Archives for March 2020

Viruses: The Ultimate Gene Therapy Machines – Liz Parrish – #682

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is known as “the woman who wants to genetically engineer you,” and a leading voice for genetic cures.

Liz Parrish founded and serves as CEO of BioViva Sciences USA Inc., a bioinformatics company actively working to extend healthy lifespans using gene therapy. It’s looking specifically at how gene therapy works in humans and how regenerative genes work in human bodies. Its partner company, Integrative Health Systems, helps people get access to these technologies today.

A strong champion of progress and education for the advancement of gene therapy, Liz firmly supports our right and our ability to hack our own DNA.

And she definitely walks her talk: In 2015 she became the first person in the world to take dual gene therapies to treat aging. One of the ways was to use adeno-associated virus, called AAV.  “AAV doesn’t essentially do what old gene therapy does,” she explains. “So, you don’t get sick when you take it, because if you get sick then you’re going to not uptake the genes. … And viruses are still the best gene delivery method there is. They get genes into the nucleus.”

“Remember, these viruses are modifying you every year,” Liz says. “You get viruses and influenzas and things like that and they all do their little dance. We’re just making them do a dance that only up-regulates therapeutic genes.”

From increased muscle mass to mitochondria, and from clinical trials to affordability, our conversation about gene therapy takes you into new territory. Listen on to learn more about Liz’s personal experience, her longevity work, and how you can shape your own genes.

Enjoy the show! And get more resources at Dave.Asprey/podcasts.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or iTunesListen on Google Podcasts

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Viruses- The Ultimate Gene Therapy Machines – Liz Parrish – #682

Links/Resources

Websitelongevityliz.com
Website: bioviva-science.com
Facebookfacebook.com/BiovivaSciences/
Twittertwitter.com/BioVivaScience
Instagraminstagram.com/biovivasciences
YouTube: BioViva Sciences
Two Monkeys Were Paid Unequally

Key Notes

  • Getting technology to people in a meaningful way – 7:42
  • When treating biological aging you’re treating the biggest unmet need on the planet – 8:13
  • Gap between researchers and doctors – 9:10
  • Issues with being unlicensed biohackers – 13:04
  • Human trials of drugs – 14:10
  • Challenges with trying new treatments – 17:28
  • What gene therapy have you done? – 18:30
  • What is gene therapy? – 20:03
  • Percentage of human genes that are viral in origin – 22:35
  • Follistatin gene therapy – 25:51
  • Organizing trials and studies – 28:34
  • Biological basis of envy, evolution of technology – 32:32
  • Telomerase induction – 33:48
  • PGC1 Alpha (Gene) – 36:45
  • Do some people have specific genetic superiority? Do they have downsides? – 42:08
  • What are the top abilities you want to hack? – 44:35
  • External technologies incorporated biologically – 45:32
  • Gene therapy club – 46:48
  • How increasing the biological age limit can have an effect on the world – 51:16
  • What we want for the human of the future – 54:50
  • Free gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease- 56:10
  • Klotho gene study – 57:24

Go check out my new book Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever and also “Game Changers“, “Headstrong” and “The Bulletproof Diet” on Amazon and consider leaving a review!

If you like today’s episode, check us out on Apple Podcasts at daveasprey.com/apple and leave us a 5-star rating and a creative review.

CBD Benefits: Is CBD a Biohack?

Have you heard about cannabidiol (commonly shortened to CBD)? It’s one of the most controversial supplements on the market today, and for good reason.

CBD is one of 85 cannabinoid chemicals found in the cannabis (marijuana) plant.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866040/”] THC, the molecule that gets you high, is in the same family, but unlike its mind-altering cousin, CBD from cannabis is totally non-psychoactive. It’s starting to look like CBD can do all kinds of useful things, from decreasing inflammation to fighting multiple sclerosis. I’m excited about it, and I put together a comprehensive guide here.

But as with many new supplements, there are downsides and grey areas to CBD. Just how Bulletproof is it? Here’s what the research says.

The good: CBD may increase alertness, help you sleep, and make you less anxious

Studies show that CBD can do some interesting stuff. CBD may:

  • CBD increases alertness if you take a small dose (15 mg)[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15118485″] (rats too)[ref url=”https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric_Murillo-Rodriguez/publication/23558918_The_nonpsychoactive_Cannabis_constituent_cannabidiol_is_a_wake-inducing_agent/links/54579f650cf2bccc49111122.pdf”]
  • Help you sleep if you take a slightly larger dose (160 mg), even if you have insomnia[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7028792″]
  • Prevent seizures[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7028792″][ref url=”http://www.druglibrary.org/crl/movement/Cunha%20et.al%2080%20Epilepsy_%20Pharmacol.pdf”][ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4157067/”]
  • Decrease social anxiety by calming down your amygdala, a part of your brain that controls fear[ref url=”https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fabio_Duran/publication/46191395_Neural_basis_of_anxiolytic_effects_of_cannabidiol_%28CBD%29_in_generalized_social_anxiety_disorder_a_preliminary_report/links/00b7d51e96c6f20ffe000000.pdf”] A high dose of CBD (600 mg) also decreased anxiety during public speaking.[ref url=”http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v36/n6/full/npp20116a.html”]
  • Significantly improve symptoms of schizophrenia[ref url=”http://www.europsy-journal.com/article/S0924-9338(09)70440-7/abstract”][ref url=”http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462010000100011&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en”]

Recent research on human cells in test tubes suggests that CBD is a strong antioxidant.[ref url=”http://www.google.ca/patents/US6630507″] CBD outperformed both vitamin C and vitamin E at protecting neurons from inflammation and oxidative damage. CBD also decreased stroke-related brain damage in rats by 50%, although we don’t yet know whether it does the same in humans[ref url=”http://www.google.ca/patents/US6630507″]

There is even a team of researchers working on a trial of CBD as a breast cancer therapy.

So you can see why I’m excited about this stuff! That said, many of the CBD studies on humans are small, so I still have my reservations.

The not-so-good: unexpected side effects, pesticides, and fertilizers

I tried putting CBD in my Bulletproof Coffee (um, on a vessel 200 miles offshore, in international waters) for several days and the CBD caused severe skin dryness and cracking. I normally have very healthy skin.

After some digging, I found an article from the journal of Experimental Dermatology explaining that cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 are present in your skin. The CB1 receptor is on nerves in skin, even the little ones in your follicles, and it may play a role in skin cell maturation. That could explain why my skin got so dry – maybe I had a bad reaction.

It could also have been an issue with pesticides. Pot isn’t food, but it’s still a crop, and many producers spray their cannabis plants with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers to increase yield. Go organic (yes, organic weed products exist) to avoid the unwanted chemicals.

The other not-so-good: CBD is still illegal in many places

If you want to supplement with CBD, there are three main challenges: how to get it, how to take it, and how to pay for it.

Getting it seems easy. You can find a variety of oral CBD supplements online: pills, lozenges, liquids, and capsules. But check your state laws before you order CBD online. If marijuana isn’t recreationally legal in your state, neither is CBD. And regardless of state laws, you should know that federally, CBD is a Schedule I drug in the United States and a Schedule II drug in Canada. (As of October 18 2018, the purchase and possession of recreational cannabis and CBD became fully legal in Canada).

That said, the odds of the FBI knocking down your door are probably pretty slim…kind of like they are for pot. Shipping CBD across state lines can legally put you or your business at risk. I am hopeful this will change because it’s an irrational, harmful state of affairs.

The annoying: only 6% of CBD oil gets absorbed?

So let’s assume you skirted some laws and got a CBD supplement. The trouble is that your liver is very good at breaking down CBD – so good that if you swallow CBD, only about 6% of the amount you took reaches your brain.[ref url=”http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/38/1/21.short”] That explains why the people in the anxiety studies had to swallow 400-600 mg of CBD extract to feel its anti-anxiety effects. A single dose that size would cost you about $100.

What about smoking?

I’ve been pretty clear about how smoking tobacco or pot is a bad idea because of combustion byproducts, even though nicotine and the active parts of marijuana are useful. When you smoke something, it reaches your brain quickly without passing through your liver. That’s good for CBD – its bioavailability jumps from 6% when eaten to 31% when smoked.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2937482/”] The problem with smoking high-CBD pot (or any pot) is that you inhale all kinds of toxins and carcinogens, as well as THC. Marijuana smoke also contains apigenin, an estrogenic compound that can mess with your hormones, although CBD and THC themselves don’t seem to be estrogenic.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6296360″][ref url=”http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041008X06000093″]

The other downside is that with smoking, it’s very difficult to control how much CBD you get. A low dose of CBD may make you more alert, but a slightly higher dose can make you sleepy. It’s a fine line, and if you’re smoking you don’t have enough control.

Can you upgrade your smoke?

No. Don’t smoke anything.

Vaping comes with a whole bag of issues, too. Leave your lungs out of it for now. The best option for getting CBD is to look for:

It’s still difficult to control dose when vaporizing CBD extract, but if you do a little math you may be able to figure it out. You’ll want a vaporizer made specifically for oils.

The verdict: CBD is Bulletproof…if you take it the right way

CBD may increase your alertness, help you sleep, and make you less anxious. It could even act as an antioxidant and protect your brain from damage. Just be sure you take it the right way. To avoid pesticides and fertilizers, go organic if you can.

If you’re willing to go to the trouble, CBD could be a beneficial supplement. What are your thoughts? Have you benefited from CBD?

 

How Harvard Researcher David Sinclair (and Dave Asprey) Manage COVID-19 Risk – #681

In this special episode of Bulletproof Radio, microbiologist and geneticist David Sinclair, Ph.D., gives a thoroughly researched perspective on the coronavirus, plus concrete steps you can take and lifestyle changes you can make to potentially lower your own risk.

We cover food, fasting and fitness. A range of supplements. The research behind and benefits of a vaccine, the red tape of regulation, availability of home test kits, and much more.

David is a professor in the department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and founding director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging at Harvard. He’s best known for his extensive research on lifespan extension and treatment of diseases for aging. He’s an award-winning researcher whose work on resveratrol, NAD, and reprogramming to reverse aging have been widely hailed as major scientific breakthroughs.

“Before this [coronavirus] happened, it was pretty obvious to me as someone who was already working in a company that was detecting viruses that these things were going to attack,” David says.

Listen on for an in-depth discussion of recent coronavirus research and the COVID-19 strain that’s making its way around the world.

Enjoy the show!

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How Harvard Researcher David Sinclair (and Dave Asprey) Manage COVID-19 Risk – #681

Links/Resources

Key Notes

  • Is this as big a threat as we think it is? 05:50
  • How fast does this move 08:25
  • Get out and move and stop eating sugar 09:20
  • How do you make yourself stronger against this virus? 12:30
  • Kryptonite foods 15:10
  • Benefits of Vitamin D 19:10
  • Resveratrol 21:00
  • NAD is also confusing 24:40
  • What are the most important affordable supplements to take? 26:00
  • Covid vaccines 37:00
  • Natural immunity 43:00
  • Cannabis – good or bad? 46:50
  • Let’s talk about sleep 48:30
  • Are there concerns about testing? 51:00
  • What is this virus going to do to society? 59:00

Go check out my new book Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever and also “Game Changers“, “Headstrong” and “The Bulletproof Diet” on Amazon and consider leaving a review!

If you like today’s episode, check us out on Apple Podcasts at daveasprey.com/apple and leave us a 5-star rating and a creative review.

Why You Need a COVID-19 Brain Wash – Dr. David Perlmutter – #680

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is Dr. David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition. He’s spent his career focusing critical attention on brain health, lifestyle and nutrition that maintains health and prevents diseases.

We spend time discussing the coronavirus impact on physical and mental health, as well as ways to keep the immune system going strong.

“Fear destroys immune function, and so does lack of sleep, so does eating poorly, and all of these threaten our first line of defense,” Dr. Perlmutter says. “We can make decisions either from an impulsive part of the brain, the amygdala, that are short term and really interested only in “myself,” or we can tap into the prefrontal cortex and make decisions that have much more long view.”

Dr. Perlmutter’s also a New York Times bestselling author of multiple books. His newest was co-written with his son Austin Perlmutter, M.D. Brain Wash: Detox Your Mind for Clearer Thinking, Deeper Relationships, and Lasting Happiness approaches America’s growing epidemics of chronic illness from a simple premise: “We know what we need to do for better health and happiness, but our ability to make good decisions has been hijacked by unhealthy digital media usage, processed food, lack of sleep, chronic stress, and other aspects of modern life—and our physical and mental health is suffering.”

He shows you how to recognize the negative impact of these exposures and then offers a set of practical interventions for reclaiming your brain and improving your health.

As for coronavirus? “The sooner we realize that the party’s not going to resume in the near term, and that life is forever going to be changed in our world, the better we can take a deep breath and become pragmatic and make decisions from the prefrontal cortex,” Dr. Perlmutter says.

Enjoy the show!

Listen on Apple Podcasts or iTunesListen on Google Podcasts

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Why You Need a COVID-19 Brain Wash – Dr. David Perlmutter – #680

Links/Resources

Key Notes

  • Dave asks, “How long do you think Covid-19 will last?” 04:20
  • Behavioral changes are working in other countries 05:25
  • Methods of increasing resilience 06:15
  • How do you get the hospitals on board to try new therapies? 13:00
  • Talking about potential vectors 17:00
  • What is the recommendation to health care workers to do after their shift to stay healthy? 19:40
  • What do you say to the people who are out there saying there is not thing as a virus? 24:00
  • Our higher level prefrontal cortex is disabled 27:00
  • Manipulation of the global diet has hacked our brains 32:30
  • Benefits of intermittent fasting for the immune system 36:30
  • Fisetin, Vitamin D and Zinc 39:00
  • Get a good night’s sleep 40:00
  • Asymptomatic carriers 43:00
  • Disconnection syndrome – are we screwing ourselves 48:30
  • Create a neural network to help with the diagnosis of this virus 55:30
  • Sharing a story on Instagram 56:30 

Go check out my new book Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever and also “Game Changers“, “Headstrong” and “The Bulletproof Diet” on Amazon and consider leaving a review!

If you like today’s episode, check us out on Apple Podcasts at daveasprey.com/apple and leave us a 5-star rating and a creative review.

Your Complete Guide to CBD (Cannabidiol) Oil

[tldr]

  • THC and CBD oil have the same basic molecular structure, with subtle differences in the arrangement of atoms that makes the difference between getting high and not.
  • Research is emerging and more comprehensive studies are needed, but science is getting there. The science behind CBD shows effectiveness for pain, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune conditions and more.
  • CBD generally shouldn’t show up on drug tests, but sometimes it does if you’re taking high doses every day.
  • There are several extraction methods that affect quality, and you can take CBD by ingestion, inhalation, sublingually, or transdermally.
  • Some say it’s legal in all 50 states, but since it’s a new kid on the supplements block, it’s a big gray area that’s not well understood

[/tldr]

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of the two most abundant cannabinoid chemicals found in the cannabis (marijuana) plant.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866040/”] Whether in oil, vapor, candy, or coffee, CBD is growing in popularity for its effects on pain, chronic illness, inflammation, cancer, brain disorders, and so much more.

The other well-known chemical in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The main differences between the two, coming up. Read on to find out all about CBD, how it’s made, how to take it, the legal stuff, and more.

What is CBD? Cannabis vs. THC vs. CBD

THC and CBD have the same basic molecular structure, with subtle differences in the arrangement of atoms that makes the difference between getting high and not. If you’re after the whole mind-altering route, this is the article you’re looking for.

Your body has an endocannabinoid system, which in short means that it has receptors for cannabinoid compounds like CBD and THC. CBD and THC both interact with the body through the endocannabinoid system, a biological communication system that regulates a wide array of functions, like:

  • Pain
  • Appetite
  • Mood
  • Memory
  • Immune response
  • Sleep

CBD and THC have chemical structures similar to the body’s own endocannabinoids, which allows them to interact with the endocannabinoid system’s cannabinoid receptors. You can read more about how the endocannabinoid system works here.

The main difference between CBD and THC? THC causes euphoria and other mind-altering effects, CBD doesn’t. Not even a little bit. Also, THC is in high quantities in marijuana, and CBD is abundant in hemp.

So, CBD and pot aren’t the same thing, unless you’re a politician. More on that in a minute.

What does CBD do? CBD oil benefits

Cbd oil benefits_CBD oil benefits

Since all cannabinoids are Schedule I drugs in the US and Schedule II in Canada, you have to jump through a bunch of hoops and red tape to get your hands on it for research.

Research is emerging and more comprehensive studies are needed, but science is getting there. Here’s just a smattering of the things scientists were able to demonstrate that CBD does:

  • Measurably relieved chronic pain in combination with THC[ref url=”http://www.jpsmjournal.com/article/S0885-3924(09)00787-8/abstract”][ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00445.x”][ref url=”https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00445.x”]
  • Triggered breast cancer cell death[ref url=”http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/10/7/1161.short”] and down-regulated the gene that makes certain aggressive strains of breast cancer proliferate[ref url=”http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/11/2921.short”]
  • Inhibited lung cancer invasion and metastasis (spread)[ref url=”https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fj.11-198184″]
  • Significantly reduced multiple sclerosis symptoms in patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled study[ref url=”http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1191/1352458504ms1082oa”] and a larger series of multi-center randomized placebo-controlled trials[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673603147381″]
  • In larger doses (160mg), it helped participants you sleep — even in people who typically suffer from insomnia.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7028792″]
  • Higher doses decreased anxiety during public speaking.[ref url=”http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v36/n6/full/npp20116a.html”]
  • Increased alertness in small doses (15 mg) in humans and rats.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15118485″][ref url=”https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric_Murillo-Rodriguez/publication/23558918_The_nonpsychoactive_Cannabis_constituent_cannabidiol_is_a_wake-inducing_agent/links/54579f650cf2bccc49111122.pdf”]
  • Prevents seizures.[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7028792″][ref url=”http://www.druglibrary.org/crl/movement/Cunha%20et.al%2080%20Epilepsy_%20Pharmacol.pdf”][ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4157067/”]
  • Decreased social anxiety by regulating the amygdala, a part of your brain that controls fear.[ref url=”https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fabio_Duran/publication/46191395_Neural_basis_of_anxiolytic_effects_of_cannabidiol_%28CBD%29_in_generalized_social_anxiety_disorder_a_preliminary_report/links/00b7d51e96c6f20ffe000000.pdf”]
  • Substantially improved symptoms of schizophrenia.[ref url=”http://www.europsy-journal.com/article/S0924-9338(09)70440-7/abstract http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-44462010000100011&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en”]
  • Showed antioxidant activity. A test tube study showed that CBD protected neurons from inflammation and oxidative stress better than both vitamin C and vitamin E,[ref url=”http://www.google.ca/patents/US6630507″] and it prevented oxidative damage to DNA associated with colon cancer.[ref url=”https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00109-011-0856-x”]
  • Showed potential as a neuroprotective. CBD decreased brain damage after stroke in rats.[ref url=”https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00109-011-0856-x”]

There’s more — anxiety, neurodegenerative diseases, autoimmune conditions — CBD is worth a look in any disease process that’s rooted in inflammation (which is most of them).

CBD oil side effects

CBD is generally well tolerated.[ref url=”http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cds/2011/00000006/00000004/art00005″] Some people report that it makes them sleepy or drops blood pressure. Since there are cannabinoid receptors in the skin, you might notice dry skin after using CBD. But a thorough review showed that CBD does not effect:

  • Sensory perception
  • Alertness, awareness
  • Consciousness
  • Behavior
  • Inhibitions
  • Food intake
  • Heart rate
  • Blood pressure

The review found that extremely high chronic daily doses affected the liver metabolism and some fertility measures, but you need a lot of CBD to get there.[ref url=”http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cds/2011/00000006/00000004/art00005″]

Just like grain and vegetable farmers, cannabis producers spray their plants with pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. So, you can end up with adverse effects from the chemicals that have nothing to do with the active ingredient, CBD. Research the brand and choose pure products without chemicals.

Does CBD show up in drug tests?

Cbd oil benefits_Does CBD show up in drug tests

Hemp-derived CBD isn’t pot, but depending on the strain it could contain trace amounts of THC — not even close to amounts that will get you high. If you’re using extremely high doses of CBD (looking at 1000 mg a day or higher every day), your exposure may be high enough to give you a positive result. This should be considered a false positive result, since CBD use is not drug use. But, interpretation is up to the party who orders the test.

If your employer does random drug screens, dig into your HR materials to see if using CBD might lead to any hassle.

Is CBD legal?

This is not legal advice and wasn’t reviewed by any lawyers, so consult a licensed attorney in your own jurisdiction to find out whether CBD is legal or not.

Hemp-derived CBD isn’t pot. It’s not the same thing as THC and it’s not psychoactive. Still, all cannabinoids are classified as Schedule I drugs in the US and Schedule II in Canada, due to a combination of politics, miscategorization, and a lack of understanding of the differences in chemical profiles and neuroscience.

Understandable — it’s hard to get a tenacious politician with zero biology background to have a meaningful conversation about how the brain works.

You’ll come across the claim that CBD is legal in all 50 states. Some retailers hold that CBD isn’t the drug version of cannabis, and isn’t subject to the same drug laws as medical marijuana is. You’ll read that retailers are free to ship it anywhere they want to in the United States and in 40 additional countries. Since it’s a dietary supplement, you can find it online, in health food stores, and at marijuana dispensaries.

CBD is a new supplement, and when something new comes onto the scene with some some amount of perceived crossover with something that’s well-known and demonized, like marijuana, you end up with a big ol’ gray area to contend with.

So, will you get busted? Depends on the state, depends on the employer, depends on the cop, depends, depends, depends. Most of the time, law enforcement has bigger fish to fry than the dude who’s rubbing oil on his shoulder for bursitis, and still perfectly able to walk, talk, drive, and solve differential equations. But, there’s always that one who wants to make a point.

Forms of CBD and extraction methods

CBD isolates – CO2 extraction

The CO2 method involves pressurizing the plant material using carbon dioxide, which results in a relatively stable, pure, potent oil. This isn’t a DIY job unless you’re going into business, because you need pricey equipment and expert training. If this is the kind you want, you can look for “CO2 extracted” CBD oil on the label.

CBD tinctures, extracts, absolutes (solvent extraction method)

Manufacturers use solvents such as hexane, ethanol, ether, or methanol to get the medicinal oils out of the plant material. This is the most common method manufacturers use for vape pen cartridges. Solvents are highly effective at drawing out the oils, but there are a few problems with this method.

  • Purity. The process can leave up to 20% of the solvent behind. That’s not an issue if the manufacturer used a high-quality ethanol like high-proof grain alcohol, but if they used cheaper solvents like hexane or petroleum derivatives, you don’t want those residues anywhere near your body.
  • Integrity. Solvent extraction destroys the plant waxes, which have their own set of benefits.

CBD infused oil

Most commonly, you’ll see CBD oil infused in extra virgin olive oil. This involves steeping the plant in olive oil for several weeks. If you need it now, you can buy CBD infused oil, or if you can get your hands on some high-CBD plant material, you can extract your own. CBD infused oils are perishable, so keep it in a dark glass container in the fridge.

How to make a CBD infused oil in 5 steps

  1. Check your state laws. Making CBD oil requires possession of cannabis plant material, which is a controlled substance. So, do a little CYA and find out what’s allowed and what could get you into trouble. Don’t skip this part!
  2. Source your plant material. You need a good amount of dried buds of a high-CBD strain of cannabis that has only trace amounts of THC if any.
  3. Decarboxylate. Sounds like something out of a science lab, but this just means you spread them out on a baking sheet and bake them for 45 minutes at 225. This step makes the medicinal oils in the plant more bioavailable.
  4. Steep. Transfer your buds to a glass jar, leaving a little room at the top. Completely cover the buds with lightweight oils like extra virgin olive oil or sweet almond oil. Put a lid on and let them sit for 2-3 weeks. A couple times per week throughout the steeping process, you should flip the jar over and back upright to distribute the oil.
  5. Strain. Use a cheesecloth-lined strainer to separate all the plant material from the oil. Now you have CBD infused oil to use as-is or to make into salves and balms. There are lots of recipes online for that. Store it in a dark glass container in the fridge.

If your oil takes on a funky smell or grows scum or fuzz at any point during or after the process, dump it into the trash and start over.

How to take CBD

Cbd oil benefits_How to take CBD

There are several delivery methods, and some applications are better than others for certain things. Dosing depends on age, weight, and what you’re trying to achieve with it, so it’s best to consult a functional medicine doctor to determine your dose.

Inhalation

You can inhale the vapors using a specialized vape pen. This is the fastest acting delivery of CBD, and probably the easiest once you have your pen and cartridge. However, it’s not recommended because vaping comes with a lot of risk.

Don’t smoke it — that wrecks your throat and lungs like cigarettes do. If you’re a newbie, start slow. Some people can have an unpleasant reaction to the vapor.

Ingestion

To ingest CBD, take it right out of the dropper, in capsule form, or made into gums, candies, or baked goods. Compared to inhalation, it takes a bit longer to take effect.

Sublingual

You can drop the oil right under the tongue, or place a lozenge under the tongue. Sublingual delivery takes about as long as ingestion to take effect.

Transdermal

CBD can cross the skin and go into the bloodstream. A benefit to this method is that you can rub CBD infused oil or salves right onto the affected area.

So, is CBD for you? Only you can decide, and with so many variables, it’s best to bring your functional medicine doctor in on this one. So far, the science says it’s not harmful, it’s not addictive, and it has the potential to have positive effects on a laundry list of ails. But, it’s illegal in a lot of places, for reasons that have little to nothing to do with protecting the public. Biohacking is all about taking the information that’s available to you and making your choices from there.
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Don’t Give Up Meat for the Planet. Grass-Fed Beef Is the Better Answer to Climate Change

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  • Factory-farmed beef is wrecking your health and the planet. Feedlots contribute to soil erosion, water pollution, fossil fuel consumption, and poor air quality, among other issues.
  • Grass-fed beef is different. When animals have room to graze, they improve land use, nutrient and manure management, and soil health. All those benefits translate into a reduced carbon footprint.
  • Plus, grass-fed meat is more ethical, sustainable, and nutrient-dense than industrial meat. It has more antioxidants, omega-3s, trace minerals, and vitamins.
  • The answer to climate change isn’t to stop eating meat. Eat organic, grass-fed beef, sourced as locally as possible. If it’s too expensive, eat less of it.

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On my family’s small, organic farm at home in Vancouver Island, we have a peaceful ecosystem: Our sheep graze peacefully in the yard. Sheep happen to be great at making poop. Animal poop produces healthy soil, which gives us thriving organic vegetables and supports the soil’s natural microbes.

Now, take that bucolic scene and make it global. Grass-fed meat is better for you and the planet, period. You may have seen headlines saying otherwise. In October, the UN published a climate change report that painted the environmental impact of meat in a pretty poor light. Environmentalists campaign against meat because we eat too much of it, which is bad for our health and the environment. However, these reports tend to focus on industrial meat, and they don’t account for the full carbon footprint of meat raised on responsibly managed land.

In an episode of Bulletproof Radio (iTunes), bestselling author and family physician Dr. Mark Hyman explains why blaming meat for climate change is misplaced.

“The kind of prevailing view is that cows are the cause of all of our problems in terms of climate change, or at least a big contributor. That is true if you’re talking about factory-farmed animals. But, the best way to build soil is to integrate animals into a regenerative farm,” says Hyman.

Here’s the truth: In comparison to industrial meat, grass-fed is more ethical, more sustainable, and better for your health. Keep reading to find out how grass-fed animals (and their poop) can save the planet.

The environmental impact of meat, according to reports

Earth and blue sky

The UN report said that livestock greenhouse gas emissions are the highest compared to all other food sources. These emissions are caused by feed production, animal waste and digestion, land-use change, and livestock transport and processing. The report called out cattle (beef and milk) in particular because of its high methane emissions from rumen fermentation, or the process through which livestock digest plant polymers in grass and hay. The waste products from this process? Cow burps, which consist of gases like carbon dioxide and methane.[ref url=”https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4615-8279-3_2″] Yummy.

According to the authors, eating less meat could cut back on the efforts to keep global temperatures from rising 2°C above pre-industrial levels. This is a big deal because global consumption of beef and veal is set to rise in the next decade.[ref url=”https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/agriculture-and-food/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-2018-2027/beef-and-veal-projections-production-and-trade_agr_outlook-2018-table144-en”] It’s a major public health problem if more people are eating higher quantities of industrial meat. Factory-farmed beef is garbage. It’s loaded with mold toxins and pesticides from cheap grain feed, and it’s pumped up with antibiotics to prevent the animals from getting sick in cruel, cramped conditions. That’s bad for your body. It’s also bad for the environment.

When people eat more industrial meat, also called CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) meat, its negative effects are compounded. CAFO cattle are clumped together in cramped feedlots. These feedlots use less land per animal in order to maximize farming efficiency, but instead of making things more efficient, the model makes things worse. Industrial agriculture contributes to soil erosion and water pollution, ruins soil biodiversity, consumes water at unsustainable rates, and uses tons of nonrenewable fossil fuels to keep operations running.[ref url=”https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es4040683 https://elibrary.asabe.org/abstract.asp?aid=20246″] [ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1240832/pdf/ehp0110-000445.pdf “] Feedlots also contribute to antibiotic resistance and poor air quality.[ref url=”https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es4040683 https://elibrary.asabe.org/abstract.asp?aid=20246″]

Conversely, grass-fed animals play a key role in sustainable agriculture that benefits the entire planet.

The carbon footprint of grass-fed meat

Cattle grazing in field

Reports that talk about the high levels of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock fail to take into account the full impact that grass-fed animals have on their environment. Studies have found that well-managed grazing systems can manage soil carbon levels and reduce the production of greenhouse gasses like methane.[ref url=”https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/potential-mitigation-of-midwest-grass-finished-beef-production-em”] Plus, you can graze cattle on land that is not well-suited for farming, which improves local land use. Sustainable grazing systems can even improve water filtration, which has the very great side effect of improving soil carbon.[ref url=”https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/renewable-agriculture-and-food-systems/article/managing-grazing-lands-to-improve-soils-and-promote-climate-change-adaptation-and-mitigation-a-global-synthesis/74079A2F7E88CA75FF99E4E096BC32E4″]

Did you know that there’s more carbon in the soil than there is in the atmosphere and plant life combined? That’s what I learned in my conversation with therapist-turned-environmental economist Judith D. Schwartz on this episode of the Bulletproof Radio podcast. A study conducted by The National Trust, a conservation non-profit based in the United Kingdom, found that grass-fed beef production reduced greenhouse gas emissions when the carbon sequestration and storage of grassland pasture was considered.[ref url=”http://www.campaignforrealfarming.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NT-report-Whats-your-beef.pdf “] What does that mean? Basically, when you give animals room to roam (and poop), you lower their overall carbon footprint. Here’s how.

Have carbon, will travel

Plants growing in rich soil

One way to reduce rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere is to increase the global storage of carbon in soil, which has a pleasant list of side effects: Enhanced carbon improves soil and water quality, decreases nutrient loss, reduces soil erosion, increases water conservation, and increase crop production.[ref url=”https://www.esa.org/esa/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/carbonsequestrationinsoils.pdf”] Grass-fed animals play an important role in maintaining key soil nutrients through — you guessed it — their poop.

According to Schwartz, when soil lacks important microbes and nutrients like carbon, it can actually contribute to “desertification.” That’s part of the reason grass-fed animals are so vital to the planet: Grazing cattle keep soil healthy because “microbes are basically kind of hitching a ride in the ruminant’s gut and through the animal then returning the nutrients to the soil through waste it keeps moisture,” Schwartz says.

When you don’t have animal poop fertilizer, you have to mine sources of nitrogen to take its place. The problem is that we’re rapidly running out of this resource, and artificial fertilizers aren’t the answer. They throw off the soil’s ecosystem and contribute to unbalanced microbes, flooding, and erosion problems. Plus, the CO2 released from fossil fuel combustion during the production, transport, and application of nitrogen fertilizer also reduces the net amount of carbon sequestered into the soil. You know what doesn’t require any fossil fuels to produce nitrogen? Free-roaming animals.

So, yes, industrial meat is bad, and people are projected to eat more of it over the coming decades. The solution isn’t to abandon meat entirely or keep eating factory-farmed beef and hope for the best. Instead, Eat grass-fed, organic meat, sourced as locally as possible.

It’ll be a little more expensive than those cheap tubes of questionable beef you can buy at the grocery store for pennies on the ounce. If you have to shift your beef budget so you eat less meat, but higher-quality, then everyone wins.

Grass-fed is better for your health, too

Man cutting into red meat

Still not convinced? Grass-fed beef is a completely different food than grain-fed industrial beef. As I say in “The Bulletproof Diet,” “Organic, grass-fed meat provides more nutrients and fewer toxins than grain-fed or conventional meat, with more antioxidants, omega-3s, trace minerals, and vitamins than any other food.”[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16500874″] [ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18641180″]  

Consuming grass-fed meat is one of the best ways to prevent disease, improve brain function, lose weight, and become Bulletproof because it limits your exposure to the pesticides and mold toxins you’ll find in bargain beef. That’s why grass-fed is such a key part of the Bulletproof Diet. Read more about grass-fed meat vs. grain-fed meat.

In a more recent episode of Bulletproof Radio, Dr. Hyman explains how everyone can eat sustainably.

“There’s plenty of data that’s showing that you can eat well for less — that you can eat a whole food, healthy diet. Maybe you’re not having a $70 grass-fed ribeye steak, but you can eat real food that’s unprocessed. There’s a great guide by the Environmental Working Group called Good Food on a Tight Budget, which teach you how to do that, and I’ve seen it. I’ve worked with families on disability and food stamps and helped them lose hundreds of pounds in the worst food desert in America simply by giving them the education on how to do it,” says Hyman.

Listen: You don’t have to grow your own food, and you don’t have to raise your own sheep like I do. However, you should know that grass-fed beef is more nutrient-dense, higher in anti-inflammatory compounds, and more delicious than anything that comes from a factory farm. Listen to the facts straight from a rancher in this episode of the Bulletproof Radio podcast, where I speak with Glenn Elzinga, expert organic rancher and owner of Alderspring Ranch.

Oh, and if you haven’t had a grass-fed steak yet, you owe it to yourself to try one. You’ll feel the difference after you eat it — and you’ll help the planet, too.

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