hp-dave-logo.svg
Subscribe

Team Asprey

What’s Behind the Mask? Ways to Discover Your True Self

by

Today, we welcome Emotional Intelligence Expert, Chenoa Maxwell as a guest author on the Bulletproof Blog. Founder of the Live Limitlessly practice, Chenoa rose from the darkness of attempted suicide as a teenager to her own show on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Chenoa now helps celebrities, Fortune 500 companies and people around the world live a limitless life.You can listen to her chat with Bulletproof Founder Dave Asprey on this episode of Bulletproof Radio(iTunes). 

The saying, “Know Thyself” seems pretty self-explanatory, right?  

While you may have heard this widely-used phrase, you still may continue to underestimate the importance and the benefits of what truly “knowing” yourself means.  

For many of us the answer to the question, “Who am I? “ has been significantly influenced and shaped by so many outside sources, that unless you have spent conscious, considerable time getting to know yourself, you don’t really know the core of your being at all.

The truth is, you move through life crafting narratives of who you want to be, or what you want to have thus, creating aspects of your identity that you either want to present to others or you wish to hide. Read on to learn why we hide who we really are, and ways to connect with and discover your true self. 

How you’re masking who you really are 

Unbeknownst to you, over time you end up creating “masks” in order to shield, protect, influence or dictate who you want others to see or respond to. 

In Paul Laurence Dubar’s poem “We Wear the Mask,” he writes: “We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes.”

Some of us invent wonderfully ornate and decorative masks by design. They become so elaborate and laborious that these particular masks eventually begin to dictate how we move through the world. Everything is by design. Who we befriend. Who we love. What we consider success. How we rate beauty. The more elaborate the mask, and the more it is worn, the more your authentic self is hidden. Not only do you no longer know yourself, you don’t even really know how you are feeling.

But what happens as the mask chips, cracks, wears, and tears? 

Because at some point it eventually does, and your authentic self always manages to catch up to you no matter how much you try to run or hide from it. 

You may have heard the saying, “No matter where you go, there you are.” And no matter what — no matter how successful, how famous, how curated, how far and fast you run from your life, the exhaustion of keeping the mask manicured is going to catch up with you. And then the cracks and fissures in the mask are going to expose what is really behind the facade. 

The path to self-acceptance 

You wear a mask when you live in fear, ideals, and you don’t know and accept yourself as you are. Knowing who you are means being self-aware, matching who you are with who you say you are, and being aware of how you are feeling and what is happening on the inside. Only then can you begin to accept yourself instead of judging yourself. Accepting yourself means not being ashamed of the person you are. 

When you know yourself to the core of your being authentically, you are empowered. When you accept who you are and you are okay with it, then you become invincible.

What would happen if you took the time to really know yourself and loved yourself so deeply that you never felt the need to conceal your feelings or parts of your identity?

Ways to discover your authentic self

  • Get quiet: By taking a little time each day to be quiet and present with yourself,  you can hear your thoughts, get in touch with your feelings, and spend time getting to know your core desires and values better. This could be through meditation [link to blog post] or journaling. Once you are able to create a bit more self-awareness on why you are putting on a mask, and who you can let it down with, you will be more free to be yourself. 
  • Ask questions: Think about a time when you have pretended to be something that you are not or when you have hidden your true feelings. Ask yourself, why did I choose to hide a part of my identity? Knowing and being your truest self begins with being brave enough to pay attention to the situations and circumstances under which you hide.

When you lack self knowledge, then true happiness, success, and lasting pure love is elusive and fleeting. 

An important first step in the process of awakening love inside of self and in every relationship, is reintroducing yourself to you. 

Know thyself. Be love. Live limitlessly!  

Learn more at livelimitlessly.com.

 

7 Most Powerful Anti-Aging Superfoods

by

[tldr]

  • “Superfood” is really just a marketing term to convince you that a food is packed with nutrients that will boost your health and performance.
  • So what are you really looking for in a superfood? On top of high vitamin and mineral content, true superfoods are rich in antioxidants.
  • Antioxidants are powerful compounds that protect your cells from premature aging by fighting oxidation and inflammation. The more you have in your diet, the better.
  • Read on for a list of the top antioxidant-rich superfoods to keep you fit, resilient, and young.

[/tldr]

Acai berries, salmon, avocados, and kale are just a few of the hundreds of foods that have skyrocketed their way to nutrition stardom as “superfoods.” It may seem like every new fruit or vegetable that hits your Instagram feed claims superfood status, but what does it actually mean to be super?

“Superfood” is really just a marketing term to convince you that a food is packed with nutrients that will boost your health and performance. The term gets bandied about more than it should, with everything from creamers to energy bars claiming the title.

So what are you really looking for in a superfood? On top of high vitamin and mineral content, true superfoods are rich in antioxidants — powerful compounds that protect your cells from premature aging by fighting oxidation and inflammation. The more you have in your diet, the better.

To maximize your antioxidant intake, load your plate with a bright rainbow of colorful of vegetables, fruits, and seafood. Read on for the top 7 most powerful anti-aging superfoods. 

Download this list of the top anti-aging superfoods to add to your diet now 

Top antioxidant-rich superfood list

To index every superfood here would leave you with a hefty shopping list, but fortunately, the National Institute on Aging developed a ranking system. The ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) scale measures the antioxidant capacity of different foods.[ref url=”http://www.orac-info-portal.de/download/ORAC_R2.pdf”] Foods with high ORAC scores boast potent antioxidants in lab tests, and include leafy greens, colorful fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds, and certain spices, herbs, and teas.

Antioxidant-rich superfoods usually contain several antioxidant compounds, with one or two making up the brunt of their composition. Here, the top superfoods to keep you fit, resilient, and young.

1. Glutathione

If there’s one antioxidant you remember, make it this one: Nicknamed the “master antioxidant” for its free-radical-busting superpowers, glutathione is crucial to detoxing and boosting performance in every cell of your body.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8734304″] This powerful antioxidant is your body’s natural detox agent: it protects against inflammation, oxidation and toxins, while supporting your mitochondria, boosting immunity, and recharging other antioxidants and enzymes. (It’s even great for hangovers!)[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10880854″]

While your cells produce some themselves, today’s polluted, high-stress world can quickly sap your glutathione stores. It’s a good idea to take a supplement, or give your body the raw building blocks to build its own, from n-acetyl-l-cysteine, glutamine, alpha-lipoic acid, or grass-fed whey.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14555815″]

2. Co-enzyme Q10

CoQ10 is another potent antioxidant produced in your body, and used to protect all cell membranes. Its antioxidant abilities make it necessary for cell communication, mitochondrial function, and ATP formation. Low CoQ10 levels are associated with a range of chronic diseases, including neurodegenerative, muscular and cardiac diseases, as well as diabetes and cancer. CoQ10 also helps re-fuel other antioxidants, keeping you young and resilient.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112525/”] As you age, your body has a tougher time converting CoQ10 into its active form, ubiquinone, so consider adding supplements or ubiquinone-rich foods like organ meats and fatty fish.

3. Vitamin C

On top of being vital for collagen formation and a big immunity-booster, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is also a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C easily donates electrons to neutralize free radicals, and help prevent oxidation in your body. [8] It’s also used to manufacture glutathione, another big name antioxidant.

Load up your plate with vitamin C-rich foods, including broccoli, spinach, and sweet potatoes. It can be hard to get enough vitamin C from food, so supplement with at least 500mg per day.

4. Vitamin E

Vitamin E (tocopherol) is a fat soluble antioxidant, and protects the fats in your cell membranes from oxidation and damage. It plays a big role in protecting your skin from damage and aging caused by the free radicals that form with UV exposure.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7633944″] There are 8 forms of vitamin E, although your body’s preferred form is ?-tocopherol. You can up your vitamin E intake by incorporating more nuts, seeds, and olive oil in your diet.[ref url=”https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/”]

5. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)

Lipoic acid is known as the “universal antioxidant” for its ability to ease oxidative stress throughout the body. Studies show that ALA supports lowering glucose levels in diabetic conditions, boosts mitochondrial function, and fights premature aging. ALA also has neuroprotective and cancer-fighting effects, and acts as an anti-inflammatory. On top of its own benefits, ALA can also help recharge vitamin C, vitamin E, and glutathione to be useful again as antioxidants. [ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25620240″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28676917″]

Your body makes some ALA to cover basic functions, but higher amounts are needed to tap into its potential as an antioxidant. You can boost your ALA intake from muscle and organ meats, or supplements.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2756298/”] Aim for between 300 and 600mg a day. 

6. Astaxanthin

This powerful antioxidant comes from red marine algae, and is what gives wild salmon and crustaceans their reddish flesh. Astaxanthin is a highly potent antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress in your brain, nervous system and heart, and boosts your mitochondrial energy production.

Astaxanthin makes its mark as as an eye and skin defender. It slows and reverses age-related eye degeneration[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18191658″] and accumulates in your skin to protect you from UVA rays and prevent wrinkles and sun damage.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22428137″] Load up on astaxanthin by eating wild-caught seafood (especially salmon), or supplementing with a high quality krill oil supplement.

7. Flavonoids

Flavonoids are a diverse group of antioxidant plant chemicals that promote memory, learning, and cognitive function by protecting your brain from oxidation and inflammation. You can find them in berries, teas, dark chocolate, and coffee.

Here are two especially potent flavonoid antioxidants you want to add to your diet:

  • Resveratrol: You can find resveratrol in cocoa, red wine, and the skins of grapes and blueberries. As a strong antioxidant, its anti-aging superpowers include boosting cardiovascular health, protecting skin, and defense against cancer, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18254804″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16766037″]
  • Fisetin: Recent studies with mice found that the anti-aging antioxidant fisetin increases lifespan by about 10 percent and improves quality of life with age.[ref url=”https://www.ebiomedicine.com/article/S2352-3964(18)30373-6/fulltext”] Clinical trials are underway to see if the same is true for humans, but for now it can’t hurt to add more strawberries, apples, persimmons, and cucumber to your plate. Fisetin also shows promise in protecting from stroke, Alzheimer’s, and depression, and helps reduce inflammation-related disease by knocking out several inflammatory compounds.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3689181/”][ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003986114002082?via%3Dihub”]

Read next: Anti-Aging Hacks to Live Longer, Look Younger, and Be Stronger

 

17 Proven Ways to Heal Your Gut Microbiome

by

[tldr]

  • Your gut microbiome is involved in nearly every aspect of your health, so you want to pay attention to the trillions of microbes living in and on you. 
  • Ways to reduce damage and promote good gut microbiome health include: avoiding gut-damaging behavior, staying away from certain foods, and taking a gut microbiome test.

[/tldr]

Your gut microbiome is involved in nearly every aspect of your health. So, if you want to feel better, have more energy, and improve your overall well-being, you’ve got to pay attention to the trillions of microbes living in and on you.

Your richest population of microbes by far is found in your gut. This is great news because your gut microbes are heavily affected by your diet and behavior – meaning you have a lot of influence over the activity of your gut microbe population, also called the gut microbiota. 

These little guys are your body’s natural pharmacy: they help you digest your food, influence your mood, and even help you maintain a healthy weight. The science of the gut microbiome has given us new insight into what it means to be healthy. We now know that to truly be healthy, we must take the right steps not only for ourselves, but also for our microbiomes.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can reduce damage and promote good gut microbiome health with 17 science-backed ways to heal your gut microbiome.

Avoid gut-damaging behavior

The following are 4 gut-damaging factors, according to science.

1. NSAIDS

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen influence the composition of the gut microbiome.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26482265″] NSAIDs also increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut) in as little as 24 hours after ingestion.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19148789″]

NSAIDs are a double whammy when it comes to your gut health. So, when it comes to taking Advil for your headache, you should ask yourself – is it really worth it?

Order your Viome Gut Intelligence test for $199 (aff link)

2. Antibiotics

Antibiotics are another medication we need to be better about weighing the costs against the benefits. While there are times when it’s necessary to take antibiotics, as a society we use them far too liberally.

Because antibiotics don’t discriminate between the microbes they blast through, you are killing both good and bad bacteria when you take a dose.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27028893″] Antibiotics are like a nuclear bomb for your gut microbiome, which can cause consequences like dysbiosis to last for years after you take them.

 

3. Stress

There are many lines of communication between your gut microbiome and brain along the vagus nerve through the immune system, gut hormone signalling, tryptophan signalling, and microbial metabolites.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276734″] Through these pathways, stress can have a significant effect on gut microbiome composition and intestinal permeability. On the flip side, dysbiosis and leaky gut can contribute to low-grade inflammation and potentially contribute to stress-related psychiatric disorders.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604320/”]

This cyclical gut-brain axis takes stress reduction to the next level. Not only should you try to reduce daily stress through exercise, mindfulness, and meditation, but you’ll also benefit from working to improve your mental health through your gut health.

4. Smoking

Hopefully, you aren’t smoking. But if you are, here’s yet another reason to quit. Smoking changes the composition of the microbiome. Some studies have found that the changes in the  gut microbiome caused by smoking resemble the microbiomes of people with conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and obesity.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29626219″]

Yikes.This means if you’re smoking, you can be causing shifts in your gut microbiome towards disease states.

Avoid gut-damaging foods

The following are three gut-damaging foods, according to science. Remember, there could  be more foods to add to this list depending on your unique gut microbiome.

5. Sugar

You may have heard by now that sugar can wreak havoc on your gut. High-sugar diets alter gut microbiome composition and function.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1379072/”] Bad bacteria and other microbes like the fungus Candida albican love sugars. When you reduce your sugar intake, you reduce the food supply to harmful gut microbes.

Western diets are extremely high in refined sugar due in part to the hidden sugars in so many processed foods. When you lower your sugar intake make sure there isn’t any hiding in your favorite sauces, condiments, and more.

6. Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are sometimes thought to be a better alternative to sugar due to the lack of calories. But when it comes to your gut health, artificial sweeteners are bad news. Artificial sweeteners are capable of inducing dysbiosis and contributing to metabolic abnormalities. Artificial sweeteners also promote glucose intolerance through changing the composition and functions of the gut microbiota.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377866/”]

In an effort to lose weight you might have switched to artificial sweeteners, but science shows  this may be doing you more harm than good.

7. GMO foods

When it comes to genetically modified organisms or GMOs, the problem lies in the fact they’ve been modified to withstand the harsh chemicals that are being sprayed on them. Specifically, GMOs are made to withstand glyphosate, more commonly known as Roundup.

Essentially, when you eat GMO food you run the risk of consuming glyphosate and glyphosate contributes to dysbiosis and leaky gut.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4841035/”]

How to Increase Good Bacteria in the Gut Naturally

Below are 10 factors that can positively impact your gut microbiome.Most of these are pretty easy to implement. Let’s get real about gut health!

8. Take a gut microbiome test

Taking a gut microbiome test to learn about your personal gut health is a great way to gain profound insights and personalized recommendations. While there are many gut microbiome tests on the market, Viome is the only test with RNA sequencing technology that can see down to the strain level, and it includes the metabolites being produced by your gut microbes. Viome uses artificial intelligence analysis to develop personalized food recommendations so you can put your individual findings into action.

Learn more about Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test – Now only $199 (aff link)

9. Get dirty

Decades ago, many more people used to live on farms. However, we gradually move to the cities and with that move we’ve lost microbial diversity in our day-to-day lives.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25231862″] Research on how certain environments impact the health of the gut finds that microbe-rich environments like farms have a protective effect on the gut microbiome.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/”]

This suggests that to counterbalance city life, we should take opportunities to play outside in nature more. Not only is nature beautiful and enjoyable, it can also increase the good bacteria in the gut.

10. Exercise

We know exercise is good for us, but the way in which it affects the gut microbiome composition and metabolic activity is yet another reason for us to exercise regularly. Exercise increases the number of beneficial microbial species, enriches diversity, and specifically promotes commensal bacteria.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18089942″] Commensal bacteria are those that we derive certain nutrients from, making them extra good for us.

Exercise isn’t just good for you, it’s good for the health of your microbes too!

11. Stick to a schedule

You probably think of your circadian rhythm as your sleep and wake cycle, but it’s much more than that. Your whole body runs on internal circadian rhythms that keep you healthy when they stay on time. Your gut microbiome has a delicate microbial rhythm as well, which is regulated by what you eat and when you eat it. When timing is thrown off, like when you change time zones or work a graveyard shift, it can contribute to diseases.

When you stick to a healthy schedule, this can significantly impact your metabolism and immune system homeostasis.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5635058/”]  

12. Get a dog

Exposing children to household pets has been shown to reduce allergies and obesity.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357536/”] These fascinating findings are believed to be because pets increase gut microbiome diversity. Pets do more than just bring us immense joy, making it a good idea to get a furry friend for your family.

13. Improve your home microbiome

Now that we know how important microbes are to our health, it’s no surprise that we are finding the microbes of the home are also important.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27793218″] That’s right, your home also has a microbiome. A few things can be done to improve the microbiome of your home, including avoiding harsh cleaning products, getting an air filter, checking for mold, and even using home probiotics.

14. Get veggies from your local farm

Buying your vegetables from a local, organic farm could be good for your gut microbiome because they are more likely to be grown in soil rich with microbes. It appears that gut microbes and soil microbes share evolutionary trends.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5382463/”] Eating vegetables grown in healthy soil can help gut microbiome health through increasing diversity and richness.

15. Vaginal birth

While you don’t have much say over how you were born,  the delivery method plays a big role in the formation of the gut microbiome for future children. It’s ideal if babies are delivered vaginally because this helps build a strong and resilient gut microbiome.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661444/”]

If you had to have a cesarean section – fear not! You can help your baby build a strong gut microbiome with baby probiotics and possibly vaginal swabbing.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3536091/”] Vagina swabbing is a relatively new concept and should not be done on your own. Some hospitals are putting it into practice, so be sure to bring it up with your doctor.

16. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is another important time for gut microbiome development.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23926244/”] There is bacteria in a mother’s breast milk that seeds the gut and helps strengthen the immune system. We’ve come to realize that breastfeeding is not only important for nutrient delivery but also for gut microbiome health, setting a child up for a healthier life.

17. Sleep well

Poor sleep can change the composition of the gut microbiome and negatively impact health.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26828196″]  It’s important that you’re not only getting plenty of sleep, but also that your sleep is high quality. We tend to focus on getting between 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, but if your sleep is interrupted this can prevent your body from going into the deepest, most healing stages of sleep. Things like snoring, interrupted breathing, and sleeping with a pet can all negatively impact your quality of sleep.

The great gut microbiome diet myth

You probably noticed there aren’t any specific foods listed thus far. But if you were to do a quick Google search you’d probably see some of the following:

  • Fiber
  • Fermented foods
  • Bone broth
  • Yogurt

Truth is, there are no “best foods for the gut microbiome.” Remember, your gut microbiome is unique to you and therefore your ideal diet is going to be one-of-a-kind. Having a healthy gut microbiome is dependent on diversity, so try and incorporate plenty of organic vegetables into your diet to cover your bases.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28492938″] Also, consider getting a gut microbiome test that is designed to help increase microbial diversity, like Viome (aff link).

Probiotics are also not on this list because although they’ve been found to be helpful in many cases, it’s likely that they should also be individualized in the same way your diet should. Also, there are tons of variations in quality, strain, and outcome. So be sure to do your research if you take probiotics and make sure you’re taking the right one for you.

The potential for improving your health through your gut microbiome is proving to be exciting and powerful science. One thing is for sure, your gut microbiome is unique and therefore future health advice must be personalized to reflect these scientific findings. Order your Viome Gut Intelligence test for $199 (aff link).

 

5 Ways You’re Slowing Down Your Metabolism

by

[tldr]

  • Even if you’re conscious about your health, it’s possible you’re unintentionally slowing down your metabolism — or overlooking metabolism-boosting opportunities.
  • Learn about the five mistakes that may be slowing down your metabolism, plus ways to increase it.

[/tldr]

In terms of universally coveted things, a lightning-fast metabolism has to be right up there with the fountain of youth. After all, a fully-functioning metabolism makes losing weight and staying in shape a lot easier. However, even if you’re conscious about your health, it’s possible you’re unintentionally slowing down your metabolism — or overlooking metabolism-boosting opportunities. Here, five mistakes you might be making, plus ways to increase your metabolism.

1. Your go-to workout is running, biking, or some other form of cardio

metabolism boosters weightsEven if you’re sweating on the reg, if your primary form of exercise is cardio, you’re missing out on the opportunity to rev up your metabolism. Instead, reach for those dumbbells (or resistance bands, or body-weight exercises). Strength training could be your ticket to a speedier metabolism. You see, that hella-cut six pack and pair of rippling biceps aren’t just easy on the eye; having more muscle helps you burn more fat.[ref url=”https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.2002.282.1.E132″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2243122″]

In fact, one study found that resistance training helped boost subjects’ resting metabolic rate by 7 percent.[ref url=”https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2012/07000/Resistance_Training_is_Medicine___Effects_of.13.aspx”]  What’s more, you don’t have to do hours of reps to reap the metabolic benefits of resistance training. Researchers found that as little as 11 minutes of resistance training, three days a week, was linked to a faster metabolic rate and increased fat- and calorie-burn.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862249/”]

Do this: Pump iron (or do body weight exercises) 3 times a week to increase your metabolism. Download this printable workout for building muscle now.

Sign up for The Weight List, the weight loss newsletter that bundles our best articles, recipes, videos, and podcasts, and delivers it to you every week. 

2. You’re skipping your morning coffee

metabolism booster caffeineNeed another reason to start your day with a Bulletproof Coffee? Caffeine can help fire up your metabolism. One study found that as little as one cup of coffee consumed in the morning can have a positive effect on your resting metabolic rate.[ref url=”https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jbcpp.2017.28.issue-1/jbcpp-2016-0090/jbcpp-2016-0090.xml”] Other literature reviewed in the study found that consuming caffeine before exercising can also boost the fat- and calorie-burning effects of your workout. If you don’t drink coffee, green tea can also do the trick. Research shows it’s a metabolism booster in its own right, thanks in part to the polyphenol epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).[ref url=”https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo2009135″]

Do this: To increase your metabolism, drink Bulletproof Coffee each morning. Switch to green tea in the afternoon.

3. You’re not getting a good night’s sleep

metabolism boosters sleepHere’s some motivation for hitting the hay at a reasonable hour: Adequate sleep can help prevent weight gain. A 2012 study found a correlation between a longer total sleep time — and particularly the time spent in the deeper stages of sleep — and a higher resting metabolic rate. In other words, sleep quality is as important as quantity.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3517705/”] Conversely, not getting enough sleep or having disruptive sleep has been linked to a more sluggish metabolic rate, as well as potentially increasing your risk for diabetes and obesity.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3678519/”][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/”]

Do this: Get more high-quality zzz’s by turning off electronics two hours before bedtime and sleeping in a pitch-black room. Get more science-backed sleep hacks here.

4. You aren’t hacking your gut bacteria

metabolism boosters prebioticsTo lose weight and keep it off, you need to show some love to your gut — and specifically to slimming gut bacteria. Among the organisms hanging out in your gut, there are two big players when it comes to metabolism: beneficial Bacteroidetes and metabolism-thwarting Firmicutes. Research has shown that obese people and animals tend to have a greater proportion of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, while lean people have more Bacteroidetes.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK154098/”]

Fortunately, your gut microbiome makeup isn’t predestined. You can cultivate the friendly bacteria residing in your gut by feeding it prebiotics (foods your gut loves). Load up on polyphenols (think brightly colored fruits like raspberries or blueberries). Coffee’s another great source of polyphenols. Eating more high-fiber foods and resistant starch may also help shift the Bacteroidetes-to-Firmicutes ratio in your favor to increase metabolism.[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/1/55/4564325″]

Do this: Eat high-fiber vegetables, foods high in resistant starch liked cooked and cooled white rice, and brightly colored berries.

5. You’re cutting calories

metabolism boosters fatYes, this goes against all of the weight-loss diets that have been peddled for years, but restricting calories can have a negative effect on your resting metabolic rate[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/72/5/1088/4729774″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/19198647/”] that can last beyond your dieting days.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4989512/”] Restricting your calorie intake can also impact your body’s metabolism-friendly leptin levels.[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/102/4/807/4564599″]

Leptin is a hormone that tells your brain when you should stop eating.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/25232147/”][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4170570/”] A fully-functioning leptin system helps regulate your energy homeostasis[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/3/980S/4596832″] (aka keeping the calories you consume and expend balanced), while leptin deficiencies have been linked to obesity.[ref url=”https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2005.178″]

You can hack the leptin in your body by avoiding fructose[ref url=”https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/89/3/980S/4596832″] and high-lectin foods (that’s not a typo — lectin with a “c” is a protein that can mess with your gut), which can contribute to leptin resistance. (Here are some other ways to make leptin work for your metabolism).

Do this: Instead of counting calories, focus on quality, whole foods and eat until you’re comfortable, not full.

Read next: The Best Ways to Lose Weight, According to Science 

 

Could Understanding Your Gut Microbiome Help Reverse Autoimmune Disease?

by

Your gut microbiome is more than a collection of bacteria. It’s a complex ecosystem of around 100 trillion microbes that can include bacteria, archaea, viruses like bacteriophages, yeast and fungi, as well as parasites. It helps to think of this ecosystem of microbes more like an organ. In fact, your gut microbiome weighs between four and five pounds, making it heavier than your brain.

Your gut is home to the majority of your immune system, around 70 to 80% of all immune system cells.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2515351/”] So it’s not surprising that this ecosystem plays a huge role in the development of autoimmune disease. Read on to learn more about the link between an imbalanced gut and autoimmune issues, and the best ways to heal your gut microbiome.

Leaky gut and autoimmune disease

Think of the gut microbial ecosystem as a rainforest, in that it thrives when there is high biodiversity. Unfortunately, antibiotics, toxins, a diet high in processed foods, and the overall Western way of life have contributed to a significant loss in diversity, stability, adaptability, and resilience of the gut microbiome.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4815357/”] That’s a problem, and here’s why: A gut microbiome imbalance (dysbiosis) contributes to leaky gut syndrome and immune system dysregulation – which can lead to autoimmune disease.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3578358/”]

The leaky gut and autoimmune connection is more than an association – these two conditions lie on a spectrum. As the leakiness of your gut worsens, you’re more and more likely to develop an autoimmune disease. On the opposite end, when you take steps to repair your gut lining, you move towards reversing autoimmunity.

How to tell if you have a leaky gut

If you have an autoimmune condition, it is likely that you have a leaky gut. Here are the 9 signs you have a leaky gut:

  • Chronic or recurring digestive issues: These can range from mild gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation to debilitating irritable bowel syndrome and more.
  • Food sensitivities or allergies: When a patient comes into my office with a food sensitivity, this tells me they likely have a leaky gut. The more sensitivities they have, the leakier their gut is likely to be.
  • Brain fog: Difficulty thinking, concentrating or even ADD (attention-deficit disorder).
  • Mood-related issues: Leaky gut often contributes to anxiety and depression.
  • Skin conditions: Rosacea, eczema, dandruff, acne, and psoriasis are all associated with leaky gut.
  • Seasonal allergies: Allergies and asthma are other common signs of leaky gut.
  • Hormonal imbalances: Irregular periods and hormone-related conditions are exacerbated by leaky gut.
  • Autoimmune disease: Leaky gut leads to autoimmunity. So if you’ve received an official diagnosis, it’s time to work on healing your gut.
  • Chronic fatigue: Gut issues can contribute to extreme fatigue and related diagnoses like fibromyalgia.

If you experience one or more of the symptoms above, you’ll want to take steps towards healing your gut.

As mentioned, leaky gut and autoimmune disease lie on a spectrum. As your gut health degrades and you develop symptoms, it becomes more and more likely your immune system will be sent into hyperdrive – eventually resulting in an autoimmune disease.  

Optimizing gut intelligence could help you heal faster

To repair your gut you want to:

  1. Remove damaging elements.
  2. Restore essential ingredients that might be missing.
  3. Reinoculate beneficial bacteria and other microbes.
  4. Repair by providing nutrients that help to repair the lining of the gut.

Your gut microbiome is completely unique. What if you had a way to see into your gut and identify even more closely the specifics of your gut microbiome composition and activity, so you could further individualize food and nutrient recommendations?

That’s where a gut test comes in.

Viome’s testing uses metatranscriptomic sequencing of the gut microbiome. That simply means it can identify all your active microbes down to the strain level, and understand exactly what each of your microbes is doing, eating, producing, and how they are interacting with each other. Through an expert trained AI analysis engine, Viome is able to give personalized dietary and nutrient recommendations that will help to balance your unique microbiome.

Learn more about Viome’s Gut Intelligence Test

Find the perfect diet to heal your gut

Reversing your autoimmune condition starts with your diet, and eating the foods that are right for you. You begin that process by eliminating inflammatory foods — the foods that cause your immune system to go into overdrive.  

Gluten and dairy are major culprits behind leaky gut and autoimmunity, but there may be other problematic foods that are exacerbating the issue, including so-called “health” foods.

For example, a food component called oxalates are common in foods like spinach, chard, kale, nuts, seeds, and cocoa. Viome has identified that about 40% of their customers’ microbiomes are not able to metabolize oxalates in a way that neutralizes their damaging effects. Ingesting oxalate-rich foods without having the bacteria that can properly metabolize them can cause big problems, especially if you already have a leaky gut.

But how do you know if you belong to the 40% of people who should eat fewer oxalate-containing foods? Viome’s testing can provide you with that information.

When you minimize problematic foods, you significantly reduce the wear and tear on your gut. It’s like pulling back the troops and giving your gastrointestinal lining a chance to recover and regroup – and it’s an essential step in reversing autoimmune disease.

Viome recommends food for better inoculation

This is one of the most fascinating aspects of Viome testing. With today’s probiotics we only have access to maybe 30 or so different strains of bacteria – but your gut contains hundreds of different strains of bacteria, not to mention all the viruses, fungi, and more, meaning available probiotics are barely making a dent in the biodiversity that should be there.

High levels of biodiversity make a stronger gut microbiome, which in turn supports a stronger immune system – but we are limited by what’s available on the market.

Viome testing, analysis, and recommendations specifically tell you what to eat in order to manipulate the microbe activity in your gut. This tips the scales in your favor. Not only do you get targeted nutrition advice that tells you exactly what to eat to optimize your gut – you also learn what is going to feed beneficial microbes, while reducing harmful ones.

Your microbes are like picky children — they only like certain foods. When you get your Viome results back, the recommendations tell you which foods you should eat to support the best microbes for your health and wellness.

Improving gut health from multiple angles

Viome is a new technology that was originally created for biodefense purposes. When you’re working on reversing autoimmune disease, add Viome to your biohacking arsenal. Knowing what’s going on in your gut is the first step to healing it.

Order your Viome Gut Intelligence Test now for only $149 

 

Are Humans Vegans or Omnivores? A Look at Digestion

by

This is Part 2 of the Are Humans Vegans or Omnivores mini-series by guest author Nora Gedgaudas, CNS, NTP, BCHN, an internationally acclaimed keto and ancestral nutrition specialist. You can read Part 1 of the mini-series here, and hear her chat live with Dave at PaleoFX on this episode of Bulletproof Radio (iTunes).

Are Humans Vegans or Omnivores? A Look at Digestion

by Nora Gedgaudas CNS, NTP, BCHN

The day I began looking at ancestral diets from the perspective of our evolutionary past, it was like being gobsmacked between the eyes with a sack of epiphanic wet cement. All of the noise in my head coming at me from my environmentalist and animal loving sensibilities, all of the officially-sanctioned mainstream government guidelines and health authorities, and all of the subtle pressure from the health food culture I associated myself with, suddenly gave way to a calm center amidst that cyclone.

That calm center was the clarity that came from better understanding of how we evolved as a species and what the forces were that actually shaped our physiological makeup and nutritional requirements in the first place. From that moment forward, all confusion ceased and led to a deeper and more rational curiosity about our human origins and that, which served to make us human.

My primary curiosity centered around the question: Did we actually evolve as and from an herbivorous primate species?

Primates and early humans’ digestion mechanisms

Closeup of intestinesIt’s interesting to compare aspects of modern human physiology to that of our closest great ape ancestors. The primary mechanism of the chimp’s digestive tract is fermentation. Roughly 52% of the digestive tract of a chimp is devoted to bacterially-based, fermentative processing of its plant-based diet into usable nutritional components. Despite their greater capacity to digest carbohydrate foods, less than 30% of a chimp’s actual energy intake is derived from carbohydrates (glucose/fructose).[ref url=”https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0028689″]

In contrast, the fermentative portion of the human digestive tract occupies only about half of what would be expected of a primate of our size and is no more than 20% of its total capacity. Most nutrients synthesized by our gut bacteria are slated for themselves, and not us. While well-fed gut bacteria benefit our immune system, sleep quality, appetite, and more, we lack the ability to fully extract the full spectrum of nutrients from plant foods that herbivores are able to extract.

The digestive systems of pure herbivores are simply different from ours. One extreme example, ruminants like cows and sheep, have four stomachs that help them synthesize every nutrient they need from grass and weeds alone.

RELATED: Eating Meat Doesn’t Harm the Environment as Much as You Think

Early humans’ nutrition requirements and sources

We instead rely on the extraction of nutrients from the animals we consume. They have already synthesized many of our essential and most beneficial nutritional compounds — many of which are entirely unique to animal foods. Examples include fully formed fat-soluble nutrients like true vitamin A (retinol), vitamins D3 and K2 (MK-4), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and long-chain fatty acids such as EPA/DHA, along with CoQ10, carnitine, and B12.

We even developed the ability to absorb heme-based iron, found exclusively within the blood, meat and organs of animals. Herbivores are incapable of metabolizing heme-based iron,[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6763339″] and humans do not as efficiently absorb non-heme iron. In effect, our human digestive system much more closely resembles that of a carnivore than any herbivore.

If you don’t mind a little geeky terminology thrown in here, it is revealing to pay attention to the language used by the authors of this important study:

“Unique among extant primates, modern humans are anatomically adapted to regularly consume substantial amounts of vertebrate animal tissues (meat, organs, etc.). Over the last several million years, the hominin gastrointestinal tract has evolved from a chimpanzee-like large-intestine-dominated configuration well adapted for digesting fruits and other plant parts (as well as the occasional small mammal) to a more carnivore-like small-intestine-dominated form well suited for extracting complex nutrients from animal remains.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3329511/”][ref url=”Kaplan H, Hill K, Lancaster J, Hurtado M (2000) A theory of human life history evolution: diet, intelligence, and longevity. Evol Anthropol 9: 156–185 doi: 10.1002/1520–6505 (2000).”] Increased consumption of animal tissues likely fueled brain expansion in the genus Homo[ref url=”https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/publications/effects-of-brain-evolution-on-human-nutrition-and-metabolism”][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28524347″][ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0047248489900353″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21452485″] and may have helped to facilitate initial hominin dispersals out of Africa.”[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047248402906020″]

The fact that we are technically termed “omnivores” does not by definition automatically imply that we are able to successfully derive 100% of our critical nutrition from either plant or animal foods equally. Our very physiological design clearly indicates that animal products are an integral part of human health.

How much energy can you get from plants?

Using the power of pressure cooking, these paleo Instant Pot recipes create flavorful meat, veggies, and even desserts -- all in just minutes of prep time.

Whatever plants early humans would have consumed along the way would have been wild, largely fibrous and uncultivated. We would have eaten plant tubers uncooked, which would not have been digestible. In their raw form, the starch in roots and tubers isn’t absorbed in the small intestine and it passes through the body as non-digestible carbohydrate. Heating breaks down the cell walls and makes starch much more accessible to breakdown by digestive enzymes. Regardless of whether fire for thoroughly cooking starch-based foods was available to us or not, we would not have eaten meaningful amounts of starchy tubers early on in any case.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2981409″][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441938″]

Also, even when thoroughly cooked, roots and tubers are only able to provide an estimated 1,882 kJ/hour to 6,120 kJ/hour (almost pure starch), versus the estimated 63,398 that large, fat-rich game provides.[ref url=”http://www.evolbiol.ru/docs/docs/large_files/hominin_diets.pdf”] Meat and fat are far more efficient energy sources.

This does not even take into account the relatively far poorer nutrient content and non-existent essential fatty acid content (and non-available fat, in general) of roots and tubers. The time and laborious energy versus caloric and nutrient return required to procure, prepare, and digest such foods would also have made them anything but preferable under normal circumstances where game was readily available.

Also, early humans’ enormous consumption of meat alone would likely not have left a lot of room for that baked potato alongside our wooly mammoth steaks. Starch would really never have been an especially meaningful source of calories, save under the direst of circumstances (assuming the capacity of fire production-at-will was even available).

Early humans’ carbohydrate digestion

We would have also been limited in our (even now, highly variable) capacity to even digest fully cooked starch by limitations in our capacity for amylase production (a starch digesting enzyme). Our chimp cousins carry only two rudimentary copies of amylase genes needed to digest starchy foods. Research reports that our species likely only experienced an increase in copies of amylase genes within the last 200,000 years, and we already had our big brains by then.[ref url=”http://www.evolbiol.ru/docs/docs/large_files/hominin_diets.pdf”]

Today, humans vary in their amylase-digesting capacity rather widely, and most have a range of anywhere from two copies up to 16 copies of amylase genes, making starchy carbs (yet again) anything but essential to our health as a species. According to the above-referenced study (Perry GH, et al) the adaptation to significant starch consumption was likely not within our capacity during the Middle Pleistocene and is not even present in many low starch consuming populations today.

Fruit, sugar and nuts

Need help figuring out what to eat on keto? Eliminate the guesswork with this complete keto food list, designed to help you drop weight and feel amazing.Fruit for our ancestors would have been mostly seasonal, as well as typically much smaller and more fibrous than modern day cultivated varieties. Early humans would have consumed sugars such as honey sporadically as a treat in most locations, if at all. Nuts would have also been largely seasonal. In short, we didn’t get to where we are as a species by relying on plant-based foods. Not even close.

Even as we continued to consume plant foods along the way over the course of our evolution, it is plainly obvious that these were a secondary food source for early humans, at best (think: side dish).[ref url=”https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229092582_FOCUS_Gough’s_Cave_and_Sun_Hole_Cave_Human_Stable_Isotope_Values_Indicate_a_High_Animal_Protein_Diet_in_the_British_Upper_Palaeolithic”][ref url=”https://www.springer.com/us/book/9781441967329″][ref url=”https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0028689″]  Vegetables were also a food having a far greater cost-to-benefit ratio on multiple levels, also taking into account the relative potential toxicity of wild plants and their comparatively poor digestibility, nutrient availability and caloric value — even cooked.

It is easy to demonstrate and reasonably conclude that our species was never, ever even close to being vegetarian, much less vegan. Vegetarianism and especially veganism is a purely modern-day experimental invention not even shared by our most distant primate cousins. We traded big guts for big brains, instead. I personally like to think that was a good tradeoff.

 

footer-tab-img.png

Get on
“The Inside Track”
with Dave

Subscribe to become an “Insider”, and receive weekly biohacking tips and tech directly from Dave to start hacking your way to stronger mental performance and physical results.

See What Trouble Dave’s Getting Into on Social

GO TOP
hp-dave-logo.svg

Terms of service | Privacy Policy | Affiliate Disclosure & Health Claims |
Dave Asprey 2024

influex-logo-footer.svg

Start hacking your way to better than standard performance and results.

Receive weekly biohacking tips and tech by becoming a Dave Asprey insider.

By sharing your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Subscribe