The Perfect Metabolism Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

When it comes to hormones, women are often the focus, but men (and boys) are facing a serious hormone and health crisis of their own. Since June is Men's Health month, this final episode of Season One focuses on the guys. I cover some shocking statistics, a few historical indications of trouble brewing, and some of the main ways men’s hormones are under siege.  I provide actionable diet, lifestyle and supplement tips that help support men's hormones and health. I also briefly touch on ideological ways men’s health is under attack.

This podcast is general in nature, not medical advice, and for informational purposes only. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how this information applies to you.

Links:

• Organifi Shilajit

Episode Goals Summarized:

• Maintain/Boost Testosterone levels & hormone balance
• Prevent Aromatization of T -> E
• Improve Body Composition (build muscle and lose excess adipose tissue, esp visceral fat)
• Reduce Stress
• Improve Sleep
• Balance blood sugar and avoid high sugar foods
• Reduce Inflammation & Oxidative damage
• Nose breathing to boost Nitric Oxide
• Avoid plastics, and hormone disrupting chemicals
• Support the body’s ability to detoxify daily
• Consider taking key supplements that support testosterone - including zinc, boron, and shilajit (like Organifi Shilajit)

Recommended Books:

• "The Perfect Metabolism Plan," written by Sara Vance. Millions of us have counted calories until we're blue in the face. We've cut fat, eaten less, and exercised more─and we're still heavier than we want to be. Or we lose the weight, only to see it creep back. It's frustrating, discouraging, and unhealthy. In Sara Vance's The Perfect Metabolism Plan, you'll learn that this inability to stay at a healthy weight is not about willpower and it's not your fault! When your metabolism is out of whack, your willpower, hunger hormones, insulin, and cravings all work against you. And you not only can't lose weight, you tend to feel foggy, sluggish, or generally unwell. It’s time to take control. 
• "Male 2.0," written by Dr. Gapin, a board-certified urologist and men's health expert. Male 2.0 provides a holistic approach to the challenges men face in today's environment, including stress, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, and hormonal imbalances. The book advocates for a personalized approach to health that integrates nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management and discusses the importance of hormone optimization, particularly testosterone, and provides insights into natural methods to enhance testosterone levels. "Male 2.0" aims to empower men to take proactive steps towards achieving optimal health, vitality, and longevity through sustainable lifestyle changes and informed decision-making.
• "Drug Muggers", by Dr. Suzy Cohen, Prescription and over-the-counter drugs help millions of people with diseases and chronic conditions. But in the process, these medications can also deplete the body's natural stores of vitamins, minerals, and hormones. Pharmacist Suzy Cohen calls these medications "drug muggers," and she says it's essential to replenish what they steal from your body in order to feel your best and avoid side effects. 
• "The Ultimate MANual," Written by Dr. David Samadi, a renowned urologic oncologist and expert in prostate cancer treatment. A comprehensive guide to men's health, it covers topics such as diet, exercise, mental health, and preventive measures. The book emphasizes the importance of regular screenings for prostate cancer, discusses treatment options, and provides practical advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of disease.
• "Silent Spring" is a groundbreaking book by Rachel Carson published in 1962. It examines the detrimental effects of widespread pesticide use, particularly DDT, on the environment and human health. The book warns of the long-term consequences of pesticide pollution, highlighting how chemicals accumulate in ecosystems, harm wildlife, and pose risks to human health through food contamination and environmental exposure. "Silent Spring" sparked widespread public concern and led to increased awareness about the need for environmental conservation and the regulation of chemical pesticides. It is credited with catalyzing the modern environmental movement and influencing policies aimed at protecting ecosystems and human well-being from harmful chemical substances.

Recommended Films:

• "The Disappearing Male" - a documentary that explores the effects of chemicals found in everyday products on male reproductive health. It delves into how exposure to these chemicals, such as phthalates and bisphenol A, may be contributing to a decline in male fertility and an increase in birth defects and reproductive disorders. The film investigates the potential links between these chemicals and conditions like testicular cancer and male birth defects, and it raises concerns about the impact on future generations.
• "Endocrination" is a documentary that explores the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) on human health and the environment. The film introduces viewers to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which are substances that can interfere with the body's hormonal systems. These chemicals are found in everyday products such as plastics, pesticides, cosmetics, and food packaging.

• "Our Chemical Lives" is a documentary that examines the pervasive presence of synthetic chemicals in daily life, highlighting their potential impacts on human health and the environment. The film discusses how these chemicals, found in products ranging from cosmetics to food packaging, can act as endocrine disruptors and contribute to reproductive disorders, developmental issues, and increased cancer risks. It addresses the environmental consequences of chemical pollution, including bioaccumulation in ecosystems and harm to wildlife.

Supporting Research:

• Low Testosterone Men: 60% More Likely to Die Early
• COLUMN ONE : Sexual Confusion in the Wild : From gators to gulls, scientists say, pollution may be playing havoc with animals’ hormones. Some males try to lay eggs; some females nest together. Certain species may risk extinction.
• Why Are Testosterone Levels Decreasing?
• Transgenerational Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals on Male and Female Reproduction
• You Might Want To Stop Using Your Plastic Chopping Board
• Men experience an abrupt decrease in testosterone levels after sugar intake, study finds

Did you know that you can eat your sunscreen? No, don't eat your sunscreen lotion - eat the foods that boost the SPF of your skin - from the inside out!

On this podcast, find out what foods provide an internal nutritional sunscreen - boosting the skin's tolerance to ultraviolet radiation, providing a modest layer of SPF protection for the skin, and also which help to repair the free radical damage from sun's rays.

References:

• Dietary Lutein/Zeaxanthin Decreases Ultraviolet B-Induced Epidermal Hyperproliferation and Acute Inflammation in Hairless Mice
• How Citrus Juice Can Cause Phytophotodermatitis Sunburn
• Exposure to Chemicals in Sunscreen (provided by Breastcancer.org.)
• Oral Nicotinamide Prevents Common Skin Cancers in High-Risk Patients, Reduces Costs

Products Mentioned:

• Lutein/Zeaxanthin supplement
• Derma-E Vitamin C face oil
• Luxe Beauty Astaxanthin Oil
• BioAstin - Hawaiian Astaxanthin supplement
• Sunfood Brazil Nuts
• Fatty 15 - get 20% off using this link
• EWG Sunscreen Guide

This podcast is general in nature, not medical advice, and for informational purposes only. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how this information applies to you.

You’re eating right, exercising, but can’t seem to get that extra weight around your midsection to budge? It could be your microbiome.

In this episode Sara discusses:

• How gut bacteria affects our metabolism, weight, mood, disease risk
• How a South Park episode educated millions of people about the microbiome
• An interesting tale about what we’ve learned about gut bacteria's affect on weight from a surprising GI infection treatment
• 12 tips for shifting your microbiome to a fat burning, immune boosting & mood lifting one.

Resources mentioned:

• Prime Gut Health from Healthgevity: use code: Sara10
• FitBiomics - Nella probiotics
• Turd Burglars - South Park episode

References:

• Prebiotics vs. Probiotics vs. Postbiotics: What’s The Difference?
• Incretin hormones: Their role in health and disease
• Your body already has a built-in weight loss system that works like Wegovy, Ozempic and Mounjaro – food and your gut microbiome
• New Weight Loss Drugs & Gut Microbiota
• Weight Gain After Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
• Just Months of American Life Change the Microbiome
• Butyrate Suppresses Glucose Metabolism of Colorectal Cancer Cells via GPR109a-AKT Signaling Pathway and Enhances Chemotherapy
• Association of ultra-processed food consumption with colorectal cancer risk among men and women: results from three prospective US cohort studies

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner. Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

#coloncancerawareness #microbiome #weight #GLP-1 

Interested in natural alternatives to GLP-1 agonists for weight loss? Sara is joined by Healthgevity founder Michael Antonelli to discuss supplements that can support your metabolism with similar effects as the popular GLP-1 agonist drugs, but without the negative side effects!

We discuss: Ignite, Prime Gut, Longevity, Brain Boost+

Use code: Sara10 to save 10% on Healthgevity

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner. Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

#NaturesOzempic  #OzempicAlternatives #Supplements 

Dr. Kurt Perkins joins me to discuss The Netflix documentary “You Are What You Eat.” We also talk about the recent study that found Oreos lowered cholesterol better than a statin! He shares his story of how he found his way into Functional Medicine, his experience with the Carnivore diet, and his favorite health documentary.

Dr. Kurt Perkins is the clinic director of Dr. Kurt's Place in Colorado Springs, he uses education, hyperbaric oxygen, chiropractic, and functional medicine to empower his clients to ultimately fire him because they don't need him anymore.  He's an avid self-experimenter and hopes to inspire his clients to "Be The Research." He has been married for 15 years and is the father of 4 boys.

Resources:

• Dr. Kurt Perkins Website
• Sign up for Dr. Kurt’s 3 Point Thursday Newsletter
• You are What You Eat Trailer
• You are What You Eat Study
• Oreo Cookie Treatment Lowers LDL Cholesterol More Than High-Intensity Statin therapy in a Lean Mass Hyper-Responder on a Ketogenic Diet: A Curious Crossover Experiment
• Food Inc.
• Supersize Me

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner. Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

#YouAreWhatYouEat

Should we leave the doctor’s office with a prescription to eat dark chocolate?  A BMJ study found dark chocolate reduced heart attack risk by 37%, and stroke by 29%.  Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and minerals. It has been found to boost brain health, energy, mood, and even all cause mortality. But does dark chocolate have a dark side?

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I am featuring dark chocolate. Learn some of the history of dark chocolate, it’s amazing health benefits, and its potential downsides.

My Valentines gift for you - get my beautiful ebook “I Love Dark Chocolate” for free - this month only! It has 11 delicious and nutritious recipes.

Resources mentioned:

• I Love Dark Chocolate eBook (free - this month only)
• Free Summit: Heavy - Inescapable Toxins Causing our Health Epidemics
• The Perfect Metabolism Plan
• Lead and Cadmium Could Be in Your Dark Chocolate
• A Third of Chocolate Products Are High in Heavy Metals, CR's Tests Find
• Phenol Antioxidant Quantity and Quality in Foods: Cocoa, Dark Chocolate, and Milk Chocolate
• Beneficial Effects of Dark Chocolate for Episodic Memory in Healthy Young Adults: A Parallel-Groups Acute Intervention with a White Chocolate Control
• Regular Consumption of Dark Chocolate Is Associated with Low Serum Concentrations of C-Reactive Protein in a Healthy Italian Population
• Cocoa Flavanol Supplementation Influences Skin Conditions of Photo-Aged Women: A 24-Week Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Trial
• Chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis
• Chocolate Helps with ... Math?
• Chocolate Has Antithrombotic Effects Similar to Aspirin
• Why Daily Chocolate Could Save Your Brain From Decline
• Chocolate consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a US population: a post hoc analysis of the PLCO cancer screening trial

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner.

Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself

#Valentines   #Darkchocolate   #enjoylife   #navitasnaturals  #heavymetals

For Heart Health Month, I am joined by Dr. Stephen Hussey, the author of a ground breaking book called ”Understanding the Heart.” 

His book is a revolutionary way of understanding the heart, and on this episode he shares some very surprising things that we misunderstand about the heart/heart health, unique lifestyle tips support our heart, what is structured water and how does it impact the heart, wrongly demonized foods, and also about his own personal health story and his survival story from a heart attack, and what led up to it. 

I truly encourage you to get his book - we just barely scratched the surface today!! 

About Dr. Stephen Hussey: He has a Doctorate of Chiropractic & Masters in Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine from the University of Western States in Portland, OR. He is the author of two books; “The Health Evolution” and “Understanding The Heart, Surprising Insights into The Evolutionary Origins of Heart Disease and Why It Matters”  

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Stephen Husseys Website
• Understanding the Heart: Surprising Insights into the Evolutionary Origins of Heart Disease―and Why It Matters
• Dr. Stephen Hussey on Instagram
• Stress - Portrait of a Killer (Robert Sapolsky film)
• Grounding Mat & pillowcase

This podcast is general in nature, not medical advice, and for informational purposes only. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how this information applies to you.

Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

Are seed oils toxic? Or is that a conspiracy?

Seed oils are perhaps the most controversial ingredient of the moment.  Just a quick internet search of "seed oils" will give you a wide range of articles that emphatically push both sides of the argument.

In this episode I share some of the (shocking) history of fats and the origins of diet-heart hypothesis, explain what seed oils are, what potential health concerns they might pose, which seed oils are actually healthy, what fats I use, and a super cool new alternative to fish oils that was discovered because of dolphins.

And I forgot to mention the cool trick for using coconut oil for busting sugar cravings:

Just stir a little bit (like 1/2 teaspoon) of virgin coconut oil into a cup of green tea. Let it cool a minute, then sip it down. It can nip a sugar craving in the bud, and give you that burst of energy you’re seeking!!  

Resources mentioned:

• Buy Fatty 15 & Save 20%
• Canola Oil Linked to Worsened Memory and Learning Ability in Alzheimer's Disease, Temple Researchers Report
• Find Restaurants that don’t use seed oils
• A short history of saturated fats
• What if Its All Been a Big Fat Lie? (NYT article)
• Save the Dolphins, Save the World (TED Talk)

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner. Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

Bonus episode: Introducing one of my secret weapons - resistant starch. It is sometimes called “the skinny starch,” because it helps with metabolism, blood sugar, digestion, and many other benefits - including lowering inflammation and even colon cancer risk. It also is shown in studies to boost the production of GLP-1, which is why some people are comparing it to Ozempic. 

And best of all - I love to make yummy raw "skinny" desserts with it.

Subscribe for more episodes on Nature's Ozempic tips - coming in Feb!

Resources mentioned:

• The Skinny Starch eBook
• Prime Gut supplement

Research:

• The importance of GLP-1 and PYY in resistant starch's effect on body fat in mice
• Dietary resistant starch upregulates total GLP-1 and PYY in a sustained day-long manner through fermentation in rodents
• Beneficial Metabolic Effects of a Probiotic via Butyrate-induced GLP-1 Hormone Secretion

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner. Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.

This episode tackles one of the most controversial and misunderstood areas of nutrition…Carbohydrates.

We take a deep dive into the pros and cons of a low carb diet, some common pitfalls, signs your low carb approach could be backfiring, how to know if your body is handling carbs well or not, and carb types and timing.

Resources:

• NutriSense Continuous Glucose Monitor
• The Skinny Starch eBook
• Prime Gut supplement

Articles mentioned:

• http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/health/low-carb-vs-low-fat-diet.html?_r=0
• http://www.livescience.com/48969-heart-disease-diabetes-risks-carbohydrate-saturated-fat.html
• http://www.marksdailyapple.com/does-eating-low-carb-cause-insulin-resistance/
• https://cholesterolcode.com/hyper-responder-faq/
• http://paleoforwomen.com/how-to-eat-for-hypothalamic-amenorrhea/
• http://www.forefronthealth.com/low-carb-thyroid-dangers/
• http://chriskresser.com/is-a-low-carb-diet-ruining-your-health/
• http://legionathletics.com/carb-cycling/

Sara is not a doctor and the information provided in her podcast is general in nature and for informational purposes only. If you have questions about how it applies to your particular health situation, please consult your doctor or practitioner.

Affiliate Disclosure: Links to third party websites and products may be affiliate links, which means that Sara Vance may receive a small referral fee for the sales that she refers. Affiliate programs do not affect the price of the product to you. Sara Vance only recommends the highest quality supplements that she researches extensively and would or does use herself.