but the Chiropractor unintentionally exacerbated the condition by not doing a proper exam and x-ray. And of course, now the patient and orthopedic surgeons will continue to condemn ALL chiropractors from this one incident. The surgeon told the patient to never go to a chiropractor again and that she now needs surgery and ended up getting a cervical spine fusion from C4 to C7.

 

So, guess what happened.. the patient was not better after the surgery, in face she was even worse after the surgery and didn't require surgery in the first place.. but I guess surgeons know best right?

 

After years of suffering from post-surgical pain, the patient finally decided to trust a Chiropractor again and reported to Dr. Deed Harrison's office. She had chronic neck pain of 6/10. She had left arm numbness, migraines 1x week, left foot pain and tingling when walking, and she had decreased neck ROM and stiffness with a constant pulling of neck musculature.

 

She was on 7 pain medications. Things like Tylenol (acetaminophen and codeine), Fentanol(narcotic), Amerge(antimigraine), Desipramine(antidepressant), Amitryptyline (antidepressant), Metoclopramide (antiemetic), Zanaflex (muscle relaxant) and in the past oxycontin (narcotic)

 

The patient filled out a health survey form called an SF36 that lets you know based of her age and population norms, will let you know objectively how a person is functioning socially, mentally and physically. Her social functioning was so low that she couldn't even hangout with her friends or do the things she wanted to do because of pain. On her Neck Disability Index, she was a 64% which is severe pain and disability.

 

What Dr. Harrison found was that this patient had a 28 mm lateral head translation to the right which in inches is 1.1 inches which may not seem like a lot but shift your head to the right 1 inch and walk around like that all day and you will find it is very uncomfortable. In fact, the maximum amount a human should be able to translate their head left or right is 35mm. This means this patient is 80% of her maximum range of motion. It is 80% of her end range of motion and she is stuck in this position in her NEUTRAL posture. This is extremely stressful on the muscles, ligaments and nerves coming out of the neck.

 

Now this patient was from Canada. So, in order for her to receive proper care, correction and increase her quality of life, she needed to set aside 2 weeks where she could stay in The United States and undergo an aggressive but precise treatment regimen. She was treated several times a day for 11 days straight. She had 25 sessions over an 11-day period. This consisted of mirror image postural adjustments, mirror image postural instrument adjustments, mirror image postural exercises and mirror image postural spinal translation traction to correct her right head translation posture. She had these treatments 2-4 times per day.

 

After 11 days of care, her right head translation was reduced by more than 50% and went from 28mm to 13mm which is extremely impressive considering she had surgical fusions up and down her cervical spine.

 

After 11 days, her SF36 health survey went from a 36.5 to a 51.5 on her physical pain component and 38.6 to 58.9 on her mental outlook component. For those of you who don't know the significance of these scores, let's just say these scores are amazing. After years of chronic pain and disability, Dr. Harrison was able to significantly increase this patient's quality of life in just 11days. Based off these scores, she was just below population norms. This goes to show that a one and done approach to spinal rehabilitation is unrealistic. This patient needed more care even after 25 visits. Think about it.. she had been living with this condition for years. You can't expect to fix a 56-year old spine overnight. Just like you can't expect to grow muscle and obtain a six-pack after one workout session. You don't change muscle and tissue in a day. It takes months to even years to see change in your body shape and it is no different for your spine.

 

After 11 days the patient was able to self-terminate all of her pain medications under supervision of her medical doctor but was still advised to stay on her antidepressants as people cannot rapidly come off of anti-depressants or antipsychotics and takes more time for hormones to cycle back to normal. As chiropractors we cannot legally tell a patient to stop or start any medications, so we always advise the patient to speak with their medical doctor to help guide them off medications. But the cool thing as Chiropractors is that we get to witness patients coming off medications and having way less pain even when taking pain medications. Which goes to show addressing the underlying condition and successfully improving function conservatively will likely outperform the effectiveness of pain medications.

 

After 11 days the patient's Neck disability survey went from a 64% of severe disability to a 12% of mild disability. THIS IS MASSIVE. You really do not realize how incredible this change is. Just to give you perspective, just by improving 10.5 percent is clinically significant… this patient improved by 52% in just 11 days!!!!

 

Since then, this patient is still doing amazing and continues to see changes in her quality of life every single day. This case is just one of thousands of cases that has given a person their life back by utilizing Chiropractic Biophysics technique by changing posture and spinal structure long term and not just a quick crack of the back or neck that traditional chiropractic provides.

 

 

There are two more cases that I will discuss quickly but before we get to that I want to touch on some other symptoms or conditions you might be experiencing that you may not know is coming from your spine and posture.

 

With dysfunction in your upper and mid back you can experience conditions such as:

Upper back pain and trapezius tightness. Pain between the shoulder blades and posterior shoulder pain. You can also experience Heart palpitations, High blood pressure, Racing heart beats, Heart murmurs and Anxiety. You could be experiencing Shortness of breath, asthma, wheezing, chronic bronchitis, chronic cough, rib pain on deep inhalation and expiration. We also know the nerves in your upper and mid-back can create issues like stomach ulcers, acid reflux, heart burn, indigestion, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea after eating, tired or irritable after night eating for a while, blood sugar dysregulation, kidney stones, gallstones, adrenal fatigue and even food sensitivities. If you experience any of these aforementioned issues you might want to consult a Chiropractor or a Chiropractic BioPhysics Doctor.

 

 

 

Lastly with dysfunction of your lumbar spine aka your lower back you can suffer from things like:

Low-back pain, Hip pain, hamstring tightness, iliotibial band tightness, tailbone pain, hip pain, leg pain, numbness and tingling in the legs, coldness in the feet, cramping in legs or feet, weakness in legs or feet, loss of patellar and Achilles reflex, muscle pain and soreness, gait disturbances aka walking disturbances, Ulcerative Colitis, Chron's Disease, poor gut microbiome, nutrient deficiency and malnutrition, poor sex drive, erectile disfunction, inability to become pregnant, heavy menstrual bleeding, heavy cramping,

 

Since we just covered potential issues with a poor lumbar spine, I want to talk quickly about a woman that one of my colleagues Dr. David Bak and Dr. Curtis Fedorchuk helped in private practice utilizing Chiropractic BioPhysics technique. The case was titled "Resolution of Vulvodynia Following Chiropractic Care Using Chiropractic Biophysics and Diversified Techniques: A Case Report. Just to set the stage, for those who don't know what Vulvodynia is, it literally translates into painful vagina.

 

This was a 50-year old woman who had pain inside and outside of her vagina.  She had been suffering with vaginal pain that radiated into her low back. This pain was going on for months and she had exhausted all medical treatments, she saw many specialists, and nobody could help her. It was at this time that her marriage was coming into question because her husband started to believe that she may be cheating on him with another man. Her marriage was being torn apart as her husband was at his wits end. It wasn't until she visited Dr. Bak and Dr. Fedorchuk, that she finally found the reason as to why she was having vaginal pain. Turns out that through X-ray radiograph that her lumbar spine curve was far from normal and was causing inflammation of the nerves originating out of the low back that go to the vagina.  To her astonishment, she couldn't believe it was her spine this entire time that was causing her pelvic distress.

 

Through Chiropractic Biophysics Analysis, Adjusting methods, Postural Exercises and Spinal Traction, this patient was able to get both her health back and her marriage back to where it deserved to be. The results from this study showed how Chiropractic care had a major benefit in not only decreasing symptoms but enhancing nerve function from the spine to major organs. This also goes to show that Chiropractic BioPhysics technique has high inter-examiner reliability. This means that through the ideal spinal model and using CBP method of analysis, Doctors can successfully achieve the same results with patients if they stick to CBP concepts and methods.

 

So next time you have organ pain and any form musculoskeletal pain, think about your spine health first because that is the origin of most conditions we suffer with today.

 

I want to leave you with one more study that I helped write. This case was done by Dr. David Bak and was handed to me to write up for my senior research project. This case was really fun to write up as it involved increasing athletic performance by addressing human biomechanics utilizing Chiropractic Biophysics technique. The paper was titled Improved Quality of Life and Athletic Performance Following Chiropractic Care Using Chiropractic BioPhysics Protocol.

 

The case involved a 36-year-old male athlete who was previously involved in a motor vehicle accident and presented to the office with low back pain, shoulder pain and neck pain with concurrent headaches.

 

This patient was a big-time cross-fit athlete and lifted some heavy weight before entering the office. His deadlift was approximately 430 pounds, his squat was approximately 400 pounds and his bench press was approximately 370 pounds before care.

 

Before care he had a headache disability score of 62/100 which is severe headaches and had a neck disability index score of 34 which is moderate to severe pain and his back-disability index was 28 which is severe disability.

 

The patient underwent Chiropractic Biophysics corrective care consisting of CBP mirror image traction, mirror image exercises and mirror image postural adjustments. The patient was seen 3x per week for approximately 3 months for a total of 38 visits.

 

Now here is the most amazing part of this case. This alone will drive you to see a CBP doctor even if you don't have pain. The patient was instructed to stop all heavy lifting for 3 months. He was not allowed to step foot inside a gym or lift anything at all.. again for 3 months. He was to dedicate his time to coming into the office 3x a week to work on his biomechanics, muscle strength and ligament rehabilitation. And after 3 months of strict chiropractic biophysics care, this patient increased his strength and performance by 50 pounds on his deadlift, bench press and squat… This was one of the most amazing things I've heard out of CBP care. Because again… this patient didn't lift a single weight but after fixing his posture, fixing his spine, and fixing his biomechanics he was able to gain strength and performance.

 

If that wasn't already amazing enough, his headaches dropped to zero, his neck pain dropped to zero and his shoulder and back pain dropped to zero. Who would have thought that bringing the spine back to their ideal curvatures would decrease pain and increase quality of life? Yet, we have surgeons who want to cut on people and chiropractors who want to quote unquote heal people with their magic hands and energy-based techniques that have no scientific merit. Anyway.. I'll get off my soapbox.

 

I hope I brought some light to some misconceptions regarding traditional chiropractic care and chiropractic biophysics. Again, if you have had a bad experience with chiropractic care, go find a new chiropractor that suits your needs and interests. There are good and bad chiropractors just like there are good and bad medical doctors. If you are looking to take your care and quality of life to another level I will highly recommend seeking out a Chiropractic BioPhysics doctor in your area by going to idealspine.com/directory. You can put in your address and search any CBP doctor all the way within 500 miles of you. You can also search a city and see if there is a CBP doctor near that city or address. If you want my personal recommendation on who to see near you, please reach out to me and I will gladly direct you to a CBP doctor I trust and know personally.

 

 

 

         If you enjoyed today's interview or if you are enjoying the hour-long episodes that I am doing packed with research and new advances in medicine I would be so appreciative if you left a review and rating and even share with your friends and family. I put a ton of time into making these episodes and it would mean a ton to me if you gave me some feedback. If you want to reach out to me personally I would love to help wherever I can! Message me on Instagram @theunleashedhuman and I will personally help you out with anything you have going on whether that is losing weight, better sleep, better headspace, getting stronger in the gym, cleaning up your diet or even to just say hello, I am always here to help out!

 

Lastly, if you haven't already you can literally right now go get my FREE book. It is seriously FREE. F-R-E-E. No shipping, no waiting. It is emailed directly to you. All you have to do is go to www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed to get your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human.

 

Well, that is it from me on this episode. Until then, take care of yourself and always strive to become Unleashed. Talk soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources From The Episode:

 

Paul A. Oakley and Deed E. Harrison. Alleviation of pain and disability in a post-surgical C4–C7 total fusion patient after reducing a lateral head translation (side shift) posture: a CBP®case report with a 14 year follow-up. J Phys Ther Sci Vol. 30(7). https://bit.ly/2MOPRV5  

Curtis Fedorchuk, DC & David Bak, DC. Resolution of Vulvodynia Following Chiropractic Care Using Chiropractic Biophysics & Diversified Techniques: A Case Report. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, Volume 2015.

https://bit.ly/2t5mFQD

 

David Bak, DC and TJ Woodham, DC. Improved Quality of Life and Athletic Performance Following Chiropractic Care Using Chiropractic BioPhysics Protocol. 

http://theunleashedhuman.com/cbpathletics/IQOLandAP.pdf

 

 

 Find A Chiropractic BioPhysics Physician Near You:

https://idealspine.com/directory/

 

 Dr. TJ Woodham:

Grab your FREE copy of The Unleashed Human Book: www.theunleashedhuman.com/unleashed

 

Follow me on:

Instagram: @theunleashedhuman

Facebook: The Unleashed Human

Facebook: TJ Woodham

Twitter: @Unleashed_Human

LinkedIn: TJ Woodham