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#022: The Quantified Self- Hacking & Tracking Your Health & Performance Data with David Korsunsky
About this Episode
David Korsunsky is the CEO & Founder of Heads Up Health, a state-of-the-art health data tracking platform built for the individual consumer to have more awareness and take smarter action in their health. David has fifteen years of experience working for industry leading technology firms and most recently served as Director of Technical Alliances at VMware, Inc. where he led strategic partnerships with global EHR companies including EPIC, Cerner, McKesson, GE, Allscripts and many more. As an avid health enthusiast, he recognized an opportunity to build a software solution that makes it easier for anyone to take control over their health through better use of their data.
David comes on the show today to explain the mission of Heads Up Health, the value of health data and it's impact on behavior change. With Heads Up Health's data-tracking platform you can easily link your medical records from over 30,000 doctor's offices, compile your complete health history and see the BIG picture as you adopt healthy diet and lifestyle changes. I've been using HUH's platform for the last 6 months and it's led to some powerful realizations and connections in my own health. I would recommend you take David up on their free trail. But no matter what, enjoy the show!
Notes:
2:43 - about Heads Up Health
10:49 - the value of Heads up Health and having all their data in one spot
21:52- why it’s important to take control of your health metrics
27:26 - integrative functional medicine and it’s roll in David’s life
29:46 - the rise of the smart patient and practitioner and their relationship
32:44 - TJ shares his screen on the video and gives a peek at the Heads Up Health platform
35:35 - the functional glucose tolerance test and why you should do it
38:25 - monitoring HRV data
43:52 - the over objectified self and when data can become counter productive
48:07 - David’s go-to strategies for health creation
Links:
- Heads Up Health
- Dr. Nasha Winters (link to her show/episode)
- Oura Ring
- Free Trial for Heads Up Health
- Keto Mojo
Quotes:
6:14-6:18 - “Data can drive behavior change. Just seeing numbers can drive behavior change.”
17:54 - 18:07 “People are starting to recognize that conventional medicine is largely an acute solution. And for a lot of the things we are working on you need other types of healthcare expertise.”
36:37 - 36:55 “I would say that understanding which foods jack your blood sugar and which foods don’t is probably one of the most important things you can learn.”
Recent Episodes from Health Hacker Life
#042: Unique Recovery for Elite Athletes with Strength Coach Andrew Hauser
#041: The Truth About Stem Cells & Redefining Heart Health with Dr. Vassily Eliopoulos
#040: MLB Shortstop Nick Ahmed on Optimizing Performance & Recovery
#039: How to Enjoy Organ Meats with Chef James Barry
#038: Nutritional Biochemistry and Digestive Health with Dr. Tim Jackson
Notes:
2:36 - how Tim first found out about functional medicine
6:52 - what is functional medicine or root cause medicine
13:17 - what process Tim when through to hack/heal himself
16:12 - what is autoimmune disease and what Tim usually sees with his patients
23:05 - the importance of GI-MAP testing - looking at both the good and the bad
29:23 - the importance of the DUTCH Hormone test
38:00 - what oxalates are and why they are important
40:43 - looking at epigenetic and stealth infections in the labs
44:04 - why it’s important to have a doctor help you order and interpret these kinds of tests and how to contact Tim directly if you have questions
47:03 - what methylation is and how to test and optimize genetics
52:21 - Tim’s free tool for people and what ‘green allopathy’ is
55:45 - the hacks that Tim uses right now for optimal health
59:40 - how Tim elevates his state of health and performance
Links:
- Healyourbody.org - Tim’s website
- Tests Tim recommends for everyone:
- GI-MAP Stool Test
- DUTCH Hormone Complete
- Organic Acids Test from Great Plains Labs
- Tim’s direct email DrTim072986@gmail.com
- his free ebook - Beyond Green Allopathy
- molecular hydrogen water
- red light therapy
- podcast episode with Emily Fletcher on meditation
Quotes:
8:00 - “The body is just an interacting series of parts and circles and multiple systems. And the more entropy or disorder there is in the system, the harder it is to heal.”
15:17 - “It’s easy to connect the dots looking back, but you have to be gentle and kind to yourself because most people do the best they can with the knowledge they have at that time.”
18:18 - “If your guts not optimal, your immune system is not going to be optimal.”
59:47 - “You can have great big biceps and quads. But who cares if you don’t have the energy to interact with your friends.”
59:57 - “The greatest threat to the human organism is social isolation.”
#037: Neuroscience for Peak Performance: QEEG, HRV & Medical-Grade Sleep Analysis to Hack Your Sleep & Brain Health with Dr. Tim Royer
Notes:
2:58 - when Tim got on the journey of neuroscience and brain health
5:24 - why it’s important to put brain understanding before medicine
7:10 - how to measure the brain and what data to look at
16:16 - Tim's model to optimize brain health
25:55 - costs and what is involved when working to optimize your brain
32:25 - how Tim's sleep study differs from most wearables and how to correct for that
39:49 - what are the most important behaviors that can impact sleep and brain performance
1:00:20 - what are health hacks tim uses and what it means for Tim to elevate his state
Links:
- ESPN article about the work Tim did to help professional athletes understand recovery
- Tim's website: Royer Neuroscience
- wearables we mention: Biostrap, Whoop, FitBit, Oura Ring
- Outside the Lines - Chris Kaman's misdiagnosis
- blue blocker glasses and the episode with Matt Maruca
- for staying cool at night: ChiliPad sleep system and the Ooler, Bed Jets,
- biometric lighting - reach out to Tim directly to learn more about getting this setup
- saunaspace infrared lights
- polysomnographic
Quotes:
12:57 - “We are talking about the most amazing thing in the entire universe… the entire brain.”
14:21 - “The greatest medicine for the brain is itself. If it can see what it’s doing.”
45:38 - “Whatever makes a mushroom grow is what you want your environment to be for sleep.”
#036: Glucose Monitoring, Testosterone For Optimal Performance & Functional Medicine w/ Dr. Mary Pardee
Notes:
2:12 - Mary’s personal journey into alternative medicine
13:20 - tips for people to build their all star health care team
18:16 - what to look for and how to know what ‘healthy’ testosterone levels are
26:09 - habits that negatively affect testosterone
28:40 - what to use for blood glucose monitoring
34:46 - lifestyle behaviors and general hacks for testosterone
41:51 - light (specifically nude exposure to light) and how that plays a role in testosterone
48:51 - her personal hacks in life for health
Links:
- modrn med - you can get your complimentary modern food strategy guide here or schedule a free consult with her here
- Mary on Instagram
- Joe Dispenza
- Bastyr University in San Diego
- functional medicine
- naturopathic medicine
- IFM.org
- CNDA.org
- Keto Mojo
- Dexcom
- holotropic breath work
Quotes:
7:30 - “Everybody has the innate ability to heal themselves, and I think you have to figure out what that key is though. Because the key isn’t going to be the same from one person to the next.”
15:44 - “The person that gets better, got better because they did the work. It’s not because of the practitioner at all… because it’s really those behavior changes and habits that take a lot of personal work.”
50:23 - “You shouldn’t just stop. Learning should never end and you want to push yourself to the limit of getting frustrated.”
#035: Blue Blockers & The Light Diet w/ Matt Maruca
Notes:
2:41 - when Matt woke up to quantum health and biology
5:40 - what are blue blockers and what is a ‘light diet’
12:52 - artificial light blocking glasses vs. blue blocking glasses
14:23 - Matt’s relation to light and when he wears glasses
26:24 - the studies and science that highlight the impact of light
50:54 - 5g technology and it’s effects
52:44 - a great app to easily track how to get more good light each day and UVA vs. UVB light
1:05:28 - Matt’s final health hacks and the 8 steps of the light diet
Links:
- Matt’s website
- RA Optics
- the light diet
- iris software for your computer that reduces blue light
- f.lux software for you computer
- The Self Mastery Show podcast
- how to make your iPhone red
- sauna space full spectrum bulbs
- why sunbathers live longer
- why working outdoors is beneficial
- penetration depth of different light wavelengths on human skin
- Dr. Michael Wallace on mitochondria and modern diseases today
- dminder app to optimize light exposure
- Light in Shaping Live (book)
- photo of TJ and Amanda wearing their blue blocker glasses
Quotes:
14:46 - “The first way I approach artificial light is recognize I am a being of the sunlight and therefore powered by the light of the sun.”
22:29 - “If we are exposed to any light at night it’s still having some effect on our sleep.”
54:50 - “The research is so clear that sun is so critical for so many processes in our body… sure by the time you kit 60 or 70 you might have slightly fewer wrinkles but you are going to make it to 60 or 70.”
01:10:21 “The thing that makes up who we are is the light within us.”
#034: Run Faster and Healthier: Stop Fighting Your Body and Learn How to Work With It Naturally with Jae Gruenke
Notes:
2:29 - Jae’s background and how she went from hating running to loving it
5:27 - what the feldenkrais method is
11:29 - how changes in running and movement affect the brain
19:32 - how do we work through the challenges in life that prevent us from moving or running
30:12 - how your upper body can effect your lower body
36:02 - foam rollers… should you use them?
38:44 - what data should you track when you are running to optimize your health
45:44 - what other things you can do between runs
49:49 - can running make you fat and thoughts on fasted runs
59:50 - what shows to wear when you run
Links:
- the balanced runner system
- Feldenkrais Method
- the alexander technique
- ‘Born to Run’ - the book by Christopher McDougall
- animal that becomes a plant based on movement
- standing desk that is a hamster wheel
- the wave tool
- why running on treadmills all the time isn’t the best
- numi chocolate pu erh tea
- bulletproof coffee
- Xero shoes
- FiveFinger vibram shoes
- naboso insoles
- BAER shoes
- softstar shoes
- vivobarefoot
- the mind your running challenge
- the balanced runners system online camp
Quotes:
6:18 - “Your brains exist to organize movement and everything else that a brain does is built on top of that fundamental function.”
7:44 - “Running is a part of our biological inheritance.”
16:37: - “The real end of it all is when you get sent to school and you have to sit at a desk all day.”
31:25- “Wherever you fight yourself you waste a tremendous amount of energy, you create stress and you setup potential for injuries.”
42:33 “We need to vary the stresses on our body… the very worst thing you can do is run always on a treadmill listening to an audio book or watching something.”