Team Asprey

19 Love Quotes to Live By, From Thought-Leaders in Science

February 13, 2018 by Team Asprey

While there’s no better way to show someone you care than with an act of love, sometimes words can go a long way. This post is all about love quotes that bring a smile to your face, make you think, and maybe even a few that make you laugh. Enjoy this Valentine’s Day love quote round-up of inspirational voices from the web, as well as Bulletproof Radio thought leaders, that will tickle your heart. Go on, share one of these with your true love today.

The goal is to last, to be stronger, and to not compromise the self in the context of a connection. – Esther Perel

Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion. – Stephen Hawking

I think lovemaking is a lost art. – Pedram Shojai

When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity. – Albert Einstein

Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. – Mother Teresa

Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye. – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

We all have relationship issues that we’re going to need to work on. All of us. It’s just part of human nature. The only question is going to be with whom. – Esther Perel

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. – Mignon McLaughlin

We need love. We need loving relationships. It doesn’t have to be a marriage. But sex is the most healing thing you can do to your body. – John Gray

The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: If there is any reaction, both are transformed. – C.G. Jung

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do. – Rumi

I choose to see this differently. I choose to see through the lens of love. I choose to practice forgiveness. – Gabrielle Bernstein

May you live as long as you wish and love as long as you live. – Robert A. Heinlein

The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. – Bertrand Russell

You can’t blame gravity for falling in love. – Albert Einstein

Science is like a love affair with nature; an elusive, tantalizing mistress. It has all the turbulence, twists and turns of romantic love, but that’s part of the game. – Vilayanur S. Ramachandran

All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. – Charles M. Schulz

Relationships are the most transformational space, whether it’s with your children, your parents, or your loved ones, because you can’t control the other person. – Neil Strauss

Love is the most powerful form of energy, but science cannot decipher its elements. Yet the best cure for a sick soul is love, but even the most advanced physician cannot prescribe it as medicine. – Suzy Kassem

New Study Reveals Why Fructose Is More Dangerous Than Table Sugar

February 12, 2018 by Team Asprey

A new study[ref url=”http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(17)30729-5″] finds that fructose – the sugar found in fruit and high-fructose corn syrup – is actually processed in the small intestine, not the liver, as previously believed. And when people consume fructose in large amounts – say, processed foods or a small soft drink – it overwhelms the small intestine and spills over into the liver, where it gets converted into fat. This is extremely problematic, because the liver is not meant to metabolize fructose. This helps explain why eating too much sugar can be harmful, especially to the liver. Over time, too much fructose in your diet can cause liver disease and type 2 diabetes.

Glucose is processed in the liver, while fructose is metabolized in the small intestine

The study followed the trajectory of isotope-labeled fructose and glucose (otherwise known as table sugar) through the digestive systems of lab mice. Some mice received fructose doped with an isotope used for tracking, while others received glucose. By observing where the isotope went, the researchers then mapped the paths of the two different sugars. The glucose quickly traveled to the liver, and then was distributed to the rest of the body via blood circulation. Fructose, on the other hand, gathered in the small intestine, instead of being sent to the liver. Researchers concluded that it’s the intestine’s job to deal with fructose and make sure it never reaches the liver. However, when fructose is overconsumed, it leaks unprocessed into the liver and stores as fat. These fat storages can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can subsequently lead to cirrhosis or even liver cancer.

When fructose overwhelms the small intestine, it gets shuttled to the liver by way of the colon. As a result, it comes into direct contact with the microbes in our gut. “The microbiome is designed to never see sugar,” says Joshua D. Rabinowitz of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University, whose laboratory led the study. “As soon as you drink the soda or juice, the microbiome is seeing an extremely powerful nutrient that it was designed to never see.” While the study didn’t find that fructose affects the microbiome, the authors believe it’s a likely consequence and deserves further study.

The study also found that the small intestine handles fructose more efficiently after a meal, so better to save a sweet treat for dessert only.

A large glass of orange juice is too much fructose for the small intestine to process

“There is a fundamental physiological difference in how smaller and larger amounts of sugar are processed in the body,” reveals Joshua D. Rabinowitz of the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics at Princeton University, whose laboratory led the study. “We can offer some reassurance – at least from these animal studies – that fructose from moderate amounts of fruits will not reach the liver,” he says. However, problems will occur when the small intestine gets overwhelmed by fructose. How much is too much? Half a can of soda or a large glass of OJ, and you are doing yourself a major disservice. The occasional piece of fruit, however, should be OK.

If you are going to consume fruit, eat a small portion as dessert

Consume fruit as a dessert: If you are going to eat fruit, eat it after your main meal as dessert – as a moderately-sized portion (less than 25 grams of fructose per day).
Choose your fruits wisely: Some fruits have more sugar than others. Eat the most nutrient-dense fruits – in-season blueberries and strawberries, for instance, which are loaded with good-for-you polyphenols, but are relatively low in fructose. Refer to the Bulletproof Diet Roadmap for healthful fruit choices. Think of fruit as a treat, not a staple of your diet. Remember, your body is simply not made to consume more than what’s in a single piece of fruit.
Consider sugar substitutes: Avoid highly processed, sugary foods and beverages – that includes juice and anything sweetened with juice concentrate or high-fructose corn syrup. If you need more incentive, read this post about the harmful effects of fructose. For sugar substitutes that won’t wreak havoc on your blood sugar, check out this guide to healthy Bulletproof-friendly sweeteners.

Study Shows Why Fasting Is Just as Important as What You Eat

February 9, 2018 by Team Asprey

Did you know that just minutes after you eat a meal, your bloodstream is flooded with nutrients and your body undergoes a monumental shift from a fasting- to feeding-state to break down and store fats and sugars? That’s right, within half an hour, your liver switches completely from burning stored fat for energy to stockpiling sugar, or glucose. The sheer speed of this metabolic transformation befuddled scientists, until now. They knew the liver’s cells couldn’t possibly activate genes and produce RNA blueprints to create new metabolic proteins in that timeframe, so how does the liver respond to food so quickly? In a new study[ref url=”https://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-researchers-discover-liver-responds-quickly-food/”], Salk Institute for Biological Studies researchers found the answer – liver cells actually store pre-RNA molecules that are instrumental in glucose and fat metabolism.

Liver cells store pre-RNA molecules called NONO that are key to glucose and fat metabolism

Scientists have known that an RNA-binding protein called NONO regulated daily circadian rhythms in the body. However, this study’s researchers wondered if NONO also had a specific role in the liver, so they decided to analyze NONO levels in response to feeding and fasting in mice. Post-feed, NONO clumps suddenly appeared in the mice liver cells, and they were bound to RNA molecules. Sure enough, within half an hour, the levels of proteins that corresponded with the NONO-RNA molecules increased.

“After mice eat, it looks as if NONO brings all these RNAs together and processes them so they can be used to make proteins,” says Satchidananda Panda, a professor in the Salk Institute’s Regulatory Biology Laboratory and lead author of the paper.

Understanding the role of NONO in metabolism could lead to new therapies for obesity and diabetes

Without NONO, it took more than three hours for protein levels (those involved in processing glucose) to rise. During those three hours, blood glucose spiked to unstable levels. What this means for those with diabetes who possess high blood glucose levels is that mice without NONO may be a potential disease model to study. “Understanding how glucose storage and fat burning are regulated at the molecular level will be important for the development of new therapies against obesity and diabetes,” says first author Giorgia Benegiamo.

In the meantime, what is clear: “The switch from fasting to feeding is a very quick switch and our physiology has to adapt to it in the right time frame,” says Satchidananda Panda. “Now we know how our body quickly handles that extra rush of sugar.”

Be mindful of your peas…and avocados

So why does this study mean for you? Everything you eat matters and causes a unique response in your body — even something as minuscule as a leftover goldfish from your child’s lunchbox. So it’s important to be mindful of how — and how often — you fuel yourself. (If you want to dive deep into Bulletproof-friendly foods, check out the Bulletproof Diet Roadmap.)

Balance your feeding-state with a healthy fasting-state

As this study reveals, your fasting state is just as critical to metabolism as your feeding state. That’s where intermittent fasting comes in. The idea behind intermittent fasting is to consume all of your daily food in a shortened time period (say, a six-hour window) and fast for the remaining part of the day/night. This study[ref url=”http://www.pnas.org/content/100/10/6216.short”] demonstrates that intermittent fasting reduced blood sugar and insulin levels and increased neurons’ resistance to excitotoxic stress in mice. Think of it this way – intermittent fasting, combined with Bulletproof eating, boosts the body’s energy production, reduces cholesterol, lowers inflammation, and helps you lose weight[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20880415″].

When done the Bulletproof way, intermittent fasting isn’t as tough as it sounds. Get the scoop on how to get started with intermittent fasting here. The key difference between standard intermittent fasting and Bulletproof intermittent fasting: You get to drink coffee with grass-fed butter in the morning before you break your fast at lunchtime. The creamy concoction fills you up and keeps you from feeling deprived. If you’re a woman, you may have different needs when it comes to intermittent fasting. Read up on Bulletproof intermittent fasting for women here.

New Study Finds Novel Way to Mentally Stimulate Dogs in Old Age

February 7, 2018 by Team Asprey

You might think that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but a fascinating new study[ref url=”https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=3152146&dl=ACM&coll=DL&CFID=1025667842&CFTOKEN=64572395″] suggests that you can — and should — engage Fido’s brain in his old age. Regular brain training and lifelong learning fosters positive emotions that slow down mental deterioration in old age. However, due to physical limitations that come with age, older dogs aren’t regularly exposed to mentally stimulating activities like fetch or even a walk in the dog park to interact with other furry friends. This new study found that even simple computer games kept dogs mentally challenged, and were like Sudoku for the brain.

Dogs respond positively to cognitive training and remain willing to learn, study concludes

The researchers taught the dogs to complete brain teasers using touch-screen computers that they tapped with their noses. Dogs received a reward after completing each mental task. While the dogs underwent a period of adjustment to using the touch screens, once they had it down, they showed a knack for computer gaming. The old dogs responding positively to the cognitive training and remained willing to learn. “The positive feeling created by solving a mental challenge is comparable to the feeling that older people have when they learn something new, doing something they enjoy. Regular brain training shakes not only us, but also dogs out of their apathy in old age, increasing motivation and engagement and thus maximizing learning opportunities”, says senior study author Ludwig Huber. It also strengthens the bond between pet and owner.

Video Via Vetmeduni Vienna

Like humans, mental deterioration decelerates with brain training in dogs

The study reveals that dogs, like humans, are able to learn even in old age. Furthermore, consistent brain training and mental problem-solving create positive emotions in dogs and decelerate mental deterioration. “As is the case with people, dopamine production in dogs also falls in old age, leading to a decline in memory and motivational drive. But this natural mental deterioration can be countered with the specific training of cognitive skills,” offers first study author Lisa Wallis.

While this particular game isn’t available for pooches just yet, there are, believe it or not, a handful of apps you can download to your iPad to play with your pet (screen protector suggested).

How to upgrade your pet’s performance to live a long and happy life

Chances are, anything you do to upgrade your performance can also be applied to your pooch. Proper diet, exercise, adequate mental/social stimulation, even good light – you name it. What specifically can you to do ensure your dog is Bulletproof? For starters, give him a raw meat and bones diet. A foundation of good food is the number-one thing you can do to improve your dog’s well-being. Read more about what Bulletproof’s founder, Dave Asprey, feeds his dachshund Merlin here.

Diet: Barebones, follow Bulletproof Diet’s human principles and apply them to your pet.

Go with raw meat and liver powder.
Add butter, Brain Octane Oil, and krill oil.
Increase overall fat intake to 50-60%.
Calories will likely be higher than previously.

Exercise: Get your dog out to exercise every day, especially if he’s young and healthy.

A daily jaunt can create bonding with you and even interaction with other four-legged friends.
For dogs with movement challenges, read here to learn how Dave exercises with Merlin.
You can also try Pulsed Magnetic Field Therapy (PMF), which Dave uses on Merlin to stimulate his joints and muscles.

Social & mental stimulation: Dogs need the same social and mental stimulation that people do, especially as they age.

Even simple games to stimulate your pup’s mind, liking tossing a ball and having him return it to you, will work. Bottom line: Get your pooch engaged with you because, after all, he or she is a social creature too.
Go to the dog park. Even if your pup is older and unable to run, the interaction with other dogs is a win.
Discipline is also an important source of mental stimulation, as it gives your dog’s mind a chance to work out a particular problem. Training your dog with rewards keeps him engaged with a mental challenge, and always learning new tricks. Pick up a book on dog tricks if you don’t have one already.

BONUS: Good light: Just as light therapy works on humans, specific light helps your furry friend to stay young. To learn more about the benefits of red light therapy on humans, read here.

Bulletproof Story: How Luke Storey Found Spiritual Health by Leaving His Successful Career

February 6, 2018 by Team Asprey

Meet Luke Storey – a lifestyle design expert, transformational coach, and podcast host who now guzzles Bulletproof Coffee with the best of ‘em. By his own admission, the course of Luke’s life drastically changed on February 15, 1997. At that time, a fashion stylist who dressed stars for the red carpet, Luke reached a point of utter despair. Sure, he had a successful, creative job (and an abundance of creative ideas to draw upon), but he always felt burnt out. He’d sleep six hours at a turnaround and be back on another job the next day. The one thing he was fanatical about that helped to keep him on track? Bulletproof Coffee. He says he was able to work all day sans carb- and sugar cravings, even though he was exhausted by work.

However, life changed monumentally for Luke when he finally heeded the advice of friends, who reminded him that he knew a ton about health and spirituality. The aha moment arrived, and in that instant – when Luke realized he could teach people basic health principles to turn their life around in deep and meaningful ways – he decided to start his own podcast. Luke says, “You really have to have mind, heart, spirit in alignment. If one of those is missing, you are in trouble – but all three put together are really powerful.” Watch Luke’s video to learn more about his Bulletproof story. (LINK)

Luke Storey Transcript: I remember the exact moment actually – it was February 15, 1997. I reached a point of burnout and utter despair, and made a decision to turn my life around. So I was a fashion stylist – that means you dress people for music videos and red carpet, magazines, etc. – I had an abundance of creative ideas, worked in a creative industry, and was able to service a lot of people – but at the end of the 16-hour day on a music video, I was toast. I’d sleep six hours on a turnaround and be back on another job the next day. Just dying.

It’s funny, when I first started drinking Bulletproof Coffee (this is before I knew about Bulletproof Diet, supplements, etc.), I was so fanatical about it because I was able to work all day, and I stopped craving carbs and sugar.

About two years ago, I finally got the message from my friends. I know a lot of stuff about health and spirituality. In that moment, I decided to start my own podcast. When I discovered that I could teach someone some basic health principles to turn their life around in deeper, more meaningful ways. That was the aha moment for me. You really have to have mind, heart, and spirit in alignment with your body. If one of those is missing, you are in trouble, but all three put together are really powerful.

Neuroscientists Discover “Anxiety Brain Cells” That Can Be Turned On and Off

February 2, 2018 by Team Asprey

Neuroscientists at the University of California, San Francisco and Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center have discovered anxiety brain cells in mice that can be turned on or off. This could lead to new avenues for treating anxiety disorders in people. The findings are published in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.[ref url=”http://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(18)30019-9″]

“Anxiety cells” in mice are triggered by stressful and frightening situations

The researchers inserted miniature microscopes into the brains of lab mice to record cell activity in the hippocampus – an area of the brain that regulates learning, memories, and emotions. They then placed the mice in stressful and frightening situations – open areas where they’d typically be exposed to predators as well as elevated platforms – to observe which cells fired.

Next, the researchers used a technique called optogenetics (beams of light used to control neuron activity) to regulate those cells by turning them up and down. When the researchers turned down the cells, the mice spent more time on the elevated platforms and away from protective walls, demonstrating less anxious behavior. But when they stimulated the cells, the mice exhibited more anxiety-ridden behaviors, even when in a safe space. There is still much to do to before using the same techniques to combat anxiety in humans, however, it does point to possible treatments down the road. “If we can learn enough, we can develop the tools to turn on and off the key players that regulate anxiety in people,” said Joshua Gordon, director of the NIMH, which helped fund this study.

Anxiety disorders are hardware problems in the human brain

It’s important to point out that anxiety disorders are often misclassified as personal shortcomings, when they are actually hardware problems in the brain. This mouse study demonstrates that overactive brain cells lead to anxiety. Your anxious behavior, in other words, is not a sign that you’re not strong, resilient, or smart enough to beat it.

Ease your anxiety by reprogramming your brain

There are steps you can take right now to ease your anxiety, specifically by working to reprogram your brain.

Get a handle on your heart rate variability in two straightforward steps. Step one – recognize your bodily sensations when your flight-or-fight response is triggered. Step two – learn how to control your flight-or-fight response, so you can consciously curb it and remain calm. HeartMath is an exceptional HRV unit. Learn more about HRV training here.
Seek out a cognitive behavioral therapist to help you reframe your thoughts and, by extension, your actions. Or find a therapist who specializes in EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), which can be an effective way to retrain your nervous system responses.
You can also try neurofeedback with a skilled professional, which allows you to work with your nervous system responses through your own brainwaves.
For more in-depth information on how to restore your brain’s hardware and combat anxiety, check out Dave’s newest book, Head Strong.

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