Weight Loss Through "Biohacking"
Diets Don't Work. Fad diets do not address the CAUSE of the excess pounds, nor are they sustainable.
To fix any problem, one must address and correct the CAUSE to achieve lasting results.
I feel there are several CAUSES for most people putting on excess weight:
A screwed-up microbiome (leaky gut syndrome)
Not limiting the eating window (not having time-restricted feeding)
Intake of far too many calories, especially in the form of sugars
Very sedentary lifestyle
Lack of essential nutrients to feel full and keep the mitochondria burning calories
There are ways to address and FIX the above issues and not only will the pounds melt off, but your overall health will improve! The "AgeStrong" way is to be HEALTHY and active for nearly all of our long lifespans; live long, healthy, and die at an old age.
Fixing your gut is one of the most important things you can do and it will pay off for years to come.
So, what is a leaky gut? Dr. Steven Gundry MD is a world-famous heart surgeon who has become a leading expert on health and longevity. He is a leading proponent of the "leaky gut" theory of disease, which I also ascribe to. Here's Dr. Gundry explaining it:
Here is what LEAKY GUT looks like:
This picture is from a recent research paper titled, "All disease begins in the (leaky) gut". Wow. CLICK HERE
Notice on the left side with a healthy gut it says Mucosal Tolerance, Homeostasis, and Anergy. All is right in the gut.. When things break down, you get inflammation, and then it becomes a "Vicious circle", leading to Apoptosis (cell death), Tissue damage, Chronic inflammation, and allergy.
This leaky gut issue is NO JOKE, and Dr. Gundry (and I) believe, and science is now proving, that this condition may be the cause of virtually all diseases, from autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, arthritic problems, of course, digestive problems, and even the dreaded Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and senile dementia.
We DON'T want to have a leaky gut!
Here is a link to Dr. Gundry's podcast...SO MUCH GOOD INFORMATION! Virtually all the recommendations on this page are covered on one or more of his podcasts. It's also available on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and other sites. Check it out: CLICK HERE
Here is a pdf from Dr. Gundry's new book Gut Check which has a list of good and bad things for your gut: CLICK HERE
Netflix has a recent program that covers a lot of what we're talking about. It's called, "Hack Your Health. Secrets of Your Gut". I HIGHLY recommend watching it. Here is a link to their website: CLICK HERE
Your microbiome is probably out-of-synch, causing you to be hungry and have cravings for bad stuff.
Here's part of the solution to get your gut bacteria repopulated with the "good guys". A terrific company, Pendulum, has a new product, proven to help, GLP-1. Order that below, it WORKS.
So to help YOU lose weight and KEEP it off, in part by getting your gut healthier, and otherwise eating good stuff and avoiding some harmful foods, here's what I recommend to do (pick and choose how to start and add in more as you get in the swing of things):
1. Take Pendulum's GLP-1 Probiotic daily (here's a recent podcast on this product by Dr. Gundry CLICK HERE) from Fullscript: How to order from Fullscript: CLICK HERE Here's the order page: CLICK HERE
2. Take Berberine CLICK HERE to order from Amazon
3. Take MCT oil and powder...several times a day is best. Causes you to burn fat. You can get MCT oil from Costco or HERE from Amazon, and this is the MCT powder I put in my coffee daily...keeps me in my fasting state: CLICK HERE
4. Take SEVERAL servings of Olive Oil a day. Get the Kirkland brand Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Toscano at Costco.
5. Take SEVERAL servings of Aged Balsamic Vinegar a day. We take Gundry's favorite, Napa Valley Naturals, but you can take pretty much any balsamic vinegar...just be SURE it doesn't have added sugar.
6. Eat pre-biotic soluble fiber. One good source is Sauerkraut from Trader Joe's and elsewhere. Inulin is another great soluble fiber; it feeds your gut bacteria, and you can order it from Amazon to get what we take. It's the best cost per ounce and will make a difference: CLICK HERE
7. Take plenty of polyphenol-rich vegetables. These are pre-biotics that feed your gut bacteria that signal your mitochondria to WASTE calories. Brightly-colored vegetables, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, green and black tea, coffee (believe it or not one of the highest sources of polyphenols. I add MCT powder to mine every day...tastes great and burns fat), artichoke, chicory, red onions, spinach, arugula, red wine, dark chocolate, carrots, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, chestnuts, broccoli...you can look up a list. Eat some of these daily.
8. Practice Time-Restricted Eating (Intermittent Fasting). This is the MOST important behavior I can recommend for pretty much everyone. Gundry has a whole podcast on it (episode 287 on the Dr. Gundry podcast). I have it for you HERE You've GOT to limit the time you're eating...most Americans eat all day long. This is a KILLER, literally. Listen to Gundry's podcast!
9. Eat an AVOCADO every day. It has fiber and other nutrients. Eating an avocado daily tastes great and promotes weight loss.
10. NEW DISCOVERY. The "Fatty 15" product, which contains C:15, which was recently discovered by working with dolphins is now categorized as an ESSENTIAL Fatty Acid. It has several health benefits and has been shown to assist in weight loss. You can find out all about it on the Nutrition page on this website, or by clicking HERE and looking for the Fatty 15 product
My Sauerkraut Weight Loss/Feed the Microbiome Hack
One of my FAVORITE hacks, which I do nearly every night, is I put a bunch of sauerkraut on top of low-fat cottage cheese, and drizzle it with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is DELICIOUS and feeds the gut bacteria. Keeping THEM healthy and happy can keep our bodies healthy and happy!
Things to AVOID!
Starting on page 20 of Gundry's pdf (listed above and HERE) is a list of foods to avoid, especially lectin-containing foods like grains, and many vegetables and legumes. Gundry covers this over and over in his books and on his podcasts. It's taken me a little while to adopt the vast majority of his recommendations. On the weekends I'm not as strict but on weekdays my wife and I follow his recommendations closely.
WHY eat crap and harmful stuff? It's KILLING us slowly. If you're committed to staying as young as possible and living healthy to an old age you MUST make some changes/sacrifices. Yes, it's probably more expensive than not eating that way, and taking a bunch of supplements, but truly, what is more valuable than our health? As they say, "If you don't have your health, you haven't got ANYTHING".
So, my advice for HEALTHY dietary modifications for weight loss:
First, order the GLP-1 product and some Berberine. Take those daily as soon as you get them.
Get some MCT oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and sauerkraut or kimchi (also fermented good stuff for the "gut buddies") and eat them daily.
Eat an avocado a day.
Eliminate foods that are hurting your gut, like grains, oats, and legumes.
Eliminate sugar as much as possible.
On top of the above list, daily exercise is not only great for the weight-loss benefits, but the GREATEST protector of health, and the ONE thing you can do to increase longevity is to exercise daily. I have a LOT more to say on this...coming soon!