What is new at Nutrition Conferences & PaleoFX this year? Why let me tell you…

I finally attended my first Paleo(fx) Conference this year …and finally visited Austin (sort of) Texas!  Did it meet my expectations?  Yes and no.

The main thing I was surprised by was the amount of ‘consumers’ that attended the event as compared to practitioners and health coaches.  I am also impressed to see how many people, of all ages, attend Paleo(fx) conference for their own knowledge.  For me, I am always wanting to learn more about gut health, brain health, mitochondria and the impacts as stress on the WHOLE individual.  I did get to attend seminars to help reinforce what I already know or figured out by myself – plus new info that helps me put the pieces of the puzzle together.

After I have re-directed my educational focus to Nutritional Therapy that past five years in order to help transform the WHOLE athlete from the inside out, including myself, I have been attending more courses, certifications and conferences.  I will still attend IDEA World Fitness Convention, but honestly, their nutrition info is a little more “political” based and not current research – especially in their expo hall!!  Wow– the information 10,000 fitness trainers and instructors gain from our fitness conventions can be very misleading and confusing as well as scary as they are spreading these myths to their clients around the world.

What are the hot trends and topics this year?

1. Nutritional Ketosis

2. Fasting, Intermittent Fasting (IF) and Time Restricted Eating (TRE)

3. Mitochondrial Health 

4. Microbiome

5. Environmental Toxins (Glysophate- Round Up)

6. Hormetic Stress:  the benefits of acute stress vs. chronic stress

7. Epigenetics!  More on that later… 

What I am working on now is finding a common theme and putting the pieces of the puzzle together for the client.  I do feel that there is an overlap of these “hot topics”  listed above.

My focus is on researching, writing and speaking about the impacts of Chronic Stress on The WHOLE Athlete as well as metabolic efficiency and the fat adapted athlete.

Everything we keep talking about our sources of STRESS and as we know (especially if you read my book LIFE IS NOT A RACE on Amazon) – anything too frequent or chronic leads to a domino effect of health imbalances and dysfunction.

Let’s look it over together:

1. Nutritional Ketosis: why should we be focused on Nutritional Ketosis?  BECAUSE what we were taught since the “research” of Ancel Keys back in the 1950’s was false and we became scared of eating natural healthy fats or else we would die of a heart attack.   Most of us are all now sugar burners, battle insulin resistance or Type 2 Diabetes.  Why is our health such an epidemic?  We, including myself, focused on eating mostly or all carbohydrates as we grew up and avoiding anything with fat- substituting real natural fats for fake chemical and processed foods that were fat-free and low-fat.  Now we mostly sugar burners and need to re-learn how to burn fat and become fat adapted.  This is what we do in my 30-day Total Transformation program and what I have done for ten years without knowing it was the Nutritional Ketosis fat burning program!  We were ahead of the trends!  I am working on an article and a new e-book to talk about how you can become a fat-adapted athlete including common pitfalls that set people back from becoming a fat burning machine.  A few tips until then include eating too fast, sympathetic dominance, excessive protein (gluconeogenesis), not enough fibrous vegetables, too much coffee drinks (even if filled with fat) – too much caffeine, not using a binder for the detoxification process (toxins are stored in fat cells), not exercising enough or too much – or the right type of exercise.  Also I will finish with becoming obsessed and addicted… especially when this is to become a new lifestyle (feast/famine, nutritional ketosis, fat adapted and carb cycling 5/2) rather than a diet or something short term.  So until you are fat adapted, you do need to be some what strict but when you become metabolically flexible and a fat burning athlete then we can add the 5/2 plan and 16/8 IF/TRE weekdays without feeling like you are missing out on life or “dieting”.  Its The WHOLESTIC Method lifestyle!
2. Fasting is popular and very effective way to get into ketosis as well as the other important benefit of cell autophagy- cleaning out the dead cells (internal housekeeping).  Again, there are many reasons we all need to do a 24-hour fast more often (water only fast ideally) as well as intermittent fasting. I started a year ago implementing intermittent fasting and juice/broth cleanse days into my “5-day Jumpstart Challenge” without knowing all of the benefits that we know today about IF.  One of the other benefits of Intermittent Fasting (IF) is we end up having a smaller feeding window – which is now called “Time Restricted Eating”.  So if you work up to a 16 hour fast- you end up with an 8 hour eating window.  Why do we need to fast?  Well read Dr. Jason Fungs book on fasting and also Dr. Mercola’s book “FAT FOR FUEL” – plus his new one comes out this week “KETO FASTING”.  We need to let our body digest, rest, repair and recover.  If we eat as we were told every few hours with breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner – then maybe another snack then we are always working on digesting our food and never letting our bodies do the rest of their many jobs!!  Think about it.  Plus if you want to become fat adapted- then you should start with IF and once a month try a 24-hour water fast (or try green juice and/or bone broth).  Sign up for my next online program as we do all of this in my 30-day The WHOLESTIC Method group program.

   

3. Mitochondrial Health:  I just was studying the program sent out by Ari of The Energy Blueprint then talked to the founders of Mitochondrial Rescue at Paleo(fx) conference expo.  I find this “new” (ten years) research on the roles of the mitochondria fascinating as I am a “victim” of chronic fatigue/HPA Axis dysregulation/Adrenaldysfunction).  Why do we feel run down, burned out and exhausted?  Maybe it isn’t ONLY the adrenals that are overworking but the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis communication system and the …but what about the gut biome and chronic stress?  The body works together and when one system is out of alignment or balance/homeostasis then the wheels start to come off!  I will be discussing more on this topic and podcasting with the founder of Mitochondria Rescue to discuss how our heart rate variability can be evidence of the amount of stress we have in our cells- the mitochondria.Remember- Mitochondria are the “powerhouses” of our body and where we make energy but now they are finding that the mitochondria have another role – cell defense.  So if we are too stressed or have too many chronic stressors that overload our body then we become less resistant to stress and we have less resiliance.  If are mitochondria switch their role to cell defense then they are not in energy mode- so what happens to our energy levels?  We feel tired, fatigued and perhaps a little depressed (or I do when I am too tired to exercise!).  Again the impacts of chronic stress, external and internal, impact all areas of our health that in result impact our performance gains in life (and our favorite sports) and the aging process- longevity.  I don’t want to speed up the aging process so I am working on supporting my mitochondria with supplements as Tru Niagen and others for my cell “Stack”.  The founder of Mitocohondria Rescue- explains the role of mitochondria as…“Mitochondrial medicine refers to all health problems that arise due to improper functioning of the mitochondria. Mitochondria are found in all cells and represent the central site of cell metabolism or “cell plant”. They are responsible for producing energy that is required for each cell for normal functioning. Most mitochondria are found in cells that produce and consume the most energy (heart, brain, and skeletal muscle cells)Due to the production of high levels of energy, a large number of free radicals are formed in the mitochondria. These free radicals are removed by the various antioxidant enzymes each cell possesses. When the cell’s antioxidant capacity is not able to neutralize all free radicals arising from cellular respiration, a disorder of the mitochondria function appears.The preserved structure and function of mitochondria is vital for the proper functioning of each cell, organ and consequently the whole organism.”-https://www.mitochondrialrescue.com/
4. Microbiome:  Make sure you have listened to my two video podcasts with the microbiome expert Kiran as he knows his research and he explains the role of the microbiome so well!  We want to add more diversity to our microbiome as that is one of the main problems, as well as repair the mucosal layer and the “leaky of our gut” leading to toxic bacteria as LPS escaping out into our bloodstream.  These toxins and undigested food particles that leak out of the gut wall lining are to blame, or a part of the puzzle of the inflammation as well as auto-immune issues in our body.  Reasons for our leaky gut?  Well go back to #1 on the list and #2 on the list then get to digestion and chronic stress…well every element in my program- The WHOLESTIC Method that we address for a total transformation program.“Stress is the most common driver of leaky gut and metabolic endotoxemia. It is well established that leaky gut and metabolic endotoxemia disrupts metabolism in a major way by interfering with ghrelin and leptin function, both of which control food intake, hunger and satiety. In addition, leaky gut and endotoxemia disrupts sugar control and fat metabolism.”- Kiran Krishnan, Chief Scientific Officer & Microbiologist Microbiome Labs

   We need to RECONDITION the gut then REINFORCE the gut bacteria and finish with REBUILDING the gut wall barrier.

   MegaSporeBiotic™ is the first 100% spore-based, broad-spectrum probiotic clinically shown to improve leaky gut by 60% in just 30 days. This unique all-spore formula effectively RECONDITIONS the gut by increasing microbial diversity and encouraging the growth of key health-promoting, commensal gut bacteria. MegaSporeBiotic™ boasts a 5-year shelf-life, does not require refrigeration, and maintains efficacy during antibiotic therapy.

   MegaPreBiotic™ is the first Precision Prebiotic™ supplement made up of clinically-tested, non-digestible oligosaccharides that can increase microbial diversity and selectively feed beneficial bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Bifidobacteria. MegaPreBioticTM REINFORCES the beneficial microbial changes created by MegaSporeBioticTM to promote a strong and diverse microbiome.

   MegaMucosa™ is the first complete mucosal support supplement of its kind, formulated with key amino acids to REBUILD a healthy mucosal barrier. MegaMucosa™ also contains dairy-free immunoglobulins clinically shown to support a healthy immune response in the mucosa and a state-of-the-art flavobiotic clinically shown to support microbial diversity and alleviate barrier dysfunction, otherwise known as leaky gut.

   Protocol for the Total Gut Restore Protocol:  Recondition-Reinforce-Rebuild the gut.  “All disease begins in the Gut” – Hippocrates.  TGR protocol attached and directions below.  Order your Megasporebiotic and Total Gut Restoration kit here as you can only order from a practitioner!

   How to start the TGR system: for your information as I am a BIG believer in this protocol.

   1.  Start with MegaSpore, follow the regular titration instructions (attached) work up to two caps a day. Once at two caps a day (this should take 3 or 4 weeks)
   2. After four weeks on Megasporebiotic then add the MegaPrebiotic. There is no correct order on what to chose for the first or second product.
   3. If you have a higher toxic load or have a hard time tolerating MegaSpore, then I’d start with the MegaMucosa next (the IgG in this will help if having a hard time tolerating MSB).
   4. After 3-4 weeks after that you can add in the MegaPrebiotic.
   5. With the MegaPrebiotic you will want to start with a half scoop the first week and a week or two in bump up to the full scoop.
   6. The MegaPrebiotic and MegaMucosa are both drink mixes and can be added to 12-16 oz of water. I prefer to mix mine together and drink them in a shaker bottle with 16-20 oz of water. One scoop of each is the daily dose.   You can blend them together when on both products the third month and sip throughout the day after your fast and during your “eating window”.
   7. Some people will need to be on the TGR for only 3-4 months and others will need to be on it closer to 8-9 months, it really just all depends on what on the severity of that persons condition.
   8. Once someone has gone down to a maintenance dose, they would just take the products at full dose, but only a couple times a week instead of everyday.
5. Environmental Toxins (Glysophate- Round Up).  Now I did a podcast last year with Dr. Zach Bush and I think he probably has done another 1000 other podcast interviews so I would for sure look him up on YouTube and Podcast apps.  You don’t want to miss out on listening to what he has to say about the impact of our environment on our health.  Wow.  Did you know that the human genome has 20,000 genes and a flee has 30,000?  A fruit fly has 13,000 genes.  Of course they are still counting on how many genes we all have but the numbers are insane.  We don’t rule the world…gut bugs do.  We have over 40,000 species of bacteria in our gut- 2 million plus genes,  We have 300,000 species of parasites- 2 billion genes.  We have over 5 million species of fungi in our environment – 125 trillion genes!  Did you hear about the rise of autism and ADD over the years… and that 70% of them are on medication?  3.3 trillion dollars are spend on health care and 680 billion on homeland defense and security.More stats were shared by Dr. Zach Bush in his presentation but his point was to share the collapse of our empire and global economy- with the focus on farmers going bankrupt with the excessive tariffs.  Then he talked about our microbiome with 20,000 genes and the amount of mitochondria we have in our cells- which holds are DNA.  The microbiome and the gut are connected- 90% of our serotonin is produced in our gut wall lining… 50% of our dopamine is made here as well and 40% in our kidneys!  Your brain talks directly to your gut.  Then we take antibiotics and kill all the bacteria in our gut- the good and the bad.  With the increase use of antibiotics in our society- infants to aging adults- depression, anxiety, ADD will be on the rise.  Dr. Bush stated that withing 12 months of taking antibiotics, 23-56% of people will battle depression and 17-44% will experience increased amounts of anxiety.  We are losing the brain optimization of our society with not only antibiotics and excessive sugar/processed foods/vegetable oils (pood SAD) but also the excessive use of Round Up and other sprays on our food crops.Glysophhate in Round Up is related to increased diseases in our world including cancer as it kills life in the soil so then it will kill cells as well!  The rate of cancer is on the rise- its not a genetic disease but a cellular disease and the rates are higher where the Mississippi River enters the ocean called the “dead zone”.  We have a collapse in our biology, oxygen depleted oceans, increased levels of toxicity in our environment- challenging the survival of all forms of biology!  Glysophate… is part of the problem of our health issues as it is impacting our small intestine-gut wall lining and leading to leaky gut.  We have another piece to the puzzle… all disease starts in the gut but also at a cellular level (mitochondria).  Our environment, our diet, our lifestyle and our levels of stress all influence our ability to optimize our health from the inside out.  Its your choice! 
6. Hormetic Stress:  the benefits of acute stress vs. chronic stress: What do you think is a healthy stressor?  Think about when you workout- lift heavy weights (my favorite!) and create small tears in your muscles?  We get stronger when we rebuild and repair the muscles – which is why we can’t or should not lift heavy weights back to back days…then we just breakdown and not buildup. (anabolic/catabolic).FYI… “What is the difference between anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism: The buildup of complex organic molecules from simpler ones, reactions are called anabolic or biosynthetic. They involve dehydration synthesis (release water) and are endergonic. Catabolism: The breakdown of complex organic molecules into simpler ones.” Anabolic Workouts. The term “anabolic exercise” is essentially synonymous with “strength training.” To build muscle tissue, you must first overload the muscle or muscle group of interest and then allow the relevant hormones, such as growth hormone and testosterone, to do their job while you rest between workouts. –https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/anabolic-exercise-vs-catabolic-exercise-11899.htmlWhat are other GOOD, healthy sources of stress?  Acute stress?  Well if we have a short exposure or “shock” then recovery then we adapt to become more energetic and resilient.   This healthy dose of stress is why I think the different types of hormesis are popular bio-hacks these days as they are effective -IF in small doses or else it become chronic source of stress (negative effect- which is what I worry about with people doing TOO MUCH of any of these activities):  intermittent fasting, cold therapy, heat therapy, oxygen deprivation tanks, red light therapy, hypoxia exercises, UV light, exercise and xenobiotics (read more in The Energy Blueprint Masterclass).  So many “Type A personalities” that take on a new challenge or new trend or latest research to the extreme as so many people still have the mentality as “more is better”.  For example – fasting, ketosis, cold thermogensis and of course exercise.  MORE IS BETTER is NOT BETTER!  Read my book if you want to learn more (LIFE IS NOT A RACE on Amazon).    That is all for today… I am putting this all together into my next free e-book for my website to help you transform the WHOLE you with The WHOLESTIC Method program.  We need to make nutrition and lifestyle habits as well as supplement as needed on an individual basis to become metabolic efficient fat adapted athletes.  There is a reason that so many companies are selling KETO food and supplements as well as now gut biome and mitochondria support.  There is a reason we got to this state in our society… eating dead, toxic, processed foods that are covered with glysophate and deprived of nutrition including essential fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and amino acids.  Then add our high-carb, refined sugar, vegetable oil, pesticide covered meals with eating in the sympathetic nervous system with excessive exposure to blue light, lack of sunlight, excessive sitting indoors and staying up too late at night… well no wonder so many of us experience unexplained health problems, hormone imbalances, gut infections, brain fog, depression, anxiety and more!

Let me know if you want to take charge of your health and transform the WHOLE you with The WHOLESTIC Method program to become a fat burning machine while optimizing your mitochondria and improving the aging process!

Do you want to lose weight?  Regain energy? Feel happy and excited each day to be alive?

Say yes and send me a message!

The WHOLESTIC Method Coach,

Debbie Potts