We think of germs as
dirty, disease causing agents
00:00:01.46\00:00:04.93
that need to be destroyed.
00:00:04.97\00:00:06.30
So the more something
kills germs the better, right?
00:00:06.33\00:00:09.24
I mean, these things kill
99.9% of viruses and bacteria.
00:00:09.27\00:00:13.98
But is that really necessary?
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Viruses are not
just bad guys out there
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that we need to destroy.
00:00:18.28\00:00:19.61
They're actually a
part of who we are.
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I'm Rise, your host,
and I'm super excited about
00:00:21.82\00:00:24.29
our topic today.
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It's going to remind
you that you've got guts.
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You may have heard
that there are more microbes
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that make up the
human body than human cells.
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It sounds like
we're outnumbered.
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But honestly, it's not
an us and them scenario.
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They are us.
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Bacteria and fungi are not
just something that grows on
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old food, or can make
drinking water unfit to drink,
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or live on dirty hands.
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They are a dynamic
part of who we are.
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Today, we're going to be honing
in on the largest and most
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influential community of
microbes in the human body
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located in the gut.
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We call this community the
gut microbiome or microbiota.
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This community of
microbes is definitely something
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worth getting to know better.
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But I think the most
important thing about the
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gut is that we
have our microbiome.
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We have all of our
bugs in there that can be
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really helpful, and then some
that can be really damaging.
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We have more bugs in the gut
than we have cells in our body.
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It's got to be important.
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You know, we used to think
it was primarily just bacteria,
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but we're actually realizing
there's even more things
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in there than just bacteria.
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There's viruses and there's even
yeasts, and things like that.
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Without a healthy microbiome,
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a person just can't
be healthy over all.
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Everything starts with the gut.
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You know, the gut is where all
of our nutrition gets processed.
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And you know, if our
gut is not working properly,
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then we start developing
troubles in all areas.
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And that's true for
our chronic pain patients.
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I have to agree with him.
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So many things
start with the gut.
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The microbes that live in
our gut are no idle bystander.
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They seem to be
involved in everything
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and play a role
in conditions like...
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Now, if you think the digestive
tract just digests food,
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it's time to check
out the bigger picture.
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I think of the gut microbiome
in almost every chronic
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disease that I deal with.
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And I deal a lot with
cognitive decline, Alzheimer's,
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heart disease, immune related
issues, diabetes in particular.
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So it's interesting how when we
have a dysfunctional microbiome,
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it basically cascades
into every potential problem.
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It's like saying, how
can one thing be responsible
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for so many problems.
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Well, have you ever thought
if you stop drinking water?
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That could be responsible
for a lot of problems.
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Everything shuts down.
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So the body needs functionality
in all its fundamental operating
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cores, and that includes the
microbiome in a very large way.
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Some people refer to
the gut as the second brain.
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And it's much like, the
nervous system is like a tree.
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I liken it, when I'm talking
to my patients, to a tree
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where you see the
trunk of the tree.
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That's like the
central nervous system.
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Then it branches out into the
small branches and the leaves.
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And that's like
what's going on in the lungs
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and the interrelationships
going on there.
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And then you
have to root system.
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I liken the root system,
which can be larger than the
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visible part of the
tree, it extends deep and wide.
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That root
system is like the gut.
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And we can't have a healthy
tree, we can't have healthy
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leaves, or healthy
fruit from that tree unless
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the root system is absorbing
the optimal amount of nutrients
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to take it to
the rest of the tree.
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So likewise, without a
healthy gut, without a healthy
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microbiome, and healthy
bacteria, we are not going to
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have a healthy brain, we're not
going to have a healthy heart,
00:04:48.92\00:04:51.99
we're not going to have
a healthy immune system.
00:04:52.45\00:04:54.52
The microbiome is
also very closely tied
00:04:55.09\00:04:58.19
to our nervous system.
00:04:58.23\00:04:59.56
And where is pain processed?
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The pain is
processed in the brain,
00:05:01.13\00:05:03.13
it's processed
in the spinal cord.
00:05:03.33\00:05:05.53
And when the nervous system
is not working quite right
00:05:05.57\00:05:08.60
because of the
microbiome, we run into trouble.
00:05:08.64\00:05:11.94
Well, the microbiome is amazing.
00:05:12.51\00:05:14.94
It's all the healthy
bacteria, the millions of
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cells in the gut that
really aren't part of our body,
00:05:19.08\00:05:23.69
but they reside
in our body with us,
00:05:23.72\00:05:25.85
but they are there for
a very important reason
00:05:26.15\00:05:28.82
because they communicate
with the rest of the body.
00:05:28.86\00:05:32.39
They communicate with the
brain, interestingly enough.
00:05:32.76\00:05:36.87
They communicate
with the immune system.
00:05:36.90\00:05:39.97
And that communication
with the immune system
00:05:47.38\00:05:51.41
is determined by how healthy
the bacteria are in the gut.
00:05:51.45\00:05:56.69
The microbiome determines the
healthy of the immune system.
00:05:56.72\00:06:02.99
And through that
process communicates through the
00:06:03.02\00:06:06.46
nervous system to the brain,
and really to the entire body.
00:06:06.49\00:06:11.37
Every organ talks to each other.
00:06:11.77\00:06:14.17
They all are interconnected.
00:06:14.20\00:06:16.17
So if the gut is one
of the biggest keys to
00:06:16.67\00:06:22.58
our immune system, then it's
got to be one of the biggest
00:06:23.21\00:06:27.68
keys to overall health.
00:06:27.72\00:06:29.72
We know in medicine,
at least most of us know,
00:06:30.39\00:06:33.96
that anything
happening with the skin
00:06:33.99\00:06:35.59
frequently is caused in the gut.
00:06:37.43\00:06:39.29
That's where it starts, okay.
00:06:39.33\00:06:41.10
So eczema, psoriasis,
all those kinds of things,
00:06:41.30\00:06:47.74
it's not so well talked
about in straight dermatology,
00:06:49.90\00:06:54.41
but certainly in some of
the more wholistic spheres
00:06:54.88\00:06:59.18
we talk about that.
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If you can find the underlying
cause for these things
00:07:00.78\00:07:03.39
in the gut, you can frequently
clear up skin problems.
00:07:03.42\00:07:05.75
It all has to do
with a lot of that, okay.
00:07:05.95\00:07:09.19
Not to say that's
the complete cause,
00:07:09.96\00:07:12.69
but it certainly has
something to do with that, yes.
00:07:12.73\00:07:14.96
There are some
laboratory markers that we can
00:07:16.06\00:07:20.07
check to see if the
microbiome is healthy.
00:07:20.10\00:07:23.77
But really, when it
comes to my patients,
00:07:24.41\00:07:27.94
I can tell that they
have a healthy microbiome
00:07:27.98\00:07:31.58
just by doing a
physical exam on them.
00:07:32.05\00:07:34.88
When their hair looks healthy,
when their nails look healthy,
00:07:34.92\00:07:38.55
when they have energy
and they're not fatigued.
00:07:38.59\00:07:40.46
When their pain is
reduced I can tell they have a
00:07:40.72\00:07:42.99
healthy microbiome.
00:07:43.02\00:07:44.36
Because the patients
I see, I frequently do a
00:07:44.39\00:07:47.00
stool analysis, a gut test.
00:07:47.80\00:07:49.76
And you can actually see,
depending on the microbiome,
00:07:50.60\00:07:54.54
that's the bugs in the gut, you
either have good bugs, bad bugs.
00:07:54.57\00:07:59.44
Something is going on with that.
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And the companies I'm
using can actually look at that,
00:08:02.64\00:08:07.12
they can look at the
ratios of the different bugs,
00:08:07.15\00:08:09.78
and they can predict,
there's a page there that
00:08:10.15\00:08:12.25
they actually predict what these
diseases you may come down with
00:08:12.29\00:08:15.42
because of microbiome.
00:08:15.89\00:08:17.36
So it's a huge
evolving thing in medicine.
00:08:17.76\00:08:22.46
There was a time when
people kind of looked at that
00:08:23.16\00:08:25.83
and said, "Nah,
we don't believe it."
00:08:25.87\00:08:28.00
You know, there's certain
things like leaky gut syndrome.
00:08:28.20\00:08:30.74
Ten years ago, if you said
that, you were a total quack.
00:08:31.34\00:08:33.88
Now, even in mainstream medicine
they're beginning to realize
00:08:34.58\00:08:37.08
that, yes, there is a
leaky gut syndrome that occurs.
00:08:37.11\00:08:40.38
And a lot of
people with health issues
00:08:40.58\00:08:42.38
have that as an
underlying problem.
00:08:42.42\00:08:44.35
So if you're not addressing
that, you're missing things.
00:08:44.72\00:08:48.32
Yeah, you can get
better by certain drugs,
00:08:48.89\00:08:52.33
but you're not
going to cure them.
00:08:52.36\00:08:53.70
You're not going to
turn them around totally.
00:08:53.73\00:08:55.46
So the microbiome is huge.
00:08:55.83\00:08:57.87
Going, tripping through
the vaginal canal at birth
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also gives them
certain microbiomes that
00:09:01.70\00:09:05.27
they're not getting otherwise
if they're getting a C-section.
00:09:05.31\00:09:07.78
So that's part of
the whole thing too.
00:09:07.81\00:09:09.61
I think it's
important to pause here
00:09:10.28\00:09:12.41
to just emphasize what
Dr. Shearer just brought up.
00:09:12.45\00:09:15.42
The birthing process and what
an infant is fed the first years
00:09:15.72\00:09:19.15
of life has a lot
to do with establishing
00:09:19.19\00:09:21.79
a healthy microbiome.
00:09:21.82\00:09:23.19
The baby is exposed to numerous
bacteria as the journey is made
00:09:23.63\00:09:26.73
through the vaginal canal.
00:09:26.76\00:09:28.16
It's thought that this
is when the baby's body is
00:09:28.96\00:09:31.40
largely seeded with microbes.
00:09:31.43\00:09:33.54
Then breast milk contains
ingredients that are there
00:09:33.57\00:09:36.20
specifically to
feed the gut bacteria,
00:09:36.24\00:09:39.27
which not only helps the
baby digest food, but also
00:09:39.47\00:09:42.28
trains the immune system.
00:09:42.31\00:09:43.95
In case of C-section, this
actually can be accomplished
00:09:43.98\00:09:47.18
by swabbing the baby with fluids
from the mother's birth canal.
00:09:47.22\00:09:50.92
It's amazing to
realize that how we are born,
00:09:51.19\00:09:54.72
what we're fed as infants,
and early antibiotic exposure
00:09:54.92\00:09:58.59
can affect our
health decades later,
00:09:58.63\00:10:01.80
influencing our risk of
obesity and chronic disease.
00:10:01.83\00:10:05.50
Gut microbiome plays an
important role in preventing
00:10:06.87\00:10:10.47
all the chronic conditions,
including autoimmune diseases,
00:10:10.51\00:10:14.78
but also fatty liver disease.
00:10:15.24\00:10:17.48
Fatty liver disease
is present in two-thirds
00:10:17.68\00:10:21.48
of the U.S. population.
00:10:21.52\00:10:23.39
And many people
don't even know about it.
00:10:23.42\00:10:26.05
The gut microbiome
plays an important role
00:10:27.19\00:10:30.29
because if the gut
microbiome composition is right,
00:10:30.33\00:10:33.90
it will not allow the harmful
substances to be produced
00:10:34.26\00:10:39.93
in excess and will
not allow the extra fat
00:10:40.14\00:10:45.34
to be stored in the liver.
00:10:45.37\00:10:46.78
Unfortunately, the high
fat diet leads to disruptions
00:10:47.08\00:10:51.11
in gut microbiome, and
that eventually leads to
00:10:51.15\00:10:54.52
fatty liver disease, metabolic
syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
00:10:54.55\00:10:58.85
I'm so glad Dr. Kahleova
brought up non-alcoholic
00:10:59.32\00:11:02.86
fatty liver disease.
00:11:02.89\00:11:04.23
There's a strong association
between the gut microbiota
00:11:04.43\00:11:07.50
and the
development of fatty liver.
00:11:07.53\00:11:09.53
Researchers have discovered
that high fat, high sugar intake
00:11:10.00\00:11:13.03
has a direct hit on the liver,
as the liver is the first stop
00:11:13.07\00:11:17.14
after it's absorbed
from the digestive tract.
00:11:17.17\00:11:19.67
But a high fat, high sugar
intake also affects the liver
00:11:20.11\00:11:23.41
in indirect ways.
00:11:23.45\00:11:24.95
Like how those nutrients
impact the gut microbiota.
00:11:25.15\00:11:28.52
Eating this way
results in higher levels
00:11:29.02\00:11:31.52
of endotoxins in the blood.
00:11:31.55\00:11:33.76
Now remember, endotoxins
are toxins from within.
00:11:34.42\00:11:37.73
They are fragments
of certain bacteria
00:11:37.93\00:11:39.79
that enter the bloodstream.
00:11:39.83\00:11:41.16
And these endotoxins are
associated with fatty liver.
00:11:41.40\00:11:44.93
The point is that
what is going on in the gut
00:11:45.37\00:11:48.10
is important to
having a healthy liver.
00:11:48.14\00:11:50.57
And as you're about to see,
it's also involved in how much
00:11:50.67\00:11:54.14
we weigh how well we
manage blood glucose level,
00:11:54.18\00:11:57.68
level of
inflammation, and much more.
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.65
And so, what lives in the
gut is determined by nutrition.
00:12:02.05\00:12:08.29
And the nutrition of
the gut, how healthy it is,
00:12:09.56\00:12:15.06
determines how well we manage
illness and overall health.
00:12:15.30\00:12:20.17
The thing that affects
what health the gut has
00:12:20.27\00:12:25.51
has to do with exercise,
it has to do with nutrition.
00:12:25.54\00:12:29.04
And then that
determines what the gut decides
00:12:29.08\00:12:33.78
to let into the body.
00:12:33.82\00:12:35.38
And what the gut
decides to let into the body,
00:12:35.98\00:12:39.25
if you've heard of leaky gut,
00:12:39.29\00:12:41.26
then has these
cascading reactions
00:12:41.86\00:12:46.06
to an inflammatory response,
producing substances that
00:12:46.09\00:12:51.73
we may or may not want,
which then leads to disease,
00:12:51.77\00:12:57.21
decreased health,
decreased mitochondria function.
00:12:57.71\00:13:01.38
Now I'm fatigued.
00:13:02.04\00:13:03.61
And it all kind of
begins with the gut.
00:13:03.65\00:13:07.68
And what fills our gut but food.
00:13:07.72\00:13:12.15
And so it becomes a huge,
huge part of overall health.
00:13:12.95\00:13:18.23
And overall health
has to do with our ability
00:13:18.26\00:13:20.96
to optimize our immune response.
00:13:21.33\00:13:25.93
So the gut microbiome
definitely impacts brain health.
00:13:26.77\00:13:30.74
The gut microbiome is the
gateway to health in general.
00:13:30.77\00:13:36.34
It is so funny that a set
of cells, a set of organisms
00:13:36.64\00:13:41.85
that are actually
not us outnumber us,
00:13:41.88\00:13:45.55
as far as human
cells are concerned.
00:13:45.85\00:13:47.69
We are more bacteria and
microbiome than we are human.
00:13:47.72\00:13:51.86
~ It's remarkable.
00:13:51.89\00:13:53.23
That point
actually speaks to the fact
00:13:53.46\00:13:55.36
of how important it is.
00:13:55.40\00:13:57.17
And microbiomes vary.
00:13:57.20\00:13:58.93
Complex microbiome
that your body creates
00:13:58.97\00:14:01.64
as a result of its interaction
with the environment.
00:14:02.14\00:14:05.04
And given that it's so important
and the first thing in our body,
00:14:05.57\00:14:09.94
even skin, even
eyes have microbiome,
00:14:10.25\00:14:13.01
that interaction, the first
interaction with the environment
00:14:14.02\00:14:16.58
is through
microbiome, you would guess that
00:14:16.62\00:14:18.79
that has become important in
our existence and our health.
00:14:18.89\00:14:21.86
And it's true
also for brain health.
00:14:21.96\00:14:23.86
One of the things that
protects the blood-brain barrier
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.30
is short chain fatty
acids, which are created by the
00:14:27.60\00:14:32.73
microbiome. And when the
microbiome is altered with the
00:14:33.30\00:14:36.67
food we eat, or with
toxins, or with antibiotics,
00:14:37.11\00:14:39.57
that affects that relationship.
00:14:39.94\00:14:41.71
We actually don't
just hurt our GI system,
00:14:42.11\00:14:44.41
we don't just feel nauseous,
or have an influence on our gut
00:14:44.45\00:14:48.98
interaction,
but it actually also
00:14:49.02\00:14:51.29
over time affects our brain.
00:14:51.32\00:14:53.36
Because the short chain
fatty acids are affected,
00:14:53.39\00:14:55.52
the chemicals
that ultimately end up
00:14:55.62\00:14:57.53
in the brain are affected.
00:14:57.56\00:14:58.99
It affects our moods.
00:14:59.13\00:15:00.50
Anxiety is directly
related to the food that you eat
00:15:00.53\00:15:02.93
and its
interaction with microbiome.
00:15:02.96\00:15:04.77
So the microbiome
should be taken seriously.
00:15:05.57\00:15:08.27
This is such great information.
00:15:09.77\00:15:12.07
Food affects the gut,
which in turn affects the brain.
00:15:12.44\00:15:16.24
Dr. Sherzai mentioned
short chain fatty acids.
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.55
You may be wondering, what
are short chain fatty acids?
00:15:19.58\00:15:23.05
Well, they're a byproduct
that gut bacteria produce.
00:15:23.25\00:15:26.35
And these have a
number of important roles.
00:15:26.39\00:15:29.06
Now we just learned that
one of them is to protect
00:15:29.16\00:15:32.09
the blood-brain barrier.
00:15:32.13\00:15:33.46
I mean, who knew?
00:15:33.60\00:15:34.93
The influence of
this community of microbes
00:15:35.00\00:15:37.03
is not limited to the gut.
00:15:37.07\00:15:39.13
It actually interacts with
distant areas in the human body
00:15:39.17\00:15:42.47
through its byproducts
that the microbes produce
00:15:42.50\00:15:46.07
which end up
entering the bloodstream.
00:15:46.11\00:15:48.51
There are a
variety of byproducts.
00:15:49.54\00:15:51.65
Some good, some not so good.
00:15:51.68\00:15:53.72
Let's talk about
a not so good one.
00:15:53.92\00:15:55.92
Meat is rich in a couple
of nutrients that promote
00:16:03.12\00:16:06.23
TMAO production
by the gut bacteria
00:16:06.26\00:16:09.16
with the help of the liver.
00:16:09.20\00:16:10.53
TMAO has been found
to promote heart disease,
00:16:10.90\00:16:13.30
kidney disease,
and type 2 diabetes.
00:16:13.60\00:16:16.27
In fact, people with higher
levels of TMAO in their blood
00:16:16.57\00:16:20.41
may have more than twice
the risk of heart attacks,
00:16:20.61\00:16:23.68
strokes, or other
serious cardiovascular problems
00:16:23.71\00:16:27.05
compared with people
who have lower levels.
00:16:27.08\00:16:29.15
Other studies have found
links between high TMAO levels
00:16:30.39\00:16:34.06
and heart failure and
chronic kidney disease.
00:16:34.09\00:16:36.96
People who don't eat red
meat produce much less TMAO
00:16:37.43\00:16:41.03
than individuals who do.
00:16:41.13\00:16:42.73
Now what's interesting is
that even when the vegetarians
00:16:42.93\00:16:46.17
were given steak, they
didn't produce the TMAO.
00:16:46.20\00:16:49.57
And you may wonder, well, why?
00:16:49.77\00:16:51.14
Researchers are
saying that this is because
00:16:51.41\00:16:53.61
the gut microbiota community
is different in these two
00:16:53.64\00:16:57.05
population groups.
00:16:57.08\00:16:58.41
What strains of bacteria live
in your gut is highly influenced
00:16:58.61\00:17:02.78
by what you consistently
eat, not what is eaten
00:17:02.82\00:17:06.29
once in a while or rarely.
00:17:06.32\00:17:07.99
So if you eat a meat-based
diet, the bacteria profile
00:17:08.26\00:17:11.36
is going to look different
than someone who is eating
00:17:11.39\00:17:13.96
a heavy plant-based diet.
00:17:14.00\00:17:15.60
Does that make sense?
00:17:15.70\00:17:17.03
Now, when someone has
cardiovascular disease
00:17:17.07\00:17:19.30
they are typically told
to reduce their red meat.
00:17:19.33\00:17:21.87
And the benefit of reducing
red meat intake encompasses
00:17:22.00\00:17:25.44
more than just the
reduction of cholesterol,
00:17:25.47\00:17:28.51
fat, protein, or iron.
00:17:28.54\00:17:31.01
You're also changing up
the bacterial community.
00:17:31.05\00:17:34.65
So the gut
microbiome lives symbiotically
00:17:35.78\00:17:40.22
with the human digestive tract.
00:17:40.26\00:17:42.42
So we have trillions
of bacteria in our gut
00:17:42.76\00:17:48.63
that actually
benefit from what we eat,
00:17:49.30\00:17:54.50
but if we eat the wrong
foods can actually harm us.
00:17:55.50\00:17:59.87
And there was this interesting
study that was published in the
00:18:00.98\00:18:07.22
New England Journal of
Medicine about that animal foods
00:18:07.25\00:18:12.59
seems to injure
the blood vessels
00:18:12.95\00:18:15.32
via the interaction
with the gut microbiome.
00:18:15.82\00:18:18.46
And they found that
carnitine and lecithin
00:18:18.49\00:18:21.23
that are found in eggs, in milk,
in cream, in liver, in fish,
00:18:21.50\00:18:27.40
shellfish, poultry,
pork, duck, lamb, venison
00:18:27.44\00:18:31.34
can cause this
trimethylamine N-oxide,
00:18:31.97\00:18:38.88
which causes vascular injury.
00:18:39.08\00:18:41.22
This is a compound.
And not just the heart.
00:18:41.25\00:18:43.79
Because remember, we
talk about the blood vessels.
00:18:43.82\00:18:46.02
This is a vascular issue.
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.36
It's the endothelial cells with
interaction with gut bacteria
00:18:48.39\00:18:54.50
are being
damaged by this compound.
00:18:55.33\00:18:59.47
And so, vascular
disease has been found in...
00:18:59.90\00:19:05.51
Vascular disease has
been produced by this TMAO.
00:19:06.74\00:19:10.31
Now they did a
research when they took people
00:19:10.35\00:19:14.58
that were vegan, so
never have eaten any meat for,
00:19:14.62\00:19:18.25
I don't know, maybe 20 years,
I don't recall exactly all the
00:19:18.29\00:19:20.92
details, but they made them
eat a steak during this trial.
00:19:20.96\00:19:25.16
And they tried to measure the
TMAO, and they didn't have it.
00:19:25.59\00:19:30.37
It was like, wait a second.
00:19:30.40\00:19:32.07
Why these people didn't have it?
00:19:32.10\00:19:34.50
And it's because the people
that don't eat these products,
00:19:34.54\00:19:37.94
these meats and this dairy,
00:19:37.97\00:19:40.08
they don't have
this kind of bacteria.
00:19:40.38\00:19:42.74
So the food you eat basically,
it reflects the kind of
00:19:42.98\00:19:48.98
bacteria you're going to have.
00:19:49.02\00:19:50.52
So if you want to have good
bacteria that does not produce
00:19:51.02\00:19:54.32
this TMAO, which
causes vascular injury
00:19:54.36\00:19:57.93
and it's actually
part of the inflammation,
00:19:57.96\00:19:59.83
remember we
talked about inflammation
00:19:59.86\00:20:01.23
and the plaque formation,
this TMAO is part of that.
00:20:01.26\00:20:04.43
So if you don't want
that TMAO in your blood,
00:20:04.97\00:20:07.87
you need to figure out
how to eat and what to eat.
00:20:07.90\00:20:12.94
So thankfully, we have
other markers of inflammation.
00:20:12.97\00:20:19.45
And there is, you know,
I have requested these labs
00:20:19.48\00:20:23.18
to my patients
that are really trying
00:20:24.02\00:20:27.12
to prevent a heart attack.
00:20:27.16\00:20:28.49
It's a really good way
of looking at inflammation
00:20:28.52\00:20:32.23
into the cellular level.
00:20:32.56\00:20:34.56
And there is a lab
called The Cleveland Heart Lab
00:20:34.60\00:20:38.17
that offers certain testing
that actually can measure
00:20:38.67\00:20:45.07
your TMAO, it can
measure some byproducts
00:20:45.11\00:20:50.41
of endothelial dysfunction,
it can measure Apo B
00:20:50.45\00:20:54.32
which is actually more
important than LDL, actually,
00:20:54.35\00:20:59.75
which is another
lipoprotein, and CRP.
00:20:59.79\00:21:04.06
So what I do for patients
that have a lot of risks,
00:21:04.16\00:21:07.33
I do more in detail testing.
00:21:07.36\00:21:10.33
But CRP, just high
sensitivity CRP is a very simple
00:21:10.53\00:21:14.97
and very helpful
marker because it can tell you
00:21:15.00\00:21:19.41
how inflamed your arteries are.
00:21:19.51\00:21:21.38
So don't just stop,
you know, on your glucose.
00:21:21.41\00:21:25.38
There are urine tests that
can show your inflammation.
00:21:25.41\00:21:28.55
So we talk about, you know,
the leaky endothelium, remember.
00:21:28.88\00:21:33.69
And this endothelium, when
it leaks, it leaks proteins.
00:21:33.72\00:21:38.36
And it leaks one of the proteins
in our blood stream, albumin.
00:21:38.83\00:21:42.46
And we measure
micro-albumin in the urine.
00:21:42.93\00:21:45.93
And if it's high, we
know, uh-ho, this endothelium
00:21:46.20\00:21:49.40
is not working well.
00:21:49.44\00:21:50.77
You know, I recently learned
about the coronary calcium score
00:21:50.81\00:21:54.01
which is another test that can
be done that's thought to be a
00:21:54.04\00:21:56.71
better marker of the risk
of a cardiovascular event.
00:21:56.75\00:21:59.88
I also read some research that
found that when a plant-based
00:22:00.22\00:22:02.85
diet was adopted for eight
weeks, TMAO levels plummeted.
00:22:02.88\00:22:07.12
And when the
participants in the study
00:22:07.16\00:22:08.79
returned to a meat-based
diet, TMAO levels increased.
00:22:08.82\00:22:13.19
The microbiome
adapts to how we feed it.
00:22:13.56\00:22:16.30
We talked about inflammation
in previous episodes.
00:22:16.60\00:22:19.03
It's an interesting
connection between inflammation
00:22:19.07\00:22:22.30
and the gut microbiota as well.
00:22:22.34\00:22:24.54
Probably the most significant
place where inflammation
00:22:24.64\00:22:27.88
can develop is from the gut.
00:22:27.91\00:22:30.48
And so if you are
eating the wrong things,
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.25
you're creating inflammation
based on the gut microbiome.
00:22:33.28\00:22:37.05
So let me give you an example.
00:22:37.09\00:22:38.42
So if you eat animal protein,
then it actually goes in
00:22:38.45\00:22:45.09
and it feeds a
certain type of bacteria,
00:22:45.13\00:22:47.56
that then its byproduct is
TMAO, trimethylamine N-oxide.
00:22:47.60\00:22:53.57
TMAO, we now know, is directly
related to inflammation,
00:22:53.90\00:22:58.67
especially
inflammation that creates
00:22:58.71\00:23:00.38
cardiovascular disease risk.
00:23:00.41\00:23:02.28
And so now we have this
really direct link between
00:23:02.58\00:23:06.78
animal protein
and an unhealthy bug.
00:23:06.82\00:23:09.35
That unhealthy bug
grows, produces this byproduct.
00:23:09.38\00:23:12.85
This byproduct creates
inflammation and puts you at
00:23:12.89\00:23:15.82
risk for cardiovascular disease.
00:23:15.86\00:23:17.86
Man, direct link.
00:23:17.89\00:23:19.26
I mean, that's just one
pathway that we've learned
00:23:19.29\00:23:22.46
fairly recently, that helps
us understand the tremendous
00:23:22.50\00:23:27.24
importance of interaction
of what we eat, how our
00:23:27.27\00:23:30.87
gut microbiome responds to
that, and how that influences
00:23:30.91\00:23:34.21
our inflammation in general.
00:23:34.24\00:23:35.98
And I always tell people,
like, I don't know how much
00:23:36.01\00:23:38.45
money in the bank, you were
born with, as far as resilience
00:23:38.68\00:23:41.85
and the ability to bounce back.
00:23:41.88\00:23:43.39
Some of us were born
with a billion dollars,
00:23:43.42\00:23:45.19
some people were
born with ten dollars.
00:23:45.22\00:23:46.99
And I don't know how many
insults your body is going to
00:23:47.49\00:23:49.69
be able to handle
before it starts to break.
00:23:49.72\00:23:51.69
And I don't know exactly
where your weak links are
00:23:51.93\00:23:54.70
in your family chain.
00:23:54.73\00:23:56.26
But for some people
it's cardiovascular disease,
00:23:56.46\00:23:58.77
some people it's diabetes,
some people it's autoimmune.
00:23:58.80\00:24:01.60
Some people, it's
a combination, right.
00:24:01.64\00:24:03.57
And I don't know when your
threshold and your resiliency
00:24:03.61\00:24:06.61
is going to be broken and
you're going to move into this
00:24:06.64\00:24:09.68
dis-ease or disease process.
00:24:09.71\00:24:12.11
But what we want to do is
we want to step away from that
00:24:12.15\00:24:14.32
border and do everything we
can, all these layers in place
00:24:14.35\00:24:17.82
to keep you away from that edge,
00:24:17.85\00:24:19.65
regardless of where you
started when you were born.
00:24:19.89\00:24:23.02
53% reduction in
Alzheimer's risk with food?
00:24:23.89\00:24:27.96
Yet we sell vitamins
on TV, which do zero.
00:24:28.46\00:24:32.10
Well, it doesn't do zero.
00:24:32.13\00:24:33.47
It makes some young
man rich on an island
00:24:33.50\00:24:35.07
who's got the name.
00:24:35.54\00:24:36.87
But it doesn't do anything.
00:24:37.14\00:24:38.74
I don't want to name names, but
none of those pills do anything.
00:24:39.47\00:24:42.88
~ He's brunette,
blue-eyes. - Yeah.
00:24:42.91\00:24:45.35
He's good looking, he's
got a tan now on that island.
00:24:45.38\00:24:48.12
He's got a bank
account, and all that.
00:24:48.15\00:24:49.85
He's doing well.
00:24:49.88\00:24:51.22
But we're not doing well.
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.25
Add greens.
00:24:53.76\00:24:55.09
It's not free, but
it's close to free.
00:24:55.32\00:24:57.26
But people say that
eating healthy is expensive.
00:24:57.29\00:25:00.13
Greens, beans.
00:25:01.13\00:25:03.43
Not subsidized, not supported.
00:25:05.07\00:25:07.00
- Brown rice. - Brown rice.
00:25:07.04\00:25:08.54
What else? You're the chef.
00:25:08.57\00:25:10.11
- Sweet potatoes. -
Sweet potatoes, yes.
00:25:10.14\00:25:11.74
And mix those up
twelve different ways.
00:25:11.77\00:25:13.71
It's
incredible. That's medicine.
00:25:13.74\00:25:15.98
That's literally medicine.
00:25:16.01\00:25:17.41
53% reduction in dementia.
00:25:17.45\00:25:19.81
50% reduction in stroke.
00:25:19.85\00:25:22.02
700,000 people a
year are left with stroke
00:25:22.05\00:25:25.02
in the United States alone
00:25:25.05\00:25:26.39
where half the
body is paralyzed.
00:25:26.42\00:25:27.92
By the way, this is not blame.
00:25:28.12\00:25:29.76
This is not a sense of
loss. It's a sense of gain.
00:25:29.79\00:25:33.93
We have the power by
just educating ourselves
00:25:33.96\00:25:37.07
and others, and
making things available.
00:25:37.10\00:25:39.33
Real estate is about
location, location, location.
00:25:40.34\00:25:43.74
Public health is
about awareness, resources,
00:25:44.07\00:25:46.88
awareness, resources.
00:25:47.01\00:25:48.34
And that's free. We
can spread that message.
00:25:48.78\00:25:51.41
So we think it's an
incredibly empowering message
00:25:51.45\00:25:54.75
to say that we've got
to go in this direction
00:25:54.78\00:25:57.65
that will literally
change healthcare overnight.
00:25:57.69\00:26:00.46
What has happened in general
population or in social media
00:26:00.72\00:26:04.93
and others is, they've
created all these gimmicks like
00:26:04.96\00:26:07.46
take these pills, and it's
going to affect your microbiome.
00:26:07.66\00:26:09.93
And prebiotics and
probiotics, and all that.
00:26:09.96\00:26:12.33
The only thing that's important,
mostly, is prebiotics.
00:26:12.90\00:26:17.44
And what are those prebiotics?
00:26:17.74\00:26:19.51
Again, fiber, fiber, fiber.
00:26:20.28\00:26:23.38
And plants, plants, plants.
00:26:23.55\00:26:25.65
Because you're not
forcing the issue by,
00:26:25.68\00:26:27.88
"No, here, you bacteria are
going to be created by these
00:26:27.92\00:26:30.29
pills that I'm
going to give you."
00:26:30.32\00:26:31.65
You're going to give
it the fuel that by itself
00:26:31.79\00:26:35.02
creates the natural microbiome
that starts from your mouth
00:26:35.06\00:26:38.83
all the way down
to the lower gut.
00:26:38.86\00:26:42.16
In fact, the majority lives in
the gut, in the large intestine.
00:26:42.46\00:26:45.73
And 60% of our poop is
microbiomes that goes away
00:26:46.03\00:26:50.77
and then we recreate it.
00:26:50.81\00:26:52.21
So every meal
recreates the microbiome,
00:26:52.57\00:26:54.84
recreates the
environment that is a factory.
00:26:55.04\00:26:58.21
It's a pharmacy.
00:26:58.55\00:26:59.88
It's a pharmacy that creates
so many chemicals in your body.
00:27:00.28\00:27:03.45
And if you're
giving it the wrong food,
00:27:03.85\00:27:05.32
the wrong
environment, the wrong chemicals
00:27:05.35\00:27:07.22
you're destroying the good
factory and you're bringing an
00:27:07.32\00:27:10.39
artificial factory that creates
tension, anxiety, stress,
00:27:10.43\00:27:14.06
brain damage.
00:27:14.10\00:27:15.43
Microbiome is important.
00:27:15.46\00:27:16.87
You don't have
to rely on gimmicks.
00:27:17.23\00:27:18.83
Eat fiber, eat plants.
00:27:19.23\00:27:21.24
I think it's
exciting and life transforming
00:27:21.27\00:27:24.31
that we have the
ability to nurture and nourish
00:27:24.34\00:27:27.24
a healthy gut microbiome,
which in turn will have a
00:27:27.28\00:27:30.61
life
transforming affect upon you.
00:27:30.65\00:27:33.48
Don't just think this healthy
stuff is for the lucky few.
00:27:33.72\00:27:37.55
No. You were made for health.
00:27:37.59\00:27:40.46