Whoa, hey. 00:00:02.86\00:00:04.73 Today's episode we're going to be talking about 00:00:04.77\00:00:07.14 finding balance. 00:00:07.17\00:00:08.50 We're going to learn about the intricate dance between the 00:00:08.54\00:00:10.67 immune system and the nervous system, 00:00:10.71\00:00:12.74 and what can unbalance us and tip the scales 00:00:12.77\00:00:15.21 towards autoimmune diseases. 00:00:15.24\00:00:16.85 We're going to understand better how the foods we eat, 00:00:16.88\00:00:19.38 the way we sleep, and even our gut health 00:00:19.41\00:00:21.95 play vital roles in keeping us stable and in health. 00:00:21.98\00:00:25.92 Because that's what we were made for. 00:00:25.95\00:00:27.52 Have you ever walked on a tightrope? 00:00:45.31\00:00:48.01 It's harder than it looks. 00:00:48.91\00:00:50.25 Philippe Petit was only 18 years old when he made it his ambition 00:00:50.45\00:00:53.88 to walk between the roofs of the Twin Towers 00:00:53.92\00:00:56.25 in New York City on a tightrope. 00:00:56.28\00:00:58.15 Six years later in 1974, he did it on a one-inch thick cable 00:00:58.35\00:01:02.99 that sagged, swayed, vibrated, and was as cold as ice. 00:01:03.02\00:01:06.80 How did he do it? 00:01:07.10\00:01:08.43 With a lot of planning and practice for sure. 00:01:08.46\00:01:10.33 But he shared one of his secrets. 00:01:10.37\00:01:11.87 He didn't fixate on the towers, but instead focused 00:01:12.40\00:01:15.70 on the space between them. 00:01:15.74\00:01:17.31 Balance is important in all areas of our life, 00:01:18.04\00:01:20.98 but especially when it comes to the immune system. 00:01:21.01\00:01:23.55 When immune function becomes imbalanced, 00:01:23.65\00:01:26.31 then just like a tightrope we've got a problem. 00:01:26.35\00:01:29.65 The healthy immune system is able to recognize 00:01:29.68\00:01:32.75 where the danger is, and is really accurate at it. 00:01:32.79\00:01:35.92 That means when there is danger, it will just 00:01:35.96\00:01:39.19 get rid of the danger. 00:01:39.23\00:01:40.96 And it will be good at distinguishing what the 00:01:41.43\00:01:45.20 danger is and where there is safety 00:01:45.23\00:01:47.54 so that it doesn't attack anything that it shouldn't. 00:01:47.57\00:01:50.81 A healthy immune system is an immune system that 00:01:51.31\00:01:53.01 recognizes self and doesn't attack yourself, 00:01:53.04\00:01:56.11 but also recognizes the external threats 00:01:56.14\00:01:59.75 and allows your body to take care of those external threats. 00:01:59.85\00:02:02.68 You know, if we didn't have a good immune system, 00:02:02.72\00:02:04.19 we'd scratch ourself and it would never heal. 00:02:04.22\00:02:06.82 We'd get an infection and that would be the end of that arm. 00:02:06.86\00:02:09.46 We'd have to amputate it, right? 00:02:09.49\00:02:11.06 So we need an immune system to recognize that was a scratch 00:02:11.09\00:02:14.56 and to appropriately manage any potential infection 00:02:14.76\00:02:18.90 and heal it, you know. 00:02:18.93\00:02:21.14 So as long as we have all these pieces, and we want them 00:02:21.17\00:02:24.31 all to work in synchrony appropriately, 00:02:24.34\00:02:28.94 and not have one piece overreact. 00:02:28.98\00:02:30.78 There is something to be said for the fact that you get 00:02:30.81\00:02:33.55 a little bit of reaction if you're getting a bug. 00:02:34.28\00:02:37.09 It doesn't mean you have to become totally sick from it. 00:02:37.49\00:02:40.16 But most of us know that you don't feel quite right, 00:02:40.52\00:02:43.56 and hopefully in a couple hours you're going to feel better. 00:02:44.29\00:02:46.49 That is the pulse that the immune system 00:02:47.76\00:02:50.97 is supposed to go through. 00:02:51.00\00:02:52.33 But if you never get anything, that isn't necessarily, 00:02:53.20\00:02:58.57 it could be the immune system is great. 00:02:58.61\00:03:00.74 But it also could be your immune system isn't working. 00:03:01.04\00:03:03.51 So you've got to be cautious about some of these things. 00:03:03.55\00:03:06.31 You can have an immune system that doesn't work. 00:03:06.75\00:03:09.62 And you start getting all kinds of diseases, 00:03:10.62\00:03:12.52 infections, and other things. 00:03:12.55\00:03:14.29 You can also have an immune system that is so hyper, 00:03:14.62\00:03:17.53 so activated, that you start getting other problems. 00:03:18.16\00:03:22.03 Autoimmunity, for instance, is a hyperactive immune system 00:03:22.36\00:03:26.37 for numerous reasons. 00:03:26.40\00:03:27.84 The idea with an immune system is, you want something that 00:03:29.80\00:03:32.47 stays balanced so that when you have an attack of a bug, 00:03:32.51\00:03:37.31 it attacks the bug, it goes through the inflammation, 00:03:37.35\00:03:40.35 the quarantining, et cetera, then kills the bug. 00:03:40.65\00:03:43.35 And then the inflammation goes away. 00:03:43.65\00:03:46.42 That's a correct immune system. 00:03:46.62\00:03:49.09 If it gets into an inflammatory state and the inflammation 00:03:49.42\00:03:52.89 never goes away, you can't heal. 00:03:52.93\00:03:54.83 So again, it's this complex system that I see. 00:03:55.43\00:04:00.70 And I see some patients who come in and they say, 00:04:00.74\00:04:02.47 "Well, I never get sick." 00:04:02.50\00:04:03.84 We assume if you never get sick, your immune system is okay. 00:04:04.57\00:04:08.11 We now know that's not necessarily true. 00:04:08.94\00:04:11.38 You may never get sick because you don't have an immune system 00:04:11.41\00:04:14.28 that's identifying the bugs you're getting. 00:04:14.32\00:04:17.09 So that's not an accurate measurement 00:04:17.45\00:04:19.55 of immune system function. 00:04:19.59\00:04:21.22 The immune system is everything when it comes to chronic pain. 00:04:21.62\00:04:24.69 A lot of people develop chronic pain after an injury, 00:04:25.73\00:04:29.73 and it's normal to have acute inflammation, you know. 00:04:30.17\00:04:34.90 In fact, acute inflammation is good. 00:04:35.14\00:04:37.81 Without it, we would never be able to heal, you know. 00:04:37.84\00:04:41.81 So for example, let's say you get a cut on your hand. 00:04:41.94\00:04:46.25 You want those white blood cells to come to your hand 00:04:46.28\00:04:50.39 and start healing things. 00:04:50.42\00:04:52.15 But the problem is when it becomes chronic. 00:04:52.55\00:04:55.66 And you know, normally with the healing process, 00:04:55.92\00:05:04.27 the anti-inflammatory signals come out, 00:05:04.97\00:05:09.70 the cytokines are produced, 00:05:09.74\00:05:11.44 and then the inflammatory process comes to a stop. 00:05:11.47\00:05:15.38 But with chronic inflammation, that signal is never released. 00:05:15.41\00:05:20.75 Those anti-inflammatory cytokines never really happen. 00:05:20.78\00:05:24.72 And so you have this low and smoldering chronic inflammation 00:05:24.92\00:05:30.09 situation, and the person therefore stays in chronic pain 00:05:30.53\00:05:34.83 because chronic inflammation equals chronic pain. 00:05:34.86\00:05:38.37 Our immune system is like our body's military. 00:05:39.60\00:05:42.57 It defends and protects us from internal and external enemies. 00:05:42.60\00:05:46.51 It's highly armed and highly organized. 00:05:46.54\00:05:49.58 It has different branches with unique responsibilities. 00:05:49.78\00:05:52.65 And when the immune system is balanced, we flourish. 00:05:52.85\00:05:55.88 When it loses its balance, we fall into chronic pain 00:05:55.92\00:05:58.55 or autoimmune conditions, or cancer. 00:05:58.59\00:06:01.12 Some of the factors that affect the immune system 00:06:01.59\00:06:03.83 tightrope are present very early in life. 00:06:03.86\00:06:06.80 The factors that help balance our immune system 00:06:07.70\00:06:11.63 really start in the belly of the mother, and also 00:06:12.60\00:06:16.67 when the children are born. 00:06:16.71\00:06:18.77 What the mother eats has an important impact 00:06:18.81\00:06:22.54 on the health of the child. 00:06:22.58\00:06:24.35 There are some studies showing that increased 00:06:25.41\00:06:29.08 dairy and meat consumption is also associated 00:06:29.12\00:06:32.89 with greater risk of autoimmune disease 00:06:32.92\00:06:35.39 later in life. 00:06:35.42\00:06:36.76 And breast feeding is one of the most important 00:06:37.59\00:06:41.03 protective factors against developing autoimmune disease. 00:06:41.06\00:06:45.23 Actually being born c- section versus vaginally 00:06:45.67\00:06:48.60 actually helps make a difference in how our immune system 00:06:48.64\00:06:51.77 starts to learn from the very inception of us being born. 00:06:51.81\00:06:55.48 And so one of the reasons why we're moving more towards 00:06:55.51\00:06:58.35 vaginal deliveries over c- sections now is because 00:06:58.38\00:07:00.95 the baby is actually exposed to some of the different factors 00:07:00.98\00:07:04.65 of mom, and mom's immune system as they're being vaginally born 00:07:04.69\00:07:09.09 that actually plays a role in the child and how they're able 00:07:09.12\00:07:11.89 to develop their immune system. 00:07:11.93\00:07:13.26 And one of the reasons why breast milk is so important 00:07:13.29\00:07:15.83 is because mom is giving some of her immune system 00:07:15.86\00:07:18.83 components to the baby when the baby's own immune system 00:07:18.87\00:07:21.94 is still being developed. 00:07:21.97\00:07:23.30 And so we have these early, early signs of what it means 00:07:23.34\00:07:26.98 for us to develop our immune system. 00:07:27.01\00:07:28.54 And if something doesn't go right when we're very, very 00:07:28.58\00:07:32.25 young as an infant, then our immune system for life, 00:07:32.28\00:07:35.58 we find, is actually set up to be 00:07:35.62\00:07:38.02 hyper-reactive or under reactive. 00:07:38.05\00:07:40.09 And then we have to think through, like, what do we 00:07:40.12\00:07:42.16 need to do differently in order to help our immune system 00:07:42.19\00:07:45.43 function properly to recognize threats and to manage them 00:07:45.46\00:07:49.43 appropriately, and then to be also able to say, 00:07:49.46\00:07:52.87 "Well this is self, and we don't want to attack ourself." 00:07:52.90\00:07:55.20 And we end up with autoimmune diseases 00:07:55.24\00:07:57.31 when our body starts to lose that ability to recognize 00:07:57.41\00:08:01.01 our own tissue versus external tissue. 00:08:01.04\00:08:03.58 And so there's a rise in autoimmune issues 00:08:03.75\00:08:07.32 all the time now, more and more different systems. 00:08:07.35\00:08:10.15 I hear about it, 00:08:10.25\00:08:11.59 and it's something that I've struggled with. 00:08:11.62\00:08:13.22 And so the immune system is critical. 00:08:13.25\00:08:15.96 And it's amazing how God created the immune system. 00:08:15.99\00:08:19.09 to function well, and how all the different components 00:08:19.69\00:08:22.66 around us and in our environment can make it 00:08:22.70\00:08:25.43 difficult for our immune system to function normally. 00:08:25.47\00:08:28.77 Yeah, there are so many hits. 00:08:29.27\00:08:30.97 If we're exposed to antigens that doesn't belong in our body, 00:08:31.21\00:08:37.08 especially early in the life, then there's a high risk of 00:08:37.38\00:08:42.18 training our immune system in the wrong way. 00:08:42.22\00:08:45.35 For example, children who are not breast fed 00:08:45.39\00:08:48.92 have a higher risk of developing autoimmune disease such as 00:08:48.96\00:08:52.83 type 1 diabetes compared with children who are breast fed. 00:08:52.86\00:08:56.40 Introducing the baby formula with cow's milk 00:08:56.70\00:08:59.70 too early in the life just trains our immune system 00:08:59.73\00:09:05.37 in the wrong way. 00:09:05.41\00:09:06.74 And the immune system starts attacking the beta cells 00:09:06.78\00:09:10.45 in the pancreas that are structurally similar to 00:09:10.48\00:09:15.75 the protein in cow's milk. 00:09:15.78\00:09:18.09 And that's how the immune system gets confused 00:09:18.12\00:09:22.46 and starts destroying the cells from our own body. 00:09:22.49\00:09:26.73 Just like the sagging, swaying, vibrating, rolling, 00:09:27.96\00:09:32.90 ice cold tightrope, a lot of variables affect the 00:09:32.93\00:09:36.77 balance of the immune system. 00:09:36.81\00:09:38.51 So the immune system and the nervous system, 00:09:39.87\00:09:43.18 we have neurotransmitters, but we also have cytokines. 00:09:43.21\00:09:46.08 And the immune system uses a lot of what we call 00:09:46.11\00:09:47.85 little cytokines, or messengers. 00:09:47.88\00:09:49.52 And so they interact with each other in ways that we're still 00:09:49.72\00:09:53.66 just understanding. 00:09:53.69\00:09:55.02 They're studying it a lot. 00:09:55.06\00:09:56.39 We're starting to get an idea of how they're interacting 00:09:56.42\00:09:58.23 with each other, but the fact of the matter is that 00:09:58.26\00:10:01.26 there are so many molecules that are constantly talking 00:10:02.10\00:10:07.80 to each other, telling each other what to do, where to go, 00:10:07.84\00:10:10.04 how to function. 00:10:10.07\00:10:11.41 You know, "Take care of this. Don't take care of this. 00:10:11.44\00:10:13.41 This one is fine. This one is not fine. 00:10:13.44\00:10:15.08 Manage this." 00:10:15.11\00:10:16.44 And the cross-type between the immune system 00:10:16.48\00:10:20.48 and the nervous system is so essential to the balance 00:10:20.52\00:10:23.32 of our health that if we don't have that, 00:10:23.35\00:10:25.55 if one part is out of alignment, 00:10:25.59\00:10:29.49 then you're going to get disease. 00:10:29.79\00:10:31.76 Right? 00:10:31.79\00:10:33.13 So what we want to do is we want think, 00:10:33.16\00:10:35.60 well, why is the immune system, or why is the nervous system 00:10:35.63\00:10:38.73 not functioning well? 00:10:38.77\00:10:40.17 And how can I let that part that's dysfunctional 00:10:40.47\00:10:43.74 relax or calm down 00:10:44.91\00:10:46.74 so that it can come back into balance with 00:10:47.61\00:10:50.08 its brothers and sisters, all the pieces 00:10:50.11\00:10:52.68 so that it can work in synchrony again? 00:10:52.71\00:10:54.72 And again, so much of our immune system... 00:10:54.75\00:10:57.72 We have our blood-brain barrier, and so the blood-brain barrier 00:10:57.75\00:11:01.82 is meant to only let certain things into our brain. 00:11:01.86\00:11:05.83 But if there starts to be a breakdown of our 00:11:05.93\00:11:08.50 blood-brain barrier, other things get into our brain 00:11:08.53\00:11:11.33 and the immune system can go in and can over react in the brain, 00:11:11.37\00:11:14.47 and it can cause problems, right. 00:11:14.67\00:11:16.67 And so again, we have barriers. 00:11:16.71\00:11:19.37 We have our gut that's a barrier, 00:11:19.41\00:11:20.74 we have our lungs that are barriers, 00:11:20.78\00:11:22.31 we have our brain that has that blood-brain barrier. 00:11:22.34\00:11:24.61 And if any of these barriers get broken down or get 00:11:24.65\00:11:27.82 holes in them, then you get things going where they're not 00:11:28.68\00:11:31.65 supposed to and you start to get reactions 00:11:31.69\00:11:33.92 where you're not supposed to get reactions. 00:11:33.96\00:11:35.66 And that's where the immune system and the nervous system 00:11:36.02\00:11:39.96 can then be damaging to each other because they think 00:11:40.26\00:11:45.03 they're doing the work that they're supposed to be doing, 00:11:45.07\00:11:47.04 that they're created to do, but they're in the wrong place 00:11:47.07\00:11:49.30 at the wrong time doing the wrong thing, 00:11:49.34\00:11:51.47 right, and damaging self. 00:11:51.51\00:11:54.11 And so that's where autoimmunity really comes into play. 00:11:54.14\00:11:56.75 Autoimmunity is more and more of a problem. 00:11:56.85\00:11:59.88 We have one of the most common autoimmune conditions 00:12:00.32\00:12:03.28 is Hashimoto's, which is autoimmune thyroiditis, 00:12:03.32\00:12:06.42 or an inflammation of the thyroid, 00:12:06.45\00:12:09.06 because the immune system is now attacking 00:12:09.09\00:12:11.76 the mechanism of thyroid hormone production. 00:12:11.79\00:12:14.60 So that's very common. 00:12:15.00\00:12:16.63 In fact, the majority of people with low thyroid function, 00:12:16.67\00:12:19.60 or hypothyroidism, actually have an autoimmune problem 00:12:19.63\00:12:23.30 that's leading to that. 00:12:23.34\00:12:24.67 Other common autoimmune conditions like 00:12:25.41\00:12:28.11 Sjogren's syndrome where dry eyes and dry mouth syndrome. 00:12:28.14\00:12:31.51 Frequently I see that happening in people who have their 00:12:32.28\00:12:35.55 gall bladders removed. 00:12:35.58\00:12:37.35 You know, if you don't have a gallbladder, which is 00:12:37.55\00:12:39.89 not an evolutionary remnant, right, it was put there by God 00:12:39.92\00:12:43.86 for a reason to optimize digestion and to help emulsify 00:12:43.89\00:12:48.73 the food that's leaving the stomach that is mixed with 00:12:48.76\00:12:52.00 the bile from the gallbladder that then helps 00:12:52.03\00:12:54.60 you absorb the nutrients. 00:12:54.80\00:12:56.71 So without a healthy gallbladder, without healthy 00:12:56.94\00:12:59.67 amount of bile, you're not going to be emulsifying 00:12:59.71\00:13:02.34 that food very well, and therefore you're not going to 00:13:02.38\00:13:04.25 be absorbing that in an optimal way. 00:13:04.28\00:13:07.68 The fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, K, the minerals 00:13:07.72\00:13:11.75 require that to be absorbed optimally. 00:13:11.79\00:13:15.72 So autoimmunity oftentimes happens because 00:13:15.96\00:13:20.90 of a breakdown of how well, the body can digest. 00:13:20.93\00:13:24.73 Ironically, sometimes autoimmunity occurs because 00:13:25.00\00:13:28.84 of an exposure to something that the body is reactive to. 00:13:28.87\00:13:33.21 Like various toxins that then destroy 00:13:34.08\00:13:37.98 the lining of the stomach. 00:13:38.01\00:13:39.61 We have conditions where the mucosal layer, 00:13:40.55\00:13:45.22 the crypts of Lieberkuhn, the little wells of cells 00:13:45.25\00:13:50.59 that produce hydrochloric acid, and pepsinogen, 00:13:50.63\00:13:54.23 and the compounds that help digest the food in the stomach, 00:13:54.26\00:13:59.93 okay, those are destroyed because of a 00:14:00.14\00:14:03.67 sensitivity to dairy, for instance. 00:14:03.71\00:14:05.54 That's something I see all the time. 00:14:05.57\00:14:07.84 In some people, it can be a sensitivity to gluten. 00:14:07.88\00:14:11.35 Autoimmunity is created by two primary things. 00:14:11.38\00:14:14.85 And one of my favorite books I've ever read is a book by 00:14:14.88\00:14:19.32 Donna Jackson Nakazawa. 00:14:19.62\00:14:21.79 She was a medical journalist who developed a very severe 00:14:21.99\00:14:25.73 and rare autoimmune condition. 00:14:25.76\00:14:27.83 And because of her training in medical journalism 00:14:27.86\00:14:30.40 she says, "You know, I've been going to a lot of good doctors, 00:14:30.43\00:14:34.70 and they have no idea how to treat me. 00:14:34.74\00:14:36.24 It's like they're saying, 'Well, when it gets worse, 00:14:36.27\00:14:39.64 then we'll be able to treat you with methotrexate, 00:14:39.67\00:14:42.64 and Humira, and all these drugs that can help 00:14:42.68\00:14:46.05 basically block the immune system, but therefore actually 00:14:46.18\00:14:49.82 increase your risk for other cancers 00:14:49.85\00:14:51.65 and cardiovascular disease.'" 00:14:51.69\00:14:53.56 We know that methotrexate is a cardio toxin 00:14:53.76\00:14:56.39 when used long enough. 00:14:56.42\00:14:57.76 So rheumatologists don't want to prescribe those medicines 00:14:57.79\00:15:01.76 unless that patient is so severe that the benefits 00:15:01.96\00:15:07.30 outweigh the risks, theoretically. 00:15:07.34\00:15:09.30 So that's why we need to catch autoimmunity much earlier. 00:15:09.50\00:15:14.04 And that's why I always check the antinuclear antibodies 00:15:14.08\00:15:17.55 and the thyroid antibodies in every patient that I see 00:15:17.58\00:15:21.28 just to see if that can give us clues of autoimmunity. 00:15:21.32\00:15:24.35 So Donna Nakazawa, in her book, The Autoimmune Epidemic, 00:15:24.69\00:15:31.83 it's been out for years now, but a wonderful expose on 00:15:31.86\00:15:37.60 what she learned from talking to the world's leading experts 00:15:37.63\00:15:40.60 on this that really understood the underlying 00:15:40.64\00:15:43.97 causes of autoimmunity. 00:15:44.01\00:15:45.54 And it boils down to two things. 00:15:45.57\00:15:47.21 Kind of like what Dr. Sid Baker said about, 00:15:47.84\00:15:50.45 you've got to have all the necessary elements, 00:15:50.65\00:15:52.61 and you've got to get rid of the 00:15:52.65\00:15:54.68 interfering elements, the toxins. 00:15:54.72\00:15:56.58 She said... 00:15:56.62\00:15:57.95 In other words, you can be exposed to ten time more of a 00:16:08.46\00:16:12.63 toxin than I, but I'm the one that gets the 00:16:12.67\00:16:15.67 autoimmune disease. 00:16:15.70\00:16:17.04 Why? Because you don't have the same genetic 00:16:17.07\00:16:19.41 predisposition that I do. 00:16:19.44\00:16:21.41 And so by knowing my genetic predisposition, 00:16:21.64\00:16:24.65 what SNP or single nucleotide polymorphism, 00:16:24.68\00:16:28.72 these little portions of genes that code for different 00:16:28.75\00:16:32.19 enzyme production, and if those SNPs are mutated, 00:16:32.22\00:16:36.49 either single copy from one parent or double copy from 00:16:36.99\00:16:39.89 each parent, that means that we are much more susceptible 00:16:39.93\00:16:46.23 to various toxins. 00:16:46.27\00:16:48.34 Yeah, I think the key is, optimized. 00:16:48.94\00:16:51.17 Which infers that you have a balance. 00:16:51.84\00:16:54.28 Where a weak immune system essentially is associated with 00:16:54.31\00:17:00.65 low white blood cell counts and inactivity associated with 00:17:00.68\00:17:05.09 chronic stress over time. 00:17:05.12\00:17:07.09 You don't want a weak immune system. 00:17:07.12\00:17:08.82 But neither do you want an immune system that is 00:17:08.86\00:17:11.53 exaggerated, is causing cytokine storm. 00:17:11.56\00:17:17.20 So can you touch on what an exaggerated 00:17:17.23\00:17:20.14 immune response results in? 00:17:20.17\00:17:21.64 Like how would that manifest? 00:17:21.67\00:17:23.30 So have you ever heard, like, of a little dog if attacked 00:17:23.84\00:17:28.54 or if it's scared is going to attack more ferociously 00:17:28.58\00:17:33.65 because they're little and they don't want to get hurt, right? 00:17:33.68\00:17:38.52 Whereas a big dog that knows it can protect itself 00:17:38.55\00:17:42.29 no matter what, they see something, like, "Oh whatever. 00:17:42.32\00:17:44.56 You know, I'm not going to worry with that little dog, 00:17:44.59\00:17:47.16 that little pipsqueak, right." 00:17:47.20\00:17:48.53 So likewise, in an immune system that is healthy, 00:17:48.56\00:17:51.77 okay, is not going to exaggerate its response to anything. 00:17:52.37\00:17:55.97 And immune system that is healthy is not going to easily 00:17:56.34\00:18:00.11 become inflamed and lead to that hyper-inflammatory state 00:18:00.14\00:18:04.65 leading to that cytokine storm. 00:18:04.68\00:18:06.88 Like in the case of a severe viral infection, 00:18:06.92\00:18:11.55 it would cause acute death. 00:18:11.85\00:18:15.46 It's the cytokine storm, that exaggerated immune response, 00:18:15.49\00:18:20.50 that kills people, not the virus. 00:18:20.53\00:18:22.93 In fact, by that point there is no virus. 00:18:22.96\00:18:24.80 The virus is gone by that point. 00:18:24.83\00:18:26.53 But the immune system is not healthy, 00:18:26.57\00:18:29.00 and now it doesn't know how to react. 00:18:29.04\00:18:31.27 And so that's the key in our lives. 00:18:31.47\00:18:33.54 We need to make sure that we're getting our rest. 00:18:33.58\00:18:36.61 Sleep is such a critical part of a healthy immune system. 00:18:36.64\00:18:40.45 Healthy everything. 00:18:40.48\00:18:41.82 So without proper sleep, the immune system is more likely 00:18:41.85\00:18:44.92 to be exaggerated in a harmful way. 00:18:44.95\00:18:47.66 Without the right nutrients, the same thing. 00:18:47.69\00:18:49.86 Without daily physical activity that's healthy and moderate, 00:18:49.89\00:18:54.03 it's the same thing. 00:18:54.23\00:18:55.56 We can easily succumb to an overactive, 00:18:55.63\00:18:59.83 harmful immune system. 00:19:00.04\00:19:02.07 What we eat has an important impact on our immune system. 00:19:02.20\00:19:07.11 So eating a lot of fat and sugar will limit 00:19:07.88\00:19:12.21 the function of our immune system. 00:19:12.51\00:19:14.48 In contrast to eating a lot of plant foods that are 00:19:15.12\00:19:18.72 rich in antioxidants, rich in fiber. 00:19:18.75\00:19:21.76 All of these will strengthen our immune system. 00:19:22.06\00:19:25.59 You know, there was a lot of discussion during the pandemic 00:19:26.09\00:19:30.60 about not doing things that would activate 00:19:30.63\00:19:33.64 the immune system too much. 00:19:33.67\00:19:35.34 And it was a misunderstanding of what that really means. 00:19:35.90\00:19:39.07 They were saying, "Ah, maybe you shouldn't take vitamin D, 00:19:39.11\00:19:41.98 because that would boost the immune system too much, 00:19:42.01\00:19:45.01 and then that could create an exaggerated cytokine storm." 00:19:45.05\00:19:49.38 And nothing could be further from the truth. 00:19:49.58\00:19:51.75 Vitamin D and things like N-acetyl cysteine 00:19:51.79\00:19:55.02 act as adaptogens where they prevent a weak immune system, 00:19:55.22\00:20:00.53 but they also prevent an exaggerated, 00:20:00.56\00:20:03.43 kind of harmful reaction. 00:20:03.63\00:20:05.77 So the more balanced our diet is, the more balanced 00:20:05.80\00:20:09.54 our lifestyle is, the more balanced our exercise is... 00:20:09.57\00:20:13.88 You know, too much exercise can make you sick, really sick, 00:20:13.91\00:20:17.08 and can make you actually end up getting a viral infection 00:20:17.11\00:20:20.75 that you otherwise wouldn't have gotten. 00:20:20.78\00:20:22.68 So we want a balanced immune system that is optimized. 00:20:22.95\00:20:27.26 And that happens by making sure that we're taking in 00:20:27.29\00:20:30.73 all the necessary elements at an optimal level 00:20:30.76\00:20:33.56 and we're removing or avoiding the harmful elements, 00:20:33.60\00:20:38.27 which are the toxins. 00:20:38.30\00:20:39.63 This interconnectivity within ourselves 00:20:39.67\00:20:42.80 is one of the main points that I want to 00:20:42.84\00:20:44.77 emphasize in these programs. 00:20:44.81\00:20:46.54 I want you to understand what is found in the Bible, actually. 00:20:46.84\00:20:50.45 That what affects one part of the body affects the whole, 00:20:50.65\00:20:54.22 with everything inside of us so intricate, so interdependent. 00:20:54.25\00:20:58.45 The space between is where we learn and 00:20:58.82\00:21:01.29 experience this balance. 00:21:01.32\00:21:02.79 Rather than a destination, it's the daily adjustments 00:21:02.99\00:21:06.43 that makes our crossing to the other side successful. 00:21:06.46\00:21:09.86 Everything in this world works the same. 00:21:09.96\00:21:14.27 Rest. Not enough rest is bad. Too much rest is bad. 00:21:14.30\00:21:19.87 Eating not enough is not good. 00:21:20.41\00:21:22.91 Eating too much is not good. 00:21:22.94\00:21:25.75 Exercising too much can be harmful. 00:21:25.78\00:21:29.15 Exercising not enough can be harmful. 00:21:29.18\00:21:32.22 But you find that gives you joy. 00:21:32.25\00:21:34.36 Then you're not only getting exercise, but you are getting 00:21:34.39\00:21:38.26 that, ahhh, from the exercise. 00:21:38.29\00:21:41.10 And if you do it with one or more other people, 00:21:41.13\00:21:44.63 you're getting that social interaction. 00:21:44.67\00:21:46.97 And all of that brings your stress down. 00:21:47.00\00:21:50.04 Are you eating plant-based diet? 00:21:50.91\00:21:53.01 Are you getting your exercise? 00:21:53.34\00:21:54.81 Are you getting plenty of air? 00:21:54.84\00:21:56.18 Are you getting your sleep that you should? 00:21:56.21\00:21:57.55 It's that whole thing. 00:21:57.58\00:21:58.95 Again, this wholistic approach. 00:22:00.08\00:22:01.68 Is your mind focused on good things? 00:22:01.88\00:22:04.55 Or do you have hidden anger? 00:22:05.65\00:22:08.62 Are you upset about things? 00:22:09.12\00:22:10.86 That all affects your immune system. 00:22:10.89\00:22:12.66 It's a wholistic approach. 00:22:13.33\00:22:15.46 If you just look at one thing, you're missing the program. 00:22:15.50\00:22:18.77 I've learned so much recently, over time how our immune system 00:22:19.60\00:22:25.61 really has this connection to our gut. 00:22:25.64\00:22:28.81 And so, really our gut health is reflective of our immune system, 00:22:29.28\00:22:34.15 because the majority of our immune system is actually 00:22:34.18\00:22:36.89 just underneath the lining of our gut. 00:22:36.92\00:22:39.62 And so, if our gut is struggling, if we aren't 00:22:39.92\00:22:43.46 eating the right kinds of food, feeding our gut the right type 00:22:43.49\00:22:46.96 of material, then it starts to be dysfunctional. 00:22:47.00\00:22:52.10 And then that carries over to a dysfunctional immune system. 00:22:52.13\00:22:56.30 So really I've done a lot of study on the gut, 00:22:56.34\00:22:58.64 the gut-brain connection and our immune system. 00:22:58.67\00:23:01.01 It affects our gut and our brain. 00:23:01.04\00:23:04.11 And so, you know, you have a gut feeling, right? 00:23:04.15\00:23:07.15 The connection between the brain and the gut is really important. 00:23:07.58\00:23:10.55 So when it comes to hits, the first thing I think of is 00:23:10.59\00:23:13.25 like, what are we putting into our mouth? 00:23:13.29\00:23:15.39 And how that's influencing our gut, 00:23:15.59\00:23:17.39 which them influences our immune system. 00:23:17.43\00:23:19.26 So that's like the biggest factor that I think about. 00:23:19.29\00:23:22.23 But then there are other factors that affect our gut. 00:23:22.73\00:23:25.50 So there are certain medications that can affect our gut. 00:23:25.53\00:23:27.87 Stress can affect our gut, 00:23:28.27\00:23:29.74 lack of good sleep can affect our gut, 00:23:29.77\00:23:31.51 our emotions being out of control can affect our gut. 00:23:31.84\00:23:34.21 So all these things can give us a hit to our gut, 00:23:34.24\00:23:36.48 which then gives us a hit to our immune system. 00:23:36.51\00:23:38.75 So you can't separate nutrition and exercise. 00:23:39.08\00:23:43.35 And whenever you exercise, you can't separate 00:23:43.69\00:23:46.76 exercise, because that's the working part, from rest. 00:23:46.79\00:23:51.29 Basically, a balanced lifestyle will translate 00:23:51.33\00:23:54.63 to internal balance, which actually makes up 00:23:54.66\00:23:57.33 for a lot of life's happiness. 00:23:57.53\00:23:59.37 We tend to think that exciting experiences are 00:23:59.67\00:24:02.07 what make us happy. 00:24:02.10\00:24:03.44 But, well it's my opinion at least, that actually happiness 00:24:03.47\00:24:06.74 and joy lie somewhere in the middle, 00:24:06.78\00:24:09.14 in the space between the highs and lows. 00:24:09.18\00:24:11.98 There's this connection of the immune system 00:24:13.25\00:24:15.65 and our gut, but then it's also our nervous system. 00:24:15.68\00:24:18.85 So the communication between our immune system and our 00:24:19.12\00:24:22.79 nervous system, and how that influences our brain, 00:24:22.82\00:24:25.03 and they make the connections; if you have a dysfunctional gut, 00:24:25.06\00:24:27.26 the fact that you're going to feel more depressed, 00:24:27.30\00:24:28.96 or anxious, or sad, or down is really likely. 00:24:29.00\00:24:33.50 And if you can clean up your gut and get your gut healthy, 00:24:33.54\00:24:35.57 then the brain fog goes away, the depression goes away. 00:24:35.60\00:24:39.21 So just us understanding how all these pieces fit together. 00:24:39.57\00:24:42.58 Traditional medicine wants to chop the body up into pieces. 00:24:42.61\00:24:45.38 Right? And what God is trying to show us and has been trying to 00:24:45.68\00:24:49.25 teach us, and He's written in the Bible and His manual for us 00:24:49.28\00:24:52.92 is how all of these pieces work well together. 00:24:52.95\00:24:56.39 And you know, He's give us this manual so that we can 00:24:56.42\00:24:59.03 live a healthy life to glorify Him as much as possible. 00:24:59.06\00:25:02.93 Right? And that people can see Him through us. 00:25:03.00\00:25:05.77 And to be healthy and well is one of those ways in which, 00:25:06.13\00:25:09.50 you know, God can demonstrate who He is and His character, 00:25:09.54\00:25:13.74 and how He created us to begin with. 00:25:13.94\00:25:15.94 And I really think that God has placed our body in a position 00:25:16.78\00:25:19.65 where it wants to heal itself. Right? 00:25:19.68\00:25:23.55 And we have created all sorts of insults that help us, 00:25:23.59\00:25:29.32 that let the body degenerate further. 00:25:29.86\00:25:32.49 And if we can follow God's principles, 00:25:32.53\00:25:35.26 and give the body the greatest opportunity 00:25:35.63\00:25:38.30 to kind of grow and heal itself, to me 00:25:38.33\00:25:40.74 that's what health really looks like. 00:25:40.77\00:25:42.84 And if our immune system is given this appropriate balance, 00:25:42.87\00:25:46.57 then it will want to equalize out, and it will know 00:25:46.88\00:25:50.25 foreign from self, right, and know how to respond 00:25:50.45\00:25:54.62 appropriately to what it's supposed to. 00:25:54.65\00:25:57.85 There's no way to thoroughly cover the topic of what it takes 00:25:58.75\00:26:01.86 to have a balanced immune function in this short time. 00:26:01.89\00:26:04.76 But did you learn something today? 00:26:05.09\00:26:06.59 You know, from a nutrition perspective, 00:26:06.93\00:26:08.56 there are certain strategies that can support our 00:26:08.60\00:26:10.90 immune system, like removing foods that you 00:26:10.93\00:26:13.30 might be intolerant to, having healthy gut function, 00:26:13.34\00:26:16.64 making sure you're eating enough nutrient-dense foods, 00:26:16.67\00:26:19.61 like your veggies. 00:26:19.64\00:26:20.98 It's worth it. 00:26:21.01\00:26:22.34 This interconnectivity within ourselves that was discussed 00:26:22.38\00:26:24.95 today is one of the main points that I want to emphasize 00:26:24.98\00:26:28.35 in these programs. 00:26:28.38\00:26:29.72 I want you to understand what's found in the Bible actually, 00:26:29.75\00:26:33.09 that what affects one part of the body affects the whole, 00:26:33.12\00:26:36.73 with everything inside of us so intricate and interdependent. 00:26:36.76\00:26:40.86 The space between is where we learn 00:26:41.40\00:26:43.83 and experience this balance. 00:26:43.87\00:26:45.80 Rather than a destination, it's the daily adjustments 00:26:46.17\00:26:49.67 that makes our crossing to the other side successful. 00:26:49.70\00:26:53.54