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Exposing the Dangers of Blue Light

Five hundred years ago, we lived by the sun’s light and power. At night, we either used minimal lighting that came from fire, candles, etc. But when we retired for the evening, darkness lent itself to a restful sleep environment. Our bodies are genetically adapted to specific light, such as unfiltered daylight. Natural sunlight consists of approximately 1500 wavelengths that include the entire spectrum of colors as red, blue, purple, green, orange, violet and yellow. In fact, different forms of natural color lights can be very therapeutic. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola in his article “Your Body Needs Full Spectrum Light for Health”: “..full spectrum white light increases blood flow and antibody production, and decreases inflammation…and (full spectrum) red light has been successfully used to treat age related macular degeneration, knee osteoarthritis, cold sores, hypothyroidism, cognitive dysfunction following brain injury, cellulite, hair loss, and fibromyalgia.” However, in this day and age, we live in a world where artificial light is predominant. According to Dr. Jack Kruse, a respected neurosurgeon and CEO of Optimized Life, “…the life that they were living 500 years ago isn’t the life that we’re living now. In fact, everything about now is artificial, starting with light…” Unfortunately, our lives are not centered on the exposure to sunlight, as most of us are inside at our workplaces. It is just not a natural instinct anymore for most city dwellers to seek sunlight regularly. We spend our days staring at our computers and addicted to viewing the latest social media post, thus exposing ourselves to an inordinate amount of blue light from those devices. TVs are another source of blue light, but as they are usually viewed farther away, they don’t cause as many problems. During the day, blue light (especially from the sun) helps to improve our mood and keeps us focused. Blue light has also been helpful in the treatment of acne and antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA. According to studies1, blue light therapy devices can help to reduce depressive states. However, being exposed to blue light in the evening can be disastrous as it disturbs our circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm cycle directs our body to sleep, eat, and wake-up, regulating many of our body processes. Known as our “biological clock, it is greatly affected by temperature and sunlight. In addition, the disruption of our circadian rhythm may contribute to chronic insomnia, as well as other chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease and cancer. Exposure to blue light at night from computers, cell phones, and iPads tricks our body into thinking that it is daytime, and imbalances our wake-sleep cycles. It also has the potential to affect the pineal gland that secretes melatonin (a hormone that helps to control wake and sleep cycles), reducing or even shutting down the production. This can greatly affect our quality of sleep. But it goes deeper. Blue light can negatively affect the mitochondria (the powerhouse of the cell, making ATP energy). In fact, you can trace this all the way back to Otto Warburg’s work (a Nobel prize recipient for his theories on cancer) at the turn of the century. He spoke about how light affects the proper functioning of the mitochondria, which affects the energy we produce in the form of ATP energy and, in turn, every cellular function. How does light affect the energy production in our mitochondria? Dr Kruse explains, “….600 million years ago, we had to develop a communication system that was based on light and water to allow the nucleus to talk to the mitochondrial DNA…sunlight can only interact with electrons in a cell. The more electrons you have, the more probable chance for your body to harness the energy of sunlight in order to build complexity… (our) electrons are designed to work with full-spectrum sunlight…When those electrons are excited by sunlight via the photoelectric effects (sunlight)…electrons move across the inner mitochondrial membrane. The faster they move, the faster the ATPase spins, the higher the magnetic field is, the more life you live. Not only that, that life is healthy… About 80% of diseases are linked to mitochondrial energy flux dropping. That’s the reason why obesity, type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, (are) based upon the loss of voltage and decreased spinning…” What about people who live in areas that don’t get a lot of sunlight? Dr. Kruse says, “…DHA (found most commonly in fish oil) plays a big role in the receptors in the eyes. The highest concentration of DHA is located in the central retinal hypothalamic track that connects to the leptin receptor in the hypothalamus. If you have too much blue light; if you’re on the computer all the time, or you’re a trader in Chicago, you have a higher need for DHA because blue light destroys DHA in that track. When you put a laptop on your lap or a cellphone in your pocket, you’re running the clock genes in that area much faster and that creates a mismatch. The key to DHA is you need to know that you need more of it in the eye to run this clock faster. What does DHA fundamentally do? It turns sunlight into a DC electric current. The key is you need the shorter frequency lights to run this clock faster, and DHA is the chemical that does it…” The easiest and most effective way of blocking blue light at night is to wear amber colored glasses. These glasses can improve sleep and support the normal production of melatonin, even when you are exposed to blue light. According to a New York Times article: Can Orange Glasses Help You Sleep Better? By KATE GALBRAITH APRIL 7, 2015 12:01 AM “A Swiss study of 13 teenage boys, published in August in The Journal of Adolescent Health, showed that when the boys donned orange-tinted glasses, also known as blue blockers and shown to prevent melatonin suppression, in the evening for a week, they felt “significantly more sleepy” than when they wore clear glasses. The boys looked at their screens, as teenagers tend to do, for at least a few hours on average before going to bed, and were monitored in the lab.” It is best to choose warm white lights over LED lights with cool white lightening for nighttime. Also, e-books that are not back-lit are a better choice. One popular way is to install a program called Iris your computer, which enables you to customize your screen color temperature and the amount of blue light your eyes receive. Iris hooks to the graphics pipeline and allows you to reduce the blue light on your monitor backlight. That way, you can work at night without the harmful effects of staring at a screen emanating insomnia-inducing blue light. Other ideas for creating a restful environment at night are to get an orange or red reading lamp or use candlelight. You may want to try turning off all the lights a few hours before you retire and make sure you keep your bedroom very dark. All in all, the elimination of blue light in your nighttime environment has the potential to send you off to dream land easily and decrease your chances of developing the above-mentioned chronic diseases over time. Sweet dreams!

Swanwick Blue Light Blocking Glasses

To get a pair of the blue light blocking glasses I use and love, go here. Swanwick blue light blockers improve your sleep and health by filtering out harmful artificial light from digital devices. Wearing these FDA-registered glasses at least an hour before bed allows you to use phones, tablets, computers and e-readers freely without disrupting your sleep, and can also prevent sore eyes, headaches, fatigue and blurred vision associated with digital eye strain.

Iris – Software for Eye Protection

To check out the blue light blocking software I use and love, go here. Iris – Software for eye protection, health and productivity. Iris is software that makes Monitors healthy for the eyes. With Iris you can reduce the Blue Light emitted from your screen for better sleep, reduce the Brightness of your screen without PWM and avoid eye pain.
  1. Strong, R. E., B. K. Marchant, F. W. Reimherr, E. Williams, P. Soni, and R. Mestas. “Narrow-band blue-light treatment of seasonal affective disorder in adults and the influence of additional nonseasonal symptoms.” Depression and anxiety. 2009. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19016463.

Hormone Testing

 
HORMONE TESTING  During coaching, we always look at toxins first. Then we look downstream to the others. My favorite is the 24 hour hormone test, which consists of the estrogen metabolism test. This to me gives the most information to the practitioner for understanding where toxins are causing the disruption. I like to surround this test with a look at the function of the other important glands. The thyroid, adrenals, and the pituitary are a must to evaluate the entire system.
Remember, just adding hormones is often like throwing gasoline on a fire. If we don’t look upstream and address what we find, it will be a neverending battle. Believe me, I know. For years I chased my thyroid, adrenal, hormonal, and pituitary issues to no avail. It wasn’t until I found my mercury problem and started to address it that I started to really get well.
Estradial testing (Serum) – Used as a flag for elevated estrogen only. This does not give the ratio of good to bad estrogen. If this test is elevated or patient history of estrogen dominant health issues, we recommended the estrogen ratio test from Genova Labs. Note: Someone with low estrogen can still have too much bad estrogen, therefore a history must be taken.
Progesterone (Serum) – I prefer women to be on the higher side of progesterone. If patient is on the lower side of the range, supplementation is usually recommended.
Testosterone Free and Total – This test is performed on most of my male patients because testosterone is very important for male cancers and general feeling of well being. I run this test on some females as well depending on their medical history and symptoms. IE: women with acne issues or irregular menstruation cycles. This can indicate PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome). Optimal range for total male testosterone 800-1200. Free testosterone should be above 10.
DHEA – Precursor to testosterone.
 
Standing Aldosterone – This is a great test to assess adrenal function.
Genova Labs Complete Hormones –  This is the most comprehensive urinary hormone metabolism evaluation designed to assist in the prevention and treatment of hormone-related symptoms and conditions. This provides clues about menstrual irregularities, infertility, menopause, fatigue, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. Estrogen Ratio Metabolism Test is included in this profile.
 
The Adrenal Stress Index™ (ASI™) – Was introduced by Diagnos-Techs in 1989 to evaluate stress, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. It is a simple non-invasive test utilizing four saliva samples collected at specified time periods during the day. Since the human adrenal gland does not secrete its steroid hormones at a constant level throughout the day, the Adrenal Stress Index™ (ASI™) provides the clinician with an comprehensive assessment of adrenal function throughout the daily cycle. The ASI panel consists of ten (10) saliva tests: Cortisol (x4),17-OH Progesterone, DHEA/DHEA-S, Insulin (x2), Gliadin Ab, and Secretory IgA.
 
 

Contact our office today to schedule your appointment with Dr. Pompa at (800) 833-2941

Emotional Trauma, Detox, and EMDR Therapy

Recently we had a chance to speak with special guest Suzanne Rucker1, a licensed mental health therapist in the state of Florida. Suzanne is also a certified EMDR therapist and trauma expert.  She spent some time with us, talking about EMDR therapy, its amazing potential in treating emotional trauma, and how it ties into our philosophy on cellular healing and detox.  You can watch our interview with Suzanne here and learn more about EMDR therapy and her 5 R's:

What is EMDR Therapy?

According to the EMDR Institute™2, “EMDR, short for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.” This applies to acute trauma, such as what soldiers and rape victims’ experience, and for what might be called lesser distressing memories, including emotional distress accumulated during childhood. EMDR therapy combines behavioral therapy (focusing on the trauma) with specialized, bilateral (meaning back and forth) eye movement to target the trauma and help to release it. Another common treament is tapping for anxiety which is a different treatment than EMDR even though tapping is sometimes used with EMDR.

Why is EMDR Therapy Important to Emotional Well-Being?

We know that fear, anger, and in fact all emotions, generate a physiological response in the body. Our emotional well-being is clearly tied into our physical well-being, as Dr. Bruce Lipton discussed in a past CHTV episode. These two things are not separate. Anyone who has experienced a panic attack can attest to how their fears, overblown, trigger adrenaline release into the bloodstream, causing the symptoms of the panic attack when the adrenaline isn’t expended upon a legitimate fight or flight situation.

Suzanne explains, “Because a panic attack is coming from a different part of the brain. The thinking comes from the prefrontal cortex, but trauma comes into the midbrain, in the limbic area, the amygdala, the hippocampus. And that area of the brain, that midbrain or limbic system, is always going to win the battle between the midbrain and the prefrontal cortex. So the prefrontal cortex is saying you’re okay. You’re safe. But that midbrain or the limbic system is what keeps us alive.” Think of the limbic system as the emotional and instinctive part of the brain, responsible for recognizing dangerous situations and triggering a fast response. The limbic system has the ability to override more rational thought in favor of priming our bodies for quick reflexes in life or death situations. Suzanne further explains, “…that limbic system overrides the prefrontal cortex, which is the rational and logical thinking part of the brain, to keep us alive.” The problem comes when acute trauma or accumulated distressing experiences interfere with proper danger evaluation. The limbic system is triggered from non-dangerous situations (memories, similar situations to the traumatic memories, etc), and we experience anxiety, fear, flashbacks, panic attacks, and so forth.

The physiological effects of improper danger evaluation don’t stop at panic attacks. We see other physical symptoms, including:

Suzanne points out, “So you can see what this does to the body. It wreaks havoc on the entire system. There’s not a system in the body that is not reached by trauma.” As I’ve noted many times, the body reacts the same, whether it’s physical, chemical, or emotional stress.

EMDR therapists maintain that emotional trauma, big and small, build up in the memory sections of the brain, causing anxiety and stress problems that can last for decades, if not lifelong if not treated properly. The bilateral eye movement that EMDR utilizes has a demonstrated potential3 to help release the fear and anxiety from traumatic memories by combining psychological with physiological therapies. Results have been remarkable, both for its effectiveness, and the speed with which patients seem to respond.

The EMDR Institute™ goes on to say, “EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.”

Suzanne’s 5R’s of Emotional Detox

Similar to our own 5R’s of PompaCore Cellular Detox and Healing™, Suzanne was kind enough to share her own 5R’s of Emotional Detox. We love how well these steps tie in to our cellular healing philosophy.

R1: Remove the trauma lodged in the brain and the body. This is done through bilateral stimulation with a certified EMDR therapist.

R2: Regenerate new thinking. You work to shift your thinking from the limbic thought of, “I’m not safe,” to the more rational, prefrontal cortex thought of, “I survived that. I’m a survivor.”

R3: Restore the body to health. This involves opening up those emotional pathways, and shedding the “emotional toxins.” This step can include physical activity, like walking or yoga, and diet, lifestyle and PompaCore Cellular Detox™ strategies.

R4: Reduce negative emotions. At this step you and your therapist work to reduce the stressors that trigger the anxiety and panic attacks in the first place. Using the bilateral movement in EMDR therapy helps to remove the negative feelings from traumatic experiences. You don’t forget the experiences, but the anxiety that they trigger is effectively reduced, sometimes completely eliminated.

R5: Reestablish homeostasis in the body and brain. Suzanne describes, “And so that is the outcome, homeostasis, for the brain. We’ve got new thinking. We’ve got new emotions, and now we have a body that’s calm and relaxed.”

Emotional Detox and PompaCore Cellular Detox and Healing™

How does this therapy tie in with PompaCore Cellular Detox and Healing™? Think of psychological stress and trauma as another toxifying agent needing to be addressed. Emotional trauma affects not just the brain but the entire body. And so often, when dealing with clients, if someone’s not progressing the way we’d expect by removing chemical interference or chemical/physical stressors, we look to the emotional stressors present. Remember that trauma doesn’t have to be acute, or large to make an impact. Smaller disturbing events can still block the mind from true healing. Addressing emotional trauma is a key factor to consider as part of cellular healing.

Suzanne stresses that to tell a person suffering from psychological trauma, large or little, to simply develop a better outlook on life as part of healing the body is ineffective and unhelpful. Like we talk about removing the source (R1) when it comes to cellular healing, emotional trauma needs to be detoxed from the brain and body properly so that anxiety and latent fears are cleared from mental pathways, paving the way for true healing to begin. EMDR therapy seems to hold much promise in helping to achieve emotional detox and it’s another great tool to put in your cellular healing toolbox.

  1. Suzanne Rucker
  2. EMDR Institute™ – What is EMDR?
  3. EMDR Institute™ – Randomized Studies of Hypotheses Regarding Eye Movements

Fasting and Exercise: What are the Benefits?

Fasting and Exercise

Intermittent fasting has been the greatest health discovery for me in my “old age.” When I hit my mid 40’s it became more difficult for me to stay lean. Admittedly, I am a bit fanatical (as my wife says) about staying as lean as I was in my 20’s. Intermittent fasting has become the magic bullet. What about fasting and exercise? Not only did I desire to keep my abs, but my brain, skin, and athletic performance were also just as important to me. I am healthier now more than ever, and those who know me would agree. A big part of my success is due in part to combining fasting and exercise through the practices of burst training in a fasted stated.

A Powerful 1-2 Punch

The ancient healing modality known as fasting means abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink for a specified time period, typically for 16-18 hours. I’m a huge believer in the power of fasting as a way to decrease cellular inflammation and ignite healing within the body. Fasting is not a magic quick-fix cure but it merely allows the body’s innate healing mechanisms to be triggered by removing the obstacles to healing.

By letting the body exclusively focus on the healing itself, restoration is accelerated. This remains one of the simplest yet most profound ways to improve health at the most basic cellular level. Fasting and exercise combined can increase growth hormone production and bring this healing to a new level. 

Fasting and Exercise, What are the Benefits?

Although many health practitioners today are hesitant to recommend fasting and exercise, I believe both can be incorporated together. I have read studies on the combination of burst training and fasting, which demonstrate how combining the techniques raises growth hormone and makes you more hormone sensitive, which is the key to staying young and lean. 

In one study which studied fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women, who participated in burst training three times per week for 15 weeks saw “significant reductions in total body fat, subcutaneous leg and trunk fat, and insulin resistance.”1

Another study found that exercise and daily intermittent fasting also spikes human growth hormone (HGH) levels. This prompted strong anti-aging effects by literally slowing the rate at which our cells age. 2

Fasting also dramatically increases energy levels since the body isn’t burdened by digesting food all day. Without the burden of digesting, the gut is able to rest, helping with conditions like IBS, leaky gut and other severe inflammation driven conditions like Crohn’s and colitis.

Fasting and Exercise: It's In Our Ancestry

The first time I saw intermittent fasting and exercise in action was in Africa visiting tribes. The men were gone at 4:30 in the morning. They were out hunting and didn’t take any food along with them. They just woke up and went. They barely even drank water, but they were out all day. They eventually came back at 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and that’s when they ate. The whole tribe ate in that three-hour window and it was remarkable. I was like “How did they do this? How did they exercise all day without food?“  They were efficient fat burners, and this tribe virtually had no disease to speak of.

The truth is, more and more studies show that humans do better with a smaller meal or no meal in the morning. In fact, if you eat dinner and fast through the night until lunch (skipping breakfast), growth hormone is increased and hormone function is improved. 

Think about it: we are the only country in the world that promotes eating a big breakfast.  The first time I went to Europe I was shocked at the meager snack they call breakfast. If you do a history search, you will find the Greeks and Romans didn’t eat a morning meal, and most would barely eat during the day yet feast at dinner.

Adaptation Period

It should be noted that there are people (due to their hormonal inability to burn fat) who burn muscle instead of fat for energy to sleep.  When they eat breakfast, it stops the muscle loss occurring from the body using muscle as an energy source. That’s another topic for a different day, but those people can eventually fix their hormones to burn fat for energy and enjoy the benefits of fasting for 16-18 hours at a time.

Fasting may not be for everyone, but I have learned it just takes some people more time, due to challenges at the cellular level, in breaking through and shifting their hormones into the ‘fat burning zone'.  Oftentimes, the very practice of skipping breakfast and not eating until lunch (daily intermittent fasting) causes a breakthrough in weight-loss resistance. Combining this fasting and exercise together will facilitate the process even further. 

The 180 Degree Concept

Yes, I know you we are told to eat before a workout and within 30 minutes afterwards, but what if the opposite is true?  What if NOT eating before and after exercise has a greater impact on health? I believe the studies support this 180° concept, which means to do the opposite of what mainstream society suggests.  I can tell you from personal experience that it does indeed work better. Ironically, I was once one of those people telling others to eat 30 minutes after a workout. It’s what I was told as a kid in my former weightlifting days. The idea makes sense on the surface until you learn how the body adapts to stress and recovers.

Combine your fasting and exercise and get real results! Simply put, pick a high intensity, burst training type of exercise.  It can be anything from sprints, steps, weights (especially with large muscle groups), skiing, etc. The goal is to get your heart rate to the point of not being able to talk well because you are breathing so hard. Eat dinner the night before, skip breakfast, and do your workout.  Wait until lunch or later to eat.

The idea with intermittent fasting and exercise is to go 16-18 hours between dinner and a light low-carb lunch consisting of mostly good fat and protein the next day.  The key is to enjoy a very big dinner and eat until full. This lets the body know it’s not in starvation mode, and it can burn fat for energy instead of holding onto the calories consumed from food.

The body learns more food will be coming in due time.

Patience is Key

It will take some time to get to the state of not becoming famished while fasting for 16 hours, especially when combining fasting and exercise. However, the more you train your body to burn fat to replace energy stores (glycogen), the longer you can go as an efficient fat burner and not become hungry. Studies show even waiting 2-3 hours after a workout before eating promotes a rise in growth hormone, which helps to make you a fat burner and replace the used energy (sugar). It’s all survival and energy conservation.

Adaptation to the stress created from a high-intensity workout is the reason a hormone shift occurs. We are simply taking advantage of the body’s innate response to survival. It’s all about hormone manipulation.

I can talk about this with confidence because I’m living it. I don’t eat breakfast and intermittent fast every day. Recently, I went on a three-hour fast bike ride, while fasting 18 hours. By the time I got home, I hadn’t eaten one bite of food, and I didn’t crash. Meanwhile, everyone on the ride was eating, and I was the only one not eating. To their surprise, I never bonked. I had plenty of energy, even after 20 hours without food. I can do this because I’m fat adapted.

Fasting and Exercise are Becoming More Popular Among Endurance Athletes

Zach Bitter is an ultra-endurance athlete who has competed in over 40 ultramarathon competitions. He also set an American record of running 100 miles in 11 hours, 40 minutes, and 55 seconds.

During a recent interview with me he talked about using body fat for fuel:

“What I’ll do is I try to eat as little as possible without sacrificing performance. The reason for that is because I see eating as an extra variable. It’s another task I’m giving my body. If I can get away without eating something, then I want to do that because it’s going to require less blood diverted to my stomach for digestion, which is another reason why I really don’t eat a whole lot of fat while I’m doing these events, either.

“Even at your leanest state, the leanest athletes have enough body fat to get them through a long event like that, especially when you put into consideration whatever glycogen stores they had and anything they’re eating along the way. They’ve got plenty of body fat. The fuel tank is much larger than your glycogen reserves.”

Watch his amazing interview here:

What to Eat and When?

It’s understandable if a person is skeptical about not eating before exercise. But here’s another perspective to consider: eating before a workout, or simply divulging in protein shakes can spike your sugar and insulin.  It’s similar to eating lunch and going back to work. How many people have felt sluggish and sleepy after eating lunch? The results can be jarring—no hormonal response, no stamina for your workout, and no energy.

It’s also important to look at it from a long-term perspective: we are told to consume a lot of carbs such as energy gels, protein shakes and other energy boosting foods to maintain our energy levels. Unfortunately, athletes who consumed high amounts of carbohydrates increase the risk of developing autoimmune degenerative diseases, inflammatory conditions and other ailments when they hit their 50’s and 60’s.

Even though they stayed fit, they eventually realize that it wasn’t healthy. You can burn all that sugar, but it can have a negative effect on your mitochondria. In other words, burning all that sugar can cause a ton of oxidative stress which causes a lot of injury to your DNA.

Another point is to use natural electrolytes, specifically whole sea salt. This, as opposed to a Gatorade sports drink, is pivotal in the post-workout phase. The “cold” body factor that comes with exercise, and most specifically in fasting, is often eliminated by salt.

Fasting is Simply Another Tool to Keep in Your Toolbox of Health Strategies.

The beauty of fasting lies in its simplicity and its amazing way of decreasing cellular inflammation. I’ve had much personal and clinical success with the technique, but it doesn’t mean it’s the perfect solution for you. All you can do is give it a try, keep an open mind, and stay in tune with your body. If you’d like to experiment, you can begin the transition from sugar burner to fat burner by putting yourself into ketosis. Once in ketosis, your body is burning your own fat for fuel so you can go for longer periods without food, i.e. intermittent fasting, and not get that dreaded “hangry” feeling.

Add exercise and burst training to the mix and you’re that much closer to achieving the good health you desire. Try fasting and exercise combined. Your body will thank you!

 

References:

  1. Trapp EGChisholm DJ, and Freund J, et al. 2008. The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International Journal of Obesity. Apr;32(4):684-91. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803781. Epub 2008 Jan 15.
  2. K Y Ho, J D Veldhuis & M L Johnson et al. Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man.  . 1988 Apr; 81(4): 968–975. doi:  10.1172/JCI113450

 

Fermented Foods for a Healthy Gut

Gettin’ Funky in the Kitchen

I had the pleasure of hosting a podcast with Sarica Cernohous, where we talked about the power of fermented foods to improve health. With the help of fermented foods, we are able to introduce unique bacteria to diversify our microbiome. Poor diet and stressful lifestyles are wreaking havoc on many people's guts, causing ailments such as leaky gut and irritable bowel syndrome. By better understanding how the gut functions, though, we can support its healing. One of the easiest ways to do this is by strategically consuming fermented foods.

The Gut Microbiome

The gut, aka microbiome, is made up of a complex ecosystem of bacteria. The organisms living in our bodies play a major role in virtually everything we do, from gene expression to immune system function. When our microbiome is imbalanced disease and illness can start to settle in. The importance of our gut health cannot be stressed enough. The bacteria in our gut help us better extract nutrients from the foods that we eat, produce hormones for body regulation, and even maintain mental health. Much of our immune system also relies on our gut health. When either is compromised, inflammation sets into the body, causing a whole host of health problems. The difficulty in maintaining a healthy gut for many is that it encompasses so much more than just the foods that you eat. Disrupted guts don’t happen overnight. A stressful job, a sedentary lifestyle, medication, and even living in enclosed spaces can disrupt gut health. The gut relies on a constant intake of bacteria from virtually everything around us. So when we interfere with this healthy intake of bacteria, by way of antibiotics or hyper-sanitization, our guts begin to falter.

How Fermented Foods Can Help

Though a healthy microbiome encompasses a total wellness approach, diet plays a major role. Fermented foods provide a way to introduce new organisms and cultures into your digestive system. Originally, fermentation was a preservation technique that helped humans survive through scarcity of food. In fact, fermentation is a part of the evolution of our bodies. The process of fermentation changes the vitamin and mineral structure of the original food. The bacteria that lives in fermented foods serves as a protective factor in the intestines. The microflora lines the intestinal wall in order to safeguard against pathogens that may enter the body. In fact, sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) plays an important role in the story of Captain Cook and his seamen. During a time when entire ships of men were dying due to scurvy, his men miraculously survived the illness. After closer inspection, it was realized that sauerkraut was regularly consumed by Captain Cook’s men. The bacteria in the fermented cabbage, it is said, is what saved them from this dark fate. To make your own kraut, check out the recipe at the end of the article. Consuming fermented foods brings in a host of healthy, protective bacteria that can virtually set the entire health of your body. Though fermented foods are certainly powerful, they work best when combined with healthy pre-digestion methods. Soaking legumes and ancient grains (if you choose to eat them), for example, is an excellent way to break down tough-to-digest proteins that would otherwise impede digestion. A low-stress lifestyle, plenty of water, a fiber-rich diet, and fermented foods can all help support the health of the microbiome.

How to Use Fermented Foods to Fix the Gut

The public hype over fermented foods has led to a “more is better” mentality. As a result, probiotics are sold in supplement form and consumed like candy. Though this is a tempting habit to begin, it is not necessary nor ideal. Raw, fermented foods are ideal for obtaining the healthy bacteria that your body requires. The raw nature of fermented foods provides living bacteria in appropriate doses. The way in which we consume fermented foods is perhaps the most important aspect of all. For optimal health, I generally recommend incorporating fermented foods alongside periods of fasting and with a varied diet.

Fasting

I always recommend fasting as a way to allow the body to heal a multitude of ailments, particularly gut issues. Periods of fasting throughout the day (intermittent), or for blocks of time, force our bodies to turn to our fat stores for energy instead of the carbs that we consume. Fasting can be done in a number of ways, for example: Intermittent Fasting (IF) is perhaps the most popular fasting method today. There are several methods of IF, for example:
  • 16/8 Method: 16 hours of fasting and an 8-hour period of eating
  • My 5-1-1 Rule: eat a ketogenic/low-carb diet 5 days a week, 1 day of fasting to support detoxification (24 hours or more, dinner to dinner), and 1 day of either “carb loading” or “protein loading”
  • 5:2 Diet: fast for two 24 hour periods a week and eat a normal, healthy diet the rest of the days of the week (the two days need to be consecutive)
A fasting regimen such as this allows our bodies to break into the fat stores that we have in our bodies. It builds leaner muscles and conditions the body to use energy more efficiently.

Diet Variation

The key I’ve found to fixing the gut is to use ancient healing strategies, within my multi therapeutic approach. We must do this by adjusting our diets based on our bodily needs during each particular point in our lives. The best way to do this is to imitate our ancestors. For example,some periods of time they had more access to animal fats and proteins (i.e. the cold season), while during other periods they had to rely on fruits and vegetables (i.e. summer). This was an involuntary lifestyle on their parts but served them well by naturally boosting their gut health and immune system. What is particularly crucial here is incorporating a wide variety of fermented foods into your diet on a regular basis. Just a tablespoon or two a day of a raw fermented food, such as kefir or sauerkraut, will line your gut with bacteria that will help your entire body communicate more efficiently. By incorporating different fermented foods into a healthy, varied diet you are not only supporting digestion but also almost every other aspect of your health. Your microbiome is a foundational part of your overall well-being. The more that we understand about gut health, the better we can help our bodies heal themselves of illness.

Jarred Sauerkraut by Sarica Cernohous, L.Ac.

Ingredients:
  • 2 medium heads of cabbage, one pureed or pulverized, the other shredded
  • 1 English cucumber, shredded
  • 3 spring onions, pureed or pulverized
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, pureed or pulverized
  • 8-9 small carrots (approximately 1.5 cups), shredded
  • 2 cups spinach, pureed or pulverized
  • 4-5 tablespoons sea salt
  • 2 Quart-sized Mason Jars, or 1 half-gallon Mason Jar
Directions:
  1. Using the blade attachment on a food processor, pulverize chunks of cabbage (or shred the cabbage, then pound it with a meat cleaver in a sturdy, flat-yet-bowled-dish, allowing the juices within the cabbage to be released).
  2. Once complete, pour out into a large, non-plastic bowl, then pulverize the onions, pepper and spinach, and scoop this mixture onto the pulverized cabbage.
  3. Attach the shredding component to the processor. Shred the other head of cabbage, cucumber and carrots (or shred manually). Pour mixture onto the pulverized mixture, sprinkle with Celtic sea salt and mix well.
  4. Allow all ingredients to sit a few minutes, for the salt to release the juices from the vegetables. When you see pools of liquid in the mixture, carefully transfer into clean glass jars, compressing the mixture, making sure all the vegetables are covered by their juices by at least an inch. Allow at least another inch of space at the top for the mixture to rise a little during the fermentation process.
  5. Place in a dark, cool cupboard and do not disturb for at least three days (a week if putting everything into one, big, half-gallon jar), during which the lacto-fermentation process will be underway.
  6. When complete, remove from the cupboard for storage in the refrigerator. Be careful when removing the lid–carbonation from the fermentation process may very likely give rise to juices spilling over the top.
  7. Enjoy! Plan to consume in its entirety within two weeks, so that the healthy bacteria remains strong.
  8. Makes approximately 1/2 gallon.
 

The Seven Amazing Benefits of Fasting For Improving Our Health

The Seven Amazing Benefits of Fasting

When it comes to improving our health, one of the best (and least understood) ways is with fasting. There are many benefits of fasting, and we will go over 7 of my favorite in this piece. Intermittent fasting is simply skipping meals for an average of fourteen to thirty hours at a time. Fasting is frowned on by many health practitioners who believe eating five or six meals per day is best. However, it is a simple, yet effective way to improve health at the cellular level. It’s also important to remember that fasting has been used by practically every society since the beginning of time. Our early ancestors understood the benefits of fasting, as a survival mechanism. 

Warren and I discussed the 7 Amazing Health Benefits to Fasting

The benefits of fasting are amazing! When you’re intermittent fasting, your body’s using fat for energy. Personally, I intermittent fast daily for 16-18 hours after dinner. I don’t eat through the night (obviously), and I don’t eat breakfast. I eat a very small meal, fat and protein, typically around 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and then I eat a very big dinner. At the end of the day, my caloric restriction is much less, but I don’t starve myself or go to bed hungry.

Here are seven amazing benefits of fasting that take place in the body during a fast:

 

#1. Autophagy

Autophagy (or “self-eating”) is the process by which the body naturally removes cellular debris. This is one of the incredible benefits of fasting and a built in survival mechanism!

Autophagy means the body will always eat the bad cells and tissues for energy before using the good ones. Bad cells are not able to adapt to using fat for energy, so they begin to die off and become food for the body. This is one of the most important benefits of fasting, because it’s these bad cells that could lead to a variety of health ailments in the body, including the following:
  • Increased inflammation
  • Food allergies
  • Autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac disease, etc.)
  • Cancer
  • Etc.
Many studies indicate fasting can turn down an overactive immune system responsible for these conditions. Fasting has also been shown to regenerate pancreatic cells, and in animal models can even reverse diabetes.1

#2 Stem Cells:

Stem cells are unspecialized cells that give rise to differentiated cells.

They are often called “master cells” because they can grow into any of the body’s 200 types of cells. One of the benefits of fasting relating to stem cells, is there is a rise in stem cells during and after a fast. This helps to explain the miraculous healing that occurs with fasting. According to a recent study by Italian researcher Valter Long, prolonged fasting breaks down a significant portion of white blood cells. During each cycle of fasting, this depletion of white blood cells induces changes that trigger stem cell-based regeneration of new immune system cells. In many instances, older cells that were used by the body were the over-reactive cells that would lead to hyper-immunity and other health issues as described in the previous section. Thanks to the regeneration of newer, younger cells in the body, a better functioning immune system is possible. One of the amazing experiences during a fast is the random pains in areas of past injuries or areas that simply need healing. The pain or discomfort felt is most often due to the autophagy stem cell reaction going on in that area of the body. Some would call this re-tracing, where the body goes back to old symptoms or injuries as part of the healing process. Science could never explain this phenomenon that was described by so many during fasting or detox but I believe the new science and studies will soon give us the answer. People pay a lot of money for stem cell injections today for incredible regeneration of joints and to anti-age, and many times it is needed. Fortunately, the best news of all is the body will make them for free during a fast.

#3 Ketones:

Ketones are produced from the burning of fat cells for energy.

They help to downregulate cellular inflammation, heal the gut as well as heal the brain. Ketones can also turn off bad genes and turn on good ones that help us live longer, healthier lives. When you do an extended fast, your body will use the ketones because it has to in order to live. After approximately three days of fasting, the body adapts to using these ketones, increasing their numbers dramatically. As a result, your body’s forced to use them to obtain their health benefits. Here are a few amazing benefits of using ketones:
  • Mood stabilization
  • Hormone regulation
  • Increased HDL (“good”) cholesterol
  • Slowed aging
  • Blood sugar regulation
  • Memory and Cognitive Improvement (the brain loves them)
  • Turn off bad genes and turns good ones on
Ketones are the byproduct of fat metabolism (fat burning), and when we see a blood ketone level of .5-10 you are now in what is known as nutritional ketosis. Please note: Nutritional ketosis should not be confused with “diabetic ketosis” where ketones level will soar to levels above 50. Nutritional ketosis occurs when carbohydrates are limited to below 50 grams per day. This will force the cells to use fat as a primary energy source. The cells can only use sugar (carbs) or fat for energy, so when carbs are severely restricted during fasting, it will shift over to using fat and therefore, produce ketones.

#4 Energy Diversion

One of the most important (and overlooked) aspects of fasting is energy diversion.

Energy deviation is really the description of what happens during our fast. Many of us have no idea how much energy it takes to metabolize food. You may think, “okay, I’m eating it, and obviously, there’s some energy output eating it.” That’s true, but then it’s digesting it, which takes massive energy. Then it’s assimilating it, which is actually the greatest amount of energy. Next, we have what happens at the cell. The body takes that energy and drives all of these processes from glycolysis to the Krebs cycle; massive ATP use, massive energy. The more energy you burn or use, the more pollution you create. Therefore, we’re demanding the body to downregulate that inflammation and oxidative stress. We’re demanding the body’s massive energy output to digest and assimilate food. Here’s the point: when we stop eating, the body goes “wait a minute: What am I going to do with all this energy?” It’s like when you’re on vacation: you have nothing specific planned and wonder what you’re going to do with all that extra time and energy. Guess what the body does? It doesn’t sit back on the beach and drink a margarita. Instead, it says “I’m going to put that energy to healing.” It’s energy deviation, so it shifts the energy used when eating to healing the body. I have a saying that I often tell my clients: “Don’t eat less; eat less often.” When we looked at the studies, we thought, oh, eating less is the key to living longer. Technically, it is but the key is to eat less by eating less often. By not eating throughout the day, your body uses that energy for better processes of healing. It’s simply diverting that energy to repair the body.

#5 Hormone Optimization:

Even during a short fast there’s a rapid increase in growth hormone.

Optimizing hormones is not about gaining more hormones, but about becoming more hormone-sensitive. Hormones like testosterone (or any that affect healing) are dramatically amped up during a fast. Over time, our cells become more sensitive to our hormones, even insulin. For example, during a fast, hormone sensitivity increases, while glucose and insulin stabilizes. There’s also a drop in thyroid hormone that takes place, but the body becomes more sensitive to it when it needs it. Fasting cleanses the body and allows it to listen to those hormones more effectively.

#6 Resets Microbiome (Gut Bacteria):

Fasting fixes the gut barrier.

Environmental changes and stressors have been shown to change the microbiome, which in turn can have a dramatic effect on gut healing. Fasting is especially restorative for a leaky gut, which is described as when the intestine wall exhibits excessive permeability. Fasting provides a break from digesting food, allowing the body time to “heal and seal” the gut lining. I’ve observed fasts heal serious gut conditions time and time again. This is one of the critical benefits of fasting because over 80% of your immune lies in the gut, and the microbiome influences our genetic expression. Fasting starves out bad bacteria, and refeeding with fermented foods helps to repopulate the gut with beneficial bacteria.

#7 Resets DNA (Gene Code)

The last of seven benefits of fasting pertains to our DNA.

Recently, several studies have come out saying something I have instinctively known for years: people didn’t get sick from their bad genes, but from bad lifestyles and living in a toxic world. One of the things I learned from this research is that you can have the best protocol, diet, and intentions, but if a bad gene of susceptibility is turned on and expressing an unhealthy condition, it must be turned off for true healing and a lasting change. Today, when we hear the term “it runs in my family,” that normally means genetics. This is where genes are passed from the parents to their children, generation to generation. This leads people to believe that sickness is transferred down through the generations as well. Thankfully, this is NOT true. Thanks to epigenetics, we have discovered that we are now able to free ourselves from the very diseases that may have plagued our families for generations. For example, our mind interprets the world we live in, and if we are experiencing stress or chronic anxiety, the brain secretes these harmful chemicals, and our cells will adjust accordingly.

benefits of fasting

Stress Affects our Genetics

These thoughts and feelings are not affected by genetics, but our environment and how we react to it. When the mind experiences feelings like stress and fear, it protects itself by releasing chemicals that get you ready for fight or flight. Fight or flight means I’m going to use my arms and legs. I’ve got to run away or I’ve got to fight. What do the hormones and chemicals of fear do? They shut down all the mechanisms of the body that don’t have anything to do with protection to allocate all the energy of the body for protection. Even though the body is in a constant state of stress and energy is being diverted to the perceived danger, it still must replace billions of cells every day. These billions of new cells are invariably weaker than the cells they are replacing, thus lowering the body’s immune system and increasing the susceptibility to illness and disease. By incorporating fasting into our lives, along with learning to eliminate environmental stressors from our lives, we are one step closer to good health.  Personally, I intermittent fast every day and recommend my clients do so as well. Give fasting a try. Your body will thank you!   References: 1.Fasting-Mimicking Diet Promotes Ngn3-Driven β-Cell Regeneration to Reverse Diabetes. https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(17)30130-7 2.Prolonged fasting reduces IGF-1/PKA to promote hematopoietic-stem-cell-based regeneration and reverse immunosuppression. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24905167