Nourish Balance Thrive

In Robert's own words: My background, I imagine, is pretty similar to many of your clients. Alpha male, hard charging, recreational athlete. As a husband, father, runner and self employed software developer, I have a pretty busy life where each minute of the day is always allocated. Time management is my top priority. Looking back the writing was on the wall for me in 2009, when training hard for Berlin marathon I was noticing ebbs and flows in my energy levels on training runs. Still it was a good year, I ran a PB of 2:31 at Berlin and felt that if I took away the heat of that day, I would have achieved a lifetime goal of sub 2:30. I picked up an injury not long after Berlin and from then on, it was a continual spiral downwards. The more, and the harder, I trained the worse the performances got and the more injuries and illnesses I picked up. I fell into the typical vicious circle of dipping performance, the solution was to train harder. This lasted for 5 years, when almost at the point of giving up the sport, I heard Chris on the Ben Greenfield podcast. In the podcast, Chris talked about self testing and the knowledge that can be gained from these tests. I'd already looked at the UK equivalent of 23andMe and I had also carried out the Genova Hormone Panel (Testosterone, Adrenal, Melatonin) prior to speaking with Chris as I'd started to become more interested in what makes us work, or not as the case was! So, I had the results from these tests, but really had no idea what I needed to do with the information. This is when I contacted NBT and after an initial chat with Chris he came up with an immediate adrenal recovery plan that included supplements, stress reduction techniques and alterations to diet. Chris was brilliant in sourcing the supplements I needed in the UK and provided a plan and protocol to follow. In the meantime we arranged the Organix Profile and 401H Pathogen screen tests to get a deeper understanding of where things might be going wrong. The results of these tests proved to be a real eye opener and at the same time not surprising. I had issues with yeast overgrowths in the gut and issues with energy systems pathways. This explained the gut issues I had been experiencing for, well, years! The issues in energy production and utilisation really struck home as I have always had the engine (VO2Max Lab tests proved that), but lacked the fuel delivery system. I could run 100+ miles a week in the hope of building that endurance base, but all I was doing was running myself into the ground, overstressing the adrenal hormone production, while trying to fuel on copious amounts of simple sugars and starches, which further stressed my already over stressed state. Chris and NBT have turned this 10+ years of self abuse around in 3 months. Although there is a long way still to go, I feel brilliant. I can't express my gratitude to the team at NBT for that. Running is such an important part of my life, it is part of my definition. My training over the last 3 months has been better than I could ever have expected. At 42 years old, I have a real desire to train again and race hard, I know there are PB's still in me. I could not have got to where I am now, never mind in the future, without Chris and Nourish Balance Thrive.

Richard David Feinman is Professor of Cell Biology (Biochemistry) at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. Dr. Feinman's original area of research was in protein chemistry and enzyme mechanism, particularly in blood coagulation and related processes. His recent book "The World Turned Upside Down. The Second Low Carbohydrate Revolution" describes how "How the science of carbohydrate restriction arising from a rag‑tag collection of popular diets defeated the powerful low‑fat army and became the default approach to health." The whole book oozes wisdom and dry wit decades in the making, but for this interview I decided I wanted to talk about part two: "Policy and the mess in nutrition". Chapter 16 begins a discussion of flawed medical studies and how you can spot them. My take away from the interview: Start with a solid review paper with lots of authors, e.g. this one. Drill down from there into the citations. Look at the pictures (figures) first. Pictures tell you the author is trying to teach and not snow you. It's not OK to omit a citation. Habeas corpus datorum - "show me the body of the data". Does the data support the conclusions? There is no gold standard for scientific studies; it depends on what question you're trying to answer. The first 25 pages of biology textbooks are a good place to build the prerequisite knowledge. Older editions are cheaper and perfectly fine for this purpose. All universities offer a great degree in biology, so find out what the accompanying textbook is. During the interview, Richard mentions Lippincott Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry and the book I have is Marks' Basic Medical Biochemistry. Also of tremendous value to me as an education tool, Bryan Walsh's Metabolic Fitness Pro training course and the Khan Academy chemistry module.

On the show this week, local talent Carolina Gomez-Villafañe​. Carolina is a cyclocross racer for the elite women's team Vanderkitten and was the first Argentine to represent at the World Championships in Tabor earlier this year. Carolina is unlike most of the people I work with in that she's new to the idea of a Paleo diet. My hope is that some subtle tweaks will resolve her digestive complaints and improve her recovery. During the interview, we discuss Carolina's recent blood chemistry. I'm confident the follow-up will show quantifiable improvement from the changes I recommend. Carolina recommends YogaGlo, and as always I talk about the guided meditation app Headspace. Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments below! Follow Carolina on Facebook and Instagram.

On the show this week, Kevin from the Rebooted Body podcast. I wanted to have Kevin on to talk about his program because I think it offers a level of interactivity, support and accountability that I will never be able to achieve in a scalable way with one-on-one coaching. In the podcast, Kevin talked about the fascinating connection between the Kaiser ACE evaluation score and failure to Reboot. How do you score? Let me know in the comments below. Click here to find out more about the Rebooted Body Program.

In 2013, I broke my leg training for a local mountain bike race. I tried to convince myself and everyone around me that continuing with my training in preparation for a more important race later that summer was a normal thing to do. Looking back I recognise this behaviour as exercise addiction. I didn't want to stop because I was fearful of living without the high that returned me to what I now consider to be a reasonable baseline. This addiction was a symptom of other underlying issues revealed using home health testing. Is your training a healthy endeavour helping achieve your competitive goals or is it a crutch helping you manage your adrenal fatigue symptoms? Leave a comment below and let me know!

On the podcast this week, elite mountain biker Sarah Kaufmann. Sarah suffered a mono infection a couple of years ago and has since been struggling to find her best form. Her recovery slowed, and insomnia set in. This together with digestive distress prevented from reaching her full potential on the bike. Switching to a Paleo type diet helped, but it hasn't been enough. After hearing me speak on the Robb Wolf podcast, we set about figuring out the underlying cause of her issues using salivary hormone, stool and organic acids testing. The saliva result showed low cortisol, low DHEA and incredibly low progesterone. Organic acids showed problems with fat burning, energy production, folate deficiency, inflammation and oxidative stress. The stool test found a blastocystis hominis infection. In addition to further diet and lifestyle changes, Sarah has taken supplements to address some of the problems we found. She now feels much better; her recovery times have improved, but still I feel like we're not there yet. Listen in to hear Sarah's very candid account of the changes that both helped and hindered. Are you looking for a paleo friendly coach that takes a minimalist and holistic approach? Sarah is a has a limited capacity to take on more clients. Email her [email protected] Photo credits: Scott Kingsley Photography and Dave Kozlowski.

I know from experience that stress and stress physiology play an important part in our health and athletic performance. People frequently come to me for help with stressors that I can do nothing about--first responders and professional athletes are good examples. Sometimes I encounter psychological stress that I can't help with because I don't understand it--body image associated stress imposed by the fitness industry is one such example. Having been a fitness model herself, my guest Maddy Moon knows exactly how body image stress can have negative health consequences, and she now runs a program designed to help people live their lives without food rules. Maddy is also the author of the new book The Perfection Myth: How to Break Free from the Dogmatic Chains of Health and Dieting. Consider this interview part of my continuing education. Are you finding new found food rules overly stressful? Please let me know in the comments section below.

I've wanted to record this podcast for a LONG time. Back when I first started bike racing and training, I would go everywhere with a ginormous CamelBak containing 2L of water. Then when I transitioned off the sugary sports supplements, I noticed that I was less thirsty. Then I read Waterlogged, and suddenly it all made perfect sense. Conventional hydration wisdom is all based on faux marketing science! Or is it? This quote from Dr. Bryan Walsh: "If plasma is 93% water and you lose 0.5% of total body water, it will increase the viscosity of the blood a bit, which causes more work for the heart. How much work? I'd have to look that up, but the viscosity is considered one of the factors that determines something called Total Peripheral Resistance (along with length and diameter of arteries). Increase viscosity, increase TPR, increase the workload on the heart." I'm sure this statement is right, and yet this seemingly deleterious effect appears to have no bearing on athletic performance. My guest today is Dr. Tommy Wood, a qualified medical doctor, graduating from Oxford University in 2011. He has a previous Bachelors degree in Natural Sciences and Biochemistry from Cambridge University. After working as a junior doctor in the UK for two years, Dr. Wood is now working towards a Ph.D. in neonatal brain metabolism at the University of Oslo, Norway. Tommy writes his blog and for Breaking Muscle, and co-hosts the Eat Better with Paleo Britain podcast. Have you noticed a decreased thirst since switching to a healthy fat, lower carbohydrate approach to training? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Being there to witness the return of a person's vitality is an amazing thing. The initial conversation is hard; usually the person is tired, frustrated and confused. As time goes by their sense of humour returns--that's when I know the program is working. Megan Melack is a pro mountain biker from Santa Cruz and an exception to this rule. Megan always sounded bright and bubbly, even when she was clearly feeling downright awful. The only visible improvement from my perspective was her ability to train! The three tests that Megan ran to figure out her low cortisol and Candida overgrowth problems were the Genova Diagnostics Organix Comprehensive Profile, BioHealth 401H GI Pathogen Screen and 205 Adrenal Stress Profile. Are you suffering from hormonal and digestive issues and having a hard time figuring out what to eat? Book a free consultation and let me help you figure it out.

Dr Lynda Frassetto is a medical doctor and Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at the University of California San Francisco. She is the director of a clinical research center at UCSF, supervises patient care at three of the University's hospitals, and helps teach courses on improved communications and behavioral stress modification techniques. Dr Frassetto is currently recruiting for the PCOS Paleo study! You can find out more about the study on the UCSF site, and also on clinicaltrials.gov. That aside, this episode is all about the kidneys. I first became interested in the kidneys after a urinalysis detected calcium oxalate crystals, and I started to worry about stones. I soon realised that the kidney's role in red blood cell production, gluconeogenesis and the regulation of blood pressure, electrolytes, pH and fluid balance is far more interesting than anything to do with filtration. In the interview, I mention two papers linking the ketogenic diet to kidney stones. They are: Furth SL et al. Risk factors for urolithiasis in children on the ketogenic diet. Pediatr Nephrol. 2000 Nov;15(1-2):125-8. http://pmid.us/11095028. Sampath A et al. Kidney stones and the ketogenic diet: risk factors and prevention. J Child Neurol. 2007 Apr;22(4):375-8. http://pmid.us/17621514. Does anyone know how to make steak and kidney pie that doesn't smell like pee? Julie made it once, and when she opened the oven door the kitchen smelled like a dairy shed. Leave your recipe in the comments section below!

Clay is the fourth-generation owner of a Tennessee funeral home and never was there a guy more invested in his future health. Originally Clay approached me for help with tackling a yeast overgrowth, and boy, have we come a long way since then! Listen to the audio or read the transcript for the full story as Clay's is an interesting and unusually complex case. Charging a friend money for something you'd happily do for fun is strange and difficult. We worked together as peers, and I couldn't be happier with the results. No surprises that Clay is doing Bryan's Metabolic Fitness Pro biochemistry course. I think you should too.

Dr. Grace Liu, PharmD, AFMCP, is a functional medicine practitioner with an international functional medicine practice that includes nutritional consultations, integrative laboratory analysis, and personalized counseling. I first became aware of her work last summer at the Ancestral Health Symposium where she presented the idea of an ancestral core microbiota. Over the past couple of years, I've been lucky enough to meet many gut experts. Dr. Liu is the first that can review a bacterial taxonomy from a fecal sample and give a meaningful research and practice orientated narrative. The taxonomy I have came from the results of taking part in the American Gut Project. A faster way to get hold of the data is uBiome. These tests are great if you're feeling pretty good. If you have any chronic health complaint, you will be better off first doing a test like the BioHealth 401H or Doctor's Data comprehensive stool analysis with parasitology. Dr. Liu's blog and podcast are fantastic resources for anyone interested in better understanding in the inner workings of the gut and improving their health. Look out for her next presentation at PaleoFX. In the interview, we mention the keystone species: Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Bifidobacterium longum and Akkermansia muciniphila, none of which I have! Prebiotics: glucomannan. Probiotics: Prescript-Assist.

We're throwing it back this week! Join Chris and Julie as they share a look back at the first year of Nourish Balance Thrive. The good, the bad, and the up and coming. See what happens when you change careers, start a new business, have a baby, and try to make it all work. Chris shares his story and walks you through what makes using this program so successful. Encouraging stories, business nuts and bolts, and ideas for the future, come along for a look back at an exciting year with Nourish Balance Thrive.

Jordan Bryden is a gifted young triathlete from Alberta in Canada who came to me looking for help. In 2005, Jordan won the Canadian Junior National Championships and has since gone on to compete as an elite athlete. Now age 28, Jordan suffers from fatigue and insomnia and feels like his recovery is much slower than in his younger years. I'm certain that this is not just about getting older, and together we plan to use functional lab work to identify the underlying cause of the problem. This first interview covers some of Jordan's history, complaints, and challenges. Using a home saliva test, we measured Jordan's cortisol, DHEA, estrogen, progesterone, melatonin, and testosterone. We found hypocortisolism (full paper), also known as adrenal fatigue syndrome. The question is why? The plan is to continue the investigation with urinary organic acids, stool and blood testing. Click here to view Jordan's results in PDF format. Are you a triathlete suffering from fatigue and insomnia? Book a free consultation and I'll walk you through the solution.

Last July, Julie, Ivy and me left the East Bay and moved to Santa Cruz, a lovely town on the ocean and in the redwood trees. We love it, but ever since Mission Heirloom opened their new garden cafe in Berkeley, Julie has been finding reasons to make the 70-mile journey back home. If you ever get the chance to visit Mission Heirloom, you'll understand why. The level of care taken over the facilities and preparation is unlike anything I've ever seen before, and the food is out of this world. Better yet, it's portable, so if you live in the Bay Area you owe yourself this pleasure. In a nutshell, Yrmis Barroeta, co-founder says: Mission Heirloom is our intent to create a platform for people to carry on their health journey and elevate joy, elevate food and elevate performance. Everybody is different. Everybody has different dietary requirements. And we're here to support that. We believe that there should be different diets for different people, and that's what we're trying to provide. It's a safe space where people don't need to come to the restaurant with a million questions to feel safe or to figure out what they can eat. But find a menu that's very easy to navigate and filled with options for them.

Streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat) is a type of pharyngitis caused by a group A streptococcal bacterial infection. We've had a lot of people writing in to ask if they should be taking antibiotics to treat their strep throat. The concern has been more about the about the long term harm done by the overuse of antibiotics, but the potential complications of strep throat are serious. Knowing whether or not your sore throat is being caused by the streptococcal bacteria is key to determining treatment. During this podcast, Dr Busch mentions the 4 Centor criteria: (1) history of fever, (2) tonsillar exudates, (3) no cough, and (4) tender anterior cervical lymphadenopathy (lymphadenitis). Do you have a question for Dr Busch? Send it to [email protected]

Christian Calma is a Research Coordinator, and Dr. Les Dethlefsen is a staff scientist in the Relman Lab at Stanford University. Dr. Dethlefsen studies the microbiota of the human gut, focusing on how it varies over time, and on what happens when it's disturbed when we take antibiotics or change our diet. I'm taking part in their study to further the cause and our understanding of how changes in the microbiota relate to changes in our health. I'm also excited about having all the data--80 samples over 34 weeks. There are three arms of the trial. The first will have no perturbations; the second will receive antibiotics (ciprofloxacin), and the third (my arm) will supplement with resistant starch and Go-Lytely® solution. The resistant starch should build the microbiota up, and the solution should knock it back down. You can find out more about the trial over at the Dynamics of the Human Microbiota website, and you can find out if you're eligible to take part by completing their online survey.

Equilibrium is a probiotic supplement that restores the dietary microbes lost as a by-product of widespread food sterilization. The product is a direct offshoot of research done at the NIH's Human Microbiome Project, a $115 million dollar census of humanity's gut flora. The data tells a clear story: as a society our digestive flora is dying off, and this lack of diversity has causal links to western stomach issues. Using a data-driven approach, General Biotics identified the groups of bacteria that are commonly missing from western microbiomes. GB then worked backwards from these data to locate missing dietary microbes that provide the needed function. In this episode, David Salamon, CEO of General Biotics and I mention: The American Gut Project Commensal bacteria protect against food allergen sensitization

Something a bit different for you this week. I want to talk the liver and some markers on a standard blood chemistry that can help predict the onset of fatty liver and Type 2 diabetes. Maybe you've noticed that your fasted blood glucose is consistently above 85 mg/dL. This elevation could be because your liver is not getting the message that there's sufficient glucose and is continually making it via a process called gluconeogenesis. The first paper I mention is Liver transplantation for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: New challenges and new opportunities. Pull out your old blood work and have a look at these two markers: ALT is an enzyme present in high concentrations in the liver and to a lesser extent skeletal muscle, the heart, and kidney. ALT will be liberated into the bloodstream following cell damage or destruction. Any condition or situation that causes damage to the hepatocytes will cause a leakage of ALT into the bloodstream. These would be exposure to chemicals, viruses (viral hepatitis, mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr, etc.), alcoholic hepatitis. AST is an enzyme present in highly metabolic tissues such as skeletal muscle, the liver, the heart, kidney, and lungs. This enzyme is at times released into the bloodstream following cell damage or destruction. Here are my numbers. August 2013 on the right in red (long after I was feeling better) and January 2015 on the left. Note that I'm always riding my bike and training, so I don't think the damage was due to that alone. Have a look at figure 3 in this paper titled Banting Memorial Lecture 2012 Reversing the twin cycles of Type 2 diabetes: Send me your liver questions to [email protected]

Dan is an entrepreneur and researcher whose life's work is how to facilitate health behaviors in others. He is the developer of Loop Model to Sustain Health Behaviors to help people live a healthy lifestyle in a modern world. He does research in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at Stanford and the Departments of Neurology and Endocrinology at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Follow him @dansplanhealth. I've wanted to get Dan on the show since attending the Ancestral Health Symposium in Berkeley last summer and seeing the compelling presentation How Quantified Self Technologies Will Help Us Live More Like Our Ancestors. Dan talked about how education alone may not be enough to enable someone to make a change and improve their health. Up until now education is most of what I do. I find problems with lab work, most of which is due to poor diet and lifestyle choices, and then I try to education the person so that the problem doesn't happen again. A better way would be to also give that person tools that would support better decision-making. Those tools are dansplan.com and the Ideal Weight Program.

Paul Jaminet, Ph.D was an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, became a software entrepreneur during the Internet boom, and now provides strategic advice to entrepreneurial companies while pursuing research in economics. Paul's experience overcoming a chronic illness has been key to his views of aging and disease. Paul and I started by discussing the birth of their new baby Luke, and since I have a 15-month old daughter, I got sleep envy. I regularly use LED lighting to entrain circadian rhythm but I realise I could be doing more of the same for our daughter Ivy. Paul then announced that he's working on a cookbook. Next we talked about the Perfect Health Retreat, which frankly sounds awesome. The retreat caters for every aspect of diet and lifestyle including diet, rest, exercise and stress reduction. It's a learning experience woven into a beach holiday. I was interested in Paul's experience dealing with chronic infections because I too had the same problem. Now I see it everyday in our practice. My advice was if the diet and lifestyle described in the Perfect Health Diet are not working for you, find someone that can help you figure out the reasons why. Paul recommends getting most nutrients from food, but also has a recommended supplement list. Finally, we talked about my experience switching over to a low carb version of the Paleo diet. Paul's problems got much worse when he went low carb, whereas my performance improved markedly. It's important to point out that I went through the transition after fixing my chronic health complaints. Paul thinks that the healthier you are, the more likely you are to withstand a carbohydrate deficiency. I'm still not convinced that such a thing exists! Buy the book on Amazon and join the Facebook group.

Mickey Trescott is a cook and one of the bloggers behind Autoimmune Paleo. After recovering from her own struggle with both Celiac and Hashimoto's disease, adrenal fatigue, and multiple vitamin deficiencies, Mickey started to write about her experience to share with others and help them realize they are not alone in their struggles. She is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner by the Nutritional Therapy Association, and is the author of The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook, a guide and recipe book for the autoimmune protocol. You also can find her on Instagram, or on her book tour. Mickey and I have a lot in common. We both suffered a health crisis; we both are sensitive to gluten, and both had thyroid issues. The good news is that using a combination of the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) and functional medicine we've both made a full recovery. You can too! You can read the full version of Mickey's story, from asthma to Hashimoto's thyroiditis over on her blog. I first discovered her book using the Google search "AIP cookbook". At that time, the Paleo Mom had tons of great information on the science on her site, but there wasn't much in the way of help trying to figure out what you should eat. Mickey's cookbook proved to me that AIP wasn't just survivable; it was good! It's important to note that whilst AIP is a crucial first step to recovering from autoimmunity; it's not the only part. Rest, exercise, stress management and supplements are all important. An unhealthy host makes a great home for infection and hormone imbalance. The liver often struggles to keep up with the additional demand and the burden of nutrient deficiencies. Figuring all this out is only hard if you're guessing. Don't guess, do a test! Find out how in a free 15-minute consultation. Sign up and I will send you a PDF preview of the cookbook and a 2-week AIP meal planner!

New Year's resolutions suck. Why wait to make a change? But still, we know that accountability is important, and if everyone makes a change all at the same time then there's added accountability. In order to achieve your goal, you must first break it down into manageable steps. The first steps are planning. If the step requires not doing something, raise the barrier to entry. For example, if you want to avoid a particular food, don't keep it in the house. If there's something you want to do more often, lower the barrier to entry. TRX and kettlebells are great for lowering the barrier to working out. If you don't have a resolution, consider tracking your heart rate variability (HRV). Joining our Clinical Rounds program will be helpful for two reasons. First, we'll be there each week on a webinar to answer your questions. Second, there's added accountability--we care and want to know if our recommendations work! Image credit.

Health and athletic performance have been a passion of mine since early adulthood. For the first 17 years or so, all my ideas were all dead wrong. Low-fat, high-carb, vegetarianism, polyphasic sleep. All terrible ideas. Then came the Paleo diet and lifestyle and with it success. Now I think I'm less likely to be dead wrong, and more likely to be incomplete. Katy Bowman is a witty writer I've been following for several years. I wrote to Katy her telling her about Nourish Balance Thrive and how her ideas might help me to do a better job as a coach. Katy is unique in her analysis of movement and how it affects genetic expression and cellular life. Quite possibly a missing piece! With radical, science-based health directives, Katy is taking the health-and-wellness world by storm with her bold "exercise is not movement" platform. A biomechanist by training and a problem-solver at heart, she has helped thousands reduce chronic pain, increase bone density, and improve metabolic health through movement and proper alignment. In addition to writing for her award-winning, and science-y blog KatySays.com, she is a regular source for national health publications and is regularly featured on radio, television talk shows and news segments. Creator of the Aligned and Well™ DVD series, Katy's groundbreaking work in pelvic floor restoration has made her particularly popular with midwives, OBGYNs, and others concerned with pelvic mobility, strength, and health. Her books, Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief: The New Science of Healthy Feet (2011) and Alignment Matters (2013), have been critically acclaimed and translated worldwide. Her most anticipated book, Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement, was released in the autumn of 2014.

Bike fit has a massive problem that's best illustrated with an example. The first time I had a fit done, I found myself wearing a plastic wedge in between my cleat and the pedal to correct the discrepancy between the length of my legs. The bike fitter did his very best to make me fit the bicycle. The bike fit process reminds me a lot of the experience I had with my primary care doctor. Rather than asking why my legs were a different length, the fitter just addressed the symptom with a plastic wedge. The wedge was all well and good until I needed to wear a mountain bike shoe, and then I ran into all sorts of problems. Leg length discrepancies that are the result of the bone being of a different length are surprisingly rare. The cause of the problem lies in the soft tissue and can often be fixed using some simple exercises. Nigel McHollan is a biomechanics coach from Edinburgh in Scotland. Unfortunately, in order for Nigel to help you're going to have to see him at least once in person. The mountain biking is great there, so start making some holiday plans! There may also be a chance to see Nigel when he visits California for the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon in June of this year. Nigel can be found on the Web at www.nigelmchollan.co.uk In the show, we also mention Biomechanics Education and Martin Haines.

In this episode, registered nurse Amelia, food scientist Julie and me discuss protein. Protein is fascinating for a million different reasons; not enough eventually leads to muscle wasting, too much to an inefficient conversion to glucose. How much protein should you be eating? What type? When? Unfortunately, we can't answer those questions but we can certainly guide you through some self-experimentation to find out. Amino aicds are the building blocks of protein. Certain amino acids are gluconeogenic, meaning they can enter the citric acid cycle and be converted into malate and pyruvate and then glucose. Others are ketogenic and convert into acetyl-CoA and then ketone bodies. Many amino acids are both ketogenic and gluconeogenic! It's complicated, but know that the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine are the most ketogenic, and you should favour them for the purposes of athletic performance. Branched-chain amino acids have been shown to increase the effectiveness of the ketogenic diet. Your body has two states: fasted (without food) and post-fed (absorptive). Long endurance activity is likely to induce the fasted state, and when combined with the presence of catabolic hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, this will lead to the breaking down of skeletal muscle tissue (bad). You can potentially avoid this by supplementing with branched-chain amino acid capsules during the activity. My favourite supplement for this is MAP. In general, Julie prefers whole food sources of protein rather than supplements like MAP or whey protein. Whey is a rich source of cysteine, the primary rate-limiting factor for glutathione production, but a potentially less allergenic source is PharmaNAC. Amelia rightly points out that it's not just about the amount of protein consumed, but how well it's digested and assimilated. Digestion seems to become less efficient in older people so they may need to eat more protein. Infections and general dysbiosis can also affect protein digestion, especially as with an h. Pylori infection. We see lots of infections on the new upgraded BioHealth 401H GI Pathogen screen. Organic acids testing gives tremendous insight into cellular metabolism and can help you understand exactly how well you're utilising your protein. Do you have questions? Please get in touch, and we'll answer them on the show.

Dr. Seth Oberst uses a holistic, progressive approach to human movement patterns and their impact on sport and function. Dr. Oberst received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Ohio University and has undergone extensive training through an APTA-credentialed Sports Residency. He has presented on motor control topics at national conferences for clinician scientists, provided continuing education for healthcare professionals, and regularly consults with fellow coaches and physiotherapists. Currently practicing in South Carolina, Seth focuses on performance-based sports medicine with an emphasis on returning individuals to elite-level sport and function. Dr. Oberst uses a movement-based, neuroscience-centric treatment approach combining manual therapy and progressive strength and conditioning techniques. His clients include collegiate, professional, and Olympic athletes in both team and individual sports; competitive age-division and Masters athletes as well as power lifting and CrossFit competitors. He also works as an Injury Prevention and Performance Consultant for several high school sports teams and CrossFit affiliates. I was excited to get Seth on to discuss the ways in which endurance athletes can utilize strength and conditioning for both athletic performance and longevity. We also talked about the sympathetic nervous system and how its activation can lead to difficulty breathing. I like to think that my approach to improving physiology and biochemistry is like Seth's functional approach to training. We're both always asking why, what's the cause of this dysfunction that we're observing. Never stop asking why! Seth writes over at sethoberst.com and is also available for one on one and remote consultations.

Kelly Starrett is a coach, physical therapist, author, speaker, and creator of mobilitywod.com, a site that has revolutionized how athletes think about human movement and athletic performance. Together with TJ Murphy, Kelly has co-authored a new book Ready to Run. I'm not a runner (or am I--listen to find out more) but I enjoyed the book immensely. Think of it as the instruction manual for the human body part I: movement. I don't care if you're a swimmer or cyclist, there's something here for you. It's also pleasingly manageable in its size and complexity, something I appreciated after Becoming a Supple Leopard. In this interview, you'll discover the 12 standards that will keep you running and free of injury.

Introducing Amelia, the newest member of the Nourish Balance Thrive team. Amelia is a registered nurse working with a very sick population in Utah. Disenchanted with the medical system, Amelia came to functional medicine partly through her own health struggles. A low fat, traditional standard American diet lead to constant hunger, and initially Amelia got good results switching to the Atkins diet. I thought this was really interesting because Amelia was never looking to lose weight, in fact she has always struggled with the opposite. The ah-ha moment came after discovering saliva hormone testing via Sean Croxton and Dr Kalish. Amelia was suffering from depressed cortisol and a Giardia gut infection and correcting these issues lead to the health improvements that inspired her to become a certified practitioner. I will be forever grateful to the Robb Wolf podcast for giving me the opportunity for Amelia to find us, and she will be working remotely to help anyone looking to improve their health or athletic performance via phone and Skype. Limited time offer: use this link to book a free 15-minute consultation.

Hal Elrod is a #1 bestselling author, international Keynote Speaker, hall of fame business achiever, one of America's top Success Coaches, national champion Sales Manager, record-breaking Sales Rep, ultra-marathon runner, grateful husband & proud father. Wow, that's a lot to live up to and live up to it he did. I enjoyed this conversation with Hal; his genuine enthusiasm is something I admire greatly. Hal is a wonderful salesman, and frankly by the end of this conversation I couldn't wait to hang up and check out miraclemorning.com to download the two free chapters. If, like me, you're already sold, head over to Amazon and buy a copy of the book. How did I do as an interviewer? Email me and let me know!

Michelle Tam and her husband Henry Fong are the authors of the New York Times bestselling cookbook Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans and the Webby award winning app of the same name. If you've ever wondered how good the Paleo diet (and a website) could look, head over to Michelle's blog.

When I first met Nicole McPherson, she was desperate—desperate for a life without the constant digestive issues that plagued her, and desperate for relief from excruciating menstrual pain each month. You see, for years Nicole had been careless with her diet. As a naturally thin person with a high metabolism, she never paid much attention to healthy eating. Although her digestion was not great, she could get by. It wasn't that Nicole was uninformed about her body and its systems. In fact, she is a biomedical researcher with a background in clinical research. However, a busy work schedule and the day-to-day race of life distracted her from her own health, and she ignored the warning signs that her body sent her—until those signs were too severe to be pushed aside any longer. After a trip to India, she contracted a severe stomach virus, one that took a full six months to work its way out of her system. At the same time, work stress increased and the drama of a property renovation took its toll. Nicole's body finally returned to normal after the virus—but she began to realize that "normal" was not good enough. Normal was too painful. Starting a Paleo Lifestyle Nicole joined a CrossFit gym and discovered the Paleo diet and lifestyle. She understood its ancestral health background and its emphasis on whole living, so she began live by those guidelines. "It cleared up a lot of digestive issues," she says. "As well as brain fog and tiredness and things like that. I loved Paleo—I was really on board." However, a year after beginning her Paleo diet, Nicole began to develop other symptoms. The pain during her menstrual cycle became horrible, and her fatigue got worse. It seemed her Paleo diet was falling short. Trying Conventional Medicine Desperate, Nicole visited doctors, following the route of conventional medicine, but no one was able to completely resolve the symptoms that troubled her. "I did a lot of my own kind of troubleshooting with supplements," she recalls. "I've probably spent thousands of dollars on supplements over the last couple of years, and none of those really helped." Nicole is not alone. I see many individuals who suffer from chronic, unexplained health issues attempt to boost or improve their body's function using supplements. Occasionally they see improvement; more often, the costly purchases end up in a kind of supplement graveyard in the bathroom cabinet. After her failed attempts to find the source of the problem, Nicole turned to Paleo-style medicine. She visited a female doctor with Paleo leanings but soon found that the doctor's foundation was still in conventional medicine. Nicole's progesterone was low, so her next stop was a gynecologist who diagnosed her with PCOS and recommended surgery and a topical cream to boost progesterone. However, the benefits of the cream disappeared after just two months of use. She felt like she was right back where she started. Connecting with the Right People One day, Nicole happened to hear me speak on a Robb Wolf podcast, and she thought, "I have to get in touch with this guy. He seems to get it." The first test that I recommended was a 4-point saliva test. Nicole had just 16 points of cortisol for the day—a drastically low count. Ideally, she should have double that amount. "At this point, I just could not get out of bed in the morning," Nicole remembers. "My boyfriend would say, 'Let's go get coffee and breakfast,' and I just did not want to get up. I couldn't even cope with going to the gym, even if it was just for a light workout." The feeling of being dragged down, of lacking energy to the point where moving seems like an overwhelming task, affects many people. This feeling points to a cortisol problem, as well as to an issue with the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. Discovering the Importance of Testing Nicole had been supplementing with a topical progesterone cream before we met, and interestingly, the numbers on the lab work were normal whilst she continued to suffer the symptoms of low progesterone. My theory is that topical creams supersaturate into the subcutaneous fat and eventually lead to the downregulation of internal production and sensitivity. Organic acid testing of her urine found several problems, though, most of which could be easily resolved with targeted supplementation. With a little guidance from me, Nicole found supplements that matched her unique needs. The test revealed that her body required supplemental L-carnitine, a micronutrient essential for fat burning. Low levels can affect body composition and energy levels. Three markers in Nicole's Organix profile indicated a need for additional CoQ10, an enzyme vital to energy production. A look at her methylation revealed insufficient folate. Organic acids testing is an amazing tool for pinpointing the root cause of chronic health complaints like Nicole's. More often than not the result shows small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) which causes malabsorption and an uncomfort

Stephan is an obesity researcher, neurobiologist, and author. He has an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Virginia and a PhD in neurobiology from the University of Washington. His blog Whole Health Source is a free resource for anyone who loves the science of health. I'm embarrassed to admit that I first discovered Stephan's work whilst attending AHS14 where I saw him give this fantastic presentation on the causes of leptin resistance.

Leo Babauta is a simplicity blogger at Top 25 blog Zen Habits and a best-selling author. In 2005, he was overweight, sedentary, deeply in debt, addicted to cigarettes and junk food, with a life full of clutter and no time for anything important, like his wife and kids. That's where he started his journey of life changes. Over the next few years, he changed everything ... one step at a time: Quit smoking Started running, ran several marathons & a 50-mile ultramarathon Started eating healthier, eventually became vegan Lost 60 lbs. Simplified and got rid of clutter Got out of debt Started a successful blog, quit his day job Overcame procrastination, wrote numerous books Found time for health, family, writing, reading And much more Since then he's helped tens of thousands of people change their life through habit change. Babauta is a husband and father of six children, and in 2010 moved from Guam to San Francisco, where he leads a simple life. The Zen Habits book is already fully funded (and then some) on Kickstarter.

Carolynn Romaine is a gifted athlete. She's good at everything she tries, but she loves to ride her bike. I first met her at the famous Downieville All Mountain Bike Race in 2012, two years after she made the brave decision to follow her passion, quit her job, sell her possessions and take to the road. Competing in enduro mountain races across the country, Carolynn was living the dream. Competition was stiff, and Carolynn was soon feeling the pressure. She spent her winter in Arizona, taking advantage of the exceptional weather to pack in the extra training hours. Recovery times gradually started to lengthen, and benefits rapidly diminished. The niggling digestive issues that had plagued her for as long as she could remember became unbearable. Her legs were constantly tired. Even climbing stairs was a big ask. Eventually the joy of riding disappeared, and by the time we got together to discuss functional medicine as a potential solution, she was ready to chuck it all in and return home to New York. Now Carolynn is back, energized and free of digestive issues, winning the Tiger Mountain Enduro in Washington last weekend. So how exactly did she do it? In contrast to dysfunctional medicine, functional medicine addresses the root causes of common chronic health complaints. If you're a women with PMS symptoms, your doctor will likely prescribe oral birth control. If you're a man with low libido, Viagra will be the answer. But what do either of these do to address the underlying root cause of the problem? I found this out the hard way, having spent thousands on medical bills figuring out my own digestive and hormonal issues. The solution was elegant and exciting enough to persuade me to become trained in functional medicine, leaving a position as a software engineer at a hedge fund to start a new practice. First of all, Carolynn slowed down. The temptation to push even harder when the results aren't happening is strong, but it must be resisted. Long endurance rides and strength training were switched out for yoga, mindfulness meditation and nature walks with the dog. Secondly, Carolynn hired an expert cook and food scientist to assist her with optimizing her diet via a shared food diary. Out went the added sugar and gluten free baked goods, and in came quality grass fed protein and healthy fats. Skinless, boneless chicken was replaced with a diversity of meats and nose-to-tail eating. Liver is rich in B vitamins and vitamin A and several other nutrients lacking in Carolynn's diet. Since dietary cholesterol does not have a significant impact on blood cholesterol, eggs were back on the menu because of the choline in the yolks. Fermented foods, like sauerkraut, were introduced. Because they are loaded with good bacteria, fermented foods are excellent for gut health. Carolynn's overall macronutrient ratios are now around 60% fat, 15% protein, 35% carbohydrate. Thirdly, Carolynn collected samples of saliva, urine and stool for lab analysis. The saliva revealed low levels of the primary stress hormone cortisol, in addition to low levels of its anabolic counterparts DHEA and estrogen. Progesterone was extremely low, and testosterone was normal. As these hormones work together in unison, the numbers pointed towards testosterone dominance, a strong risk factor for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This kind of hormone imbalance is extremely common in athletes with any kind of health complaint, and the primary underlying root causes are chronic stress and blood glucose instability. The urine sample gave insight about the inner workings of Carolynn's metabolism, and it enabled me to design a highly targeted nutrient replacement program. This type of organic acid test reveals problems with fat burning, blood sugar stabilization, energy production, methylation, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter turnover and intestinal bacterial overgrowth, all of which are crucial for the highly tuned athlete. The most significant findings for Carolynn were insufficient coenzyme Q10 (an essential component for energy production), B vitamin deficiency and intestinal bacterial overgrowth. At this point, we had an excellent understanding of why Carolynn felt so tired and bloated after consuming carbohydrates. The final test that Carolynn took was designed to detect the presence of specific pathogenic bacteria (like H. pylori and C. difficile) and parasites (like Cryptosporidium parvum and Entamoeba histolytica). In this case, none were found, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Typically, I see about 60-70% of these come back with some abnormality, and it's the leading cause of fatigue that I see. Why such a high rate? Because everybody I work with has suffered from chronic stress, and stress lowers immunity. There's no doubt the solution to most chronic health complaints is rooted in diet and lifestyle, but for the hard charging athlete targeted supplementation is important, too. Carolynn got relief from her fatigue symptoms shortl

Wendy Myers, CHHC, NC, is a certified holistic health and nutrition coach. She is the founder, head writer and Chief Eating Officer of Liveto110.com. She is passionate about spreading her health message through her writing, podcast, speaking and her Modern Paleo Cooking show. Wendy attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York and has a degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. She is certified in Hair Mineral Analysis and is currently seeking her masters in clinical nutrition at Bridgeport University in Connecticut. Wendy's interest in nutrition began with the death of her father from esophageal cancer. She vowed to finnd out what made him sick, what role his treatment and medications played in his demise, and how she could avoid the same fate. The more Wendy learned, the more she realized that all the answers to health do not lie in our medical system. Food, detoxification and natural healing modalities must be used to compliment the advances in modern medicine. Thus, Liveto110.com was born. Wendy's site aims to inform readers about how to achieve optimum health, energy and vitality. Liveto110.com empowers readers to improve their health through the Modern Paleo diet, hair mineral analysis, detoxification and natural treatments for their health conditions. Wendy urges visitors to take responsibility for their health by learning about alternative treatments for their health conditions. Most doctors are only trained to oer medications or surgery, which are not an appropriate rst line of treatment for many health conditions. Health is not merely about the absence of disease or symptoms.

Lee McCormack is a world renowned MTB skills instructor. He wrote the books Mastering Mountain Bike Skills, Teaching Mountain Bike Skills, Pro BMX Skills, Welcome to Pump Track Nation, Pump Up the Base and Prepare to Pin It. Lee is the skills development director for NICA, the national high school mountain bike league. He works with riders of all styles and levels, from beginners to world champions.

Jeremy is the co-founder of Paleo Living Magazine, and he believes that nourishing and caring for your body is the first step toward living a life you love. When he's not working, Jeremy loves rock-climbing, ultimate frisbee, and reading fantasy. You can also check him out at www.jeremyhendon.com.

Anese Cavanaugh is the creator of the IEP Method (Intentional Energetic Presence) as well as a leadership & collaboration advisor, strategist, and thinking partner for business leaders in the design, service and innovation spaces. Through her speaking, writing and creative leadership programs, people learn how to optimize their leadership and presence, bringing their best selves to the table for greater collaboration, impact, and cultural success. Follow her @anesecavanaugh.com Save 20% on your registration fee for Anese's upcoming live event in Sacramento using the code IMPACT.

Rachel Albert has been a natural foods chef, freelance food and health writer, cooking instructor and nutrition educator for more than 25 years. She is an award winning cookbook author, thriver, a survivor of stage IV metastatic breast cancer, and advocate of the ketogenic diet for cancer. Find out more about Rachel's books, and read her blog, The Heathy Cooking Coach.

Dominic D'Agostino is an assistant professor at the University of South Florida. His main area of interest is metabolic therapies focusing on oxygen toxicity (seizures), epilepsy, neurodegenerative diseases, brain cancer and metastatic cancer. Recently his research has been focused on understanding the anticonvulsant and neuroprotective mechanism of a ketogenic diet and ketone esters. A ketogenic diet has been an area of resurging focus among high performance athletes and that's the reason Christopher has him on the show today. In this conversation they dig into the details of what ketones are, how and when the body produces them, how they are an excellent source of energy for athletes, and much more. What is a ketogenic diet? Dr. Russell Wilder first developed ketogenic diets at the Mayo Clinic in 1924. Despite being highly effective in treating epilepsy, they fell out of fashion due to the surge in new anti-seizure medications in the 1940s. Ketogenic diets are high in fat, moderate in protein, and very low in carbohydrate. This special macronutrient partitioning changes the way your body uses energy. Ketones are a form of stored energy produced by the liver from fatty acids. Today's guest, Dominic D'Agostino, chats with Christopher about the production and metabolism of ketones, and how athletes seeking higher performance can utilize a ketogenic diet for athletic performance. How a ketogenic diet can help elite athletes perform better. Dominic D'Agostino has been a powerlifter and weight trainer for years. His interest in athletics and sports has perfectly combined with his role as a researcher to provide valuable insights into the important role ketone bodies play in high-performance athletics. Dominic hopes to bring his research into the athletic realm for use as a tool for elite athletes to use to shape their diet in a way that maximizes performance through the production of ketones. There's a ton of promising research and great insights shared in this episode, so make sure you block out some time to listen to the entire thing. Dealing with insulin related blood issues with a ketogenic diet. For athletes and nonathletes alike, blood sugar issues can be a significant problem. Spikes or dips in blood glucose levels create all kinds of symptoms, from shakiness and weakness to headaches, dizziness, and complete lack of energy. Dominic has discovered that a ketogenic diet improves insulin sensitivity, thereby improving the regulation of blood sugar. If you struggle with blood sugar issues, it will be worth your time to listen to this episode. Ketogenic diets and weight loss. Dominic likes to say that "ketones keep the brain happy even when you are in a calorie deficient state." Appetite regulation is incredibly complex, but Dominic has noticed both anecdotally and in the literature that being in the state of ketosis makes it very easy to regulate your appetite. Regulate appetite and the weight stays off naturally. Here's the outline of this interview with Dominic: [0:05] Introduction of Dominic, assistant professor at the University of South Florida. [0:30] The relationship of ketones that are connected to insulin issues. [1:55] Nutritional ketosis: What are ketones and how are they produced in the body? [4:20] How do ketone bodies prevent seizures? Do we really know? [6:29] How Dominic came to be interested in ketone bodies and their relationship to seizures. [8:53] Are ketones at all helpful in dealing with traumatic brain injuries or mental performance? [12:31] Dominic's interest in promoting the use of ketones for elite athletes. [13:35] What is going on in the body when it begins using ketones for energy? [16:40] Does the ketogenic diet involve a flood of stress hormones or not? [19:06] Dominic's advice for those who want to try a ketogenic diet. [19:38] Is a ketogenic diet stressful to the body in the long term? [24:24] What does Dominic mean by "increased sensitivity" that could occur in the ketone adaptation process? [28:29] Why athletes who want to try a ketogenic diet should take a few months to try it out and the importance of tracking foods and glucose levels. [32:13] The enormously helpful tool of a glucometer and the benefits Christopher has seen in using Ucan Superstarch. [33:08] How does a ketogenic diet reduce oxidative stress? [36:11] How does MCT oil work and what are the problems with them? [40:12] MCT is able to cross the blood-brain barrier for use in energy production. [41:19] How a ketogenic diet is beneficial for weight loss. [42:43] Could there be a problem with athletes who are eating a ketogenic diet and burn up a ton of calories in a workout but don't eat afterward because they're not hungry? [44:27] What are the different types of ketone supplements available? [46:19] Why ketone esters are a great potential source of ketogenic supplementation but are not available yet. [49:09] One problem of ketone levels being too high. [49:36] Why does ketone supplementation cause glucose lev

Ashley Mason, PhD is a clinical psychologist and research fellow at UCSF. Her primary research interests focus on food-craving experiences, stress-induced eating, and reward-based eating. She is currently using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodologies so as to develop targeted interventions that (1) increase awareness and understanding of food craving experiences, and (2) de-couple the experience of craving from the action of indulging cravings. She is currently examining a biological probe as an index of a tendency to engage in reward-based eating. Ashley is part of the team conducting the PCOS Paleo study. The crowdfunding project has now come to an end, and even though they didn't reach their target the study will still be taking place. You can still donate by emailing them. Ashley provided some wonderful insight into addiction, food cravings and food reward.

Author, blogger and podcaster Evan Brand is currently studying to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association. You can find him over at notjustpaleo.com. Evan's story began in 2009 after refusing prescription medicine for the treatment of his depression and IBS. Distrust of mainstream medicine, great information from Mark's Daily Apple and a gluten-free, high fat diet led to complete resolution of these issues. He went on to gain 45lb whilst maintaining 12-13% body fat. Photoperiod, stress reduction and sleep would all turn out to be instrumental in achieving this amazing turnaround, the details of which are catalogued in Evan's new guide REM Rehab.

Caryn Zinn is a senior lecturer and nutrition researcher at Auckland University of Technology's Human Potential Centre. She is also a NZ Registered Dietitian and has a private practice where she consults with clients with varying needs, ranging from general health to chronic disease to athletic performance. In a case study design, five multi sporters underwent a 10-week ketogenic dietary intervention. Outcome variables related to sports performance, body composition and feelings of well-being, and were measured at baseline and at 10 weeks. All athletes reduced their body fat (range: 20-37.4mm using sum of 8 skinfolds), but experienced performance decrements. These expected findings will be discussed along with the unexpected findings of improved well-being. Despite performance decrements, athletes were keen to continue to simulate low carbohydrate high fat eating habits in the future as a result of the unexpected health benefits that they received from this dietary regime.

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) expert Jason Moore is the co-founder of EliteHRV, an app for iPhone and Android that tracks sleep patterns, workout patterns, mood and more. After being impressed by Jason's AHS presentation I was equally impressed by the app, and it's now something I use every day.

In this episode I was delighted to be joined by Dr Lynda Frassetto. Lynda is a medical doctor and Professor of Medicine and Nephrology at the University of California San Francisco. She is the director of a clinical research center at UCSF, supervises patient care at three of the University's hospitals, and helps teach courses on improved communications and behavioral stress modification techniques. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 8,000,000 women in the US alone. Women with PCOS are often unable to become pregnant, and are at increased risk for obesity, depression, and cancer. We don't understand all the causes of PCOS but we know that it is closely related to insulin resistance. And one of the best ways to treat insulin resistance is diet! As of writing there are just 9 days left for you to help fund a groundbreaking study into the efficacy of diet for treating PCOS. If like me you've been wondering how you might give back to the Paleo community, here's your chance. Donate to the PCOS Paleo Diet Study »

Another dietary champion episode with author, blogger and ketosis expert Jimmy Moore. Find out how Jimmy was able to permanently lose 180lb over at his blog or better yet, head over to Amazon and treat yourself to a copy of his new book, Keto Clarity, just out today. Hear Jimmy debunk the the myths concerning ketogenic diets and cortisol, thyroid, fatty liver disease.

In this episode we were delighted to be joined by author, blogger and autoimmunity expert Sarah Ballantyne, better known as The Paleo Mom. Adopting the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol was the first step I took towards regained my health and fitness, so having Sarah on our show was really quite something. Since the AIP diet focuses on maximizing nutrient density whilst simultaneously avoiding exposure to potentially allergenic or toxic food, it's still pretty much what we as a family eat today. Join us as we talk to Sarah about ketogenic diets, adrenal fatigue syndrome, her forthcoming book "The Paleo Approach Cookbook: A Detailed Guide to Heal Your Body and Nourish Your Soul" and much, much more.

Daniel Kalish, D.C., is a pioneer, having developed his own model of Functional Medicine founded on 20 years of successful clinical results while working with over 8,000 patients in his private practice. He has certified over 700 practitioners worldwide in The Kalish Method which solves patient challenges through a proven lab based mentorship program addressing the three key areas of Hormones, GI and Detoxification. He has trained practitioners from Dr. Mercola's medical staff to Mayo Clinic physicians in Kalish Method functional medicine protocols. Dr. Kalish received his B.A. in Physiological Psychology & Philosophy from Antioch College in Ohio and completed his Chiropractic degree in California. He also studied at the University of London and conducted research with biochemist Dr. Robin Monroe at Cambridge University. His studies led him to mentoring with renowned psychiatrist Dr. R.D. Lang utilizing drug-free treatments for schizophrenics. More recently, Dr. Kalish proudly served as an advisor to the Honorable Patrick Kennedy and participated in the first One Mind For Research conference held in Boston in 2011 where 200 of the nation's top neuroscientists gathered to form a unified front to promote research on brain disorders. He is the author of two books, The Kalish Method: Healing the Body Mapping the Mind and Your Guide to Healthy Hormones and is a frequently requested speaker for health summits across the United States. See the sample result discussed in the interview.

UCAN Superstarch has been an extraordinary tool that allowed me to make the transition from sugar burning age grouper to ketogenic pro. Registered Dietitian and Director of Nutrition at UCAN Seth Bronheim explains why Superstarch works so well and why it's not just for athletes. [00:00:33] UCAN Superstarch is a high molecular weight non GMO cornstarch [00:00:57] Peter Attia's presentation [00:01:26] I found UCAN as a partial solution for pre-diabetes [00:01:49] Initially a gram for gram replacement for maltodextrin [00:02:15] Genova Diagnostics Organix Profile [00:02:18] Carnitine deficiency [00:03:00] UCAN is a carbohydrate that doesn't knock me out of ketosis [00:03:20] Who can benefit from UCAN [00:03:42] Slow heat elongates the carbohydrate [00:04:03] UCAN is actually a food not a supplement [00:04:27] Originally developed as a solution for glycogen storage disease [00:04:49] UCAN requires less of an insulin response [00:05:03] Also great for people that can't stop to eat [00:05:20] Insulin controls adiposity and high levels block fat burning [00:06:01] UCAN works for anyone trying to stabilize blood sugar [00:06:22] Adrenal Stress Profile test for cortisol [00:06:57] The brain doesn't need carbohydrate in the amounts commonly found in food [00:08:27] There's no food that provide carbohydrate in the form found in UCAN [00:09:04] Fructose is low glycemic but cannot provide the sustained release of carbohydrate [00:10:21] High protein diets lack an energy source [00:11:22] UCAN was a key component to my transition to being a fat burner [00:11:41] What foods work best with UCAN? [00:13:13] UCAN smoothie with coconut oil and whey protein isolate [00:14:50] All is not lost even with high carbohydrate foods [00:15:28] Bacon and eggs is a great choice of breakfast but the whey smoothie could be great for travelling [00:16:21] Large molecules move through the stomach very quickly [00:16:39] Tropical Orange UCAN as an alternative to orange juice [00:18:01] Is the UCAN business model flawed? [00:18:28] UCAN becomes more effective over time [00:19:15] If you're not in ketosis you must have a source of glucose [00:19:37] Higher intensities still require glucose [00:21:33] Finding something that works and then taking it to the extreme [00:22:13] The upper limits of dose [00:22:33] For 60 to 90 minutes, 1 - 2 scoops. For longer than 120 minutes, 1 scoop every 90 minutes [00:23:24] Ironman athletes can use 11 packets! [00:24:02] The trick is to figure out your need in training [00:24:18] 1 scoop per hour for 6 hours gave me horrendous gas, but hey that's just me! [00:25:31] Artificial sweeteners and insulin [00:25:53] There's a small amount of artificial sweetener in UCAN but they're moving towards natural sweetener [00:26:29] Insulinogenic effect is negligible at these low doses [00:26:48] UCAN started with sports teams [00:27:18] No sugar based sports drink claims mental clarity as a potential benefit [00:27:43] Lifetime Fitness [00:28:11] An alternative to desk draw snacking [00:28:36] What is it about coffee? [00:29:58] Great for personal trainers [00:30:32] UCAN and ketogenic diets [00:31:44] UCAN is a great tool for transitioning to a ketogenic diet [00:32:28] Going really slow saved me the deleterious effects of the keto adaptation phase [00:33:03] Corn and secretory IgA testing [00:34:10] If you have a known allergy to corn, UCAN might not be for you [00:34:27] Often it's the GMO that causes trouble [00:34:47] I know I'm sensitive to corn but UCAN is fine [00:35:10] Pays to be cautious [00:35:47] Remove all the potential triggers and then experiment [00:36:36] Sipping or one serving all at once is fine [00:38:07] UCAN electrolyte mix [00:38:41] Ketogenic diets tend towards electrolyte depletion [00:38:59] Storing UCAN [00:39:26] Hydrapak SoftFlask [00:39:38] Only the plain UCAN separates [00:40:28] Just bring the packets on longer rides [00:40:47] Limitations of UCAN [00:41:59] Mixing UCAN with Bulletproof MCT oil