Podcast Summary
The Power of Diet and Belief in Overcoming Chronic Diseases: Belief in oneself and a nutritious diet, along with supplementation, can significantly impact chronic diseases like MS.
While exercise is important for overall health, a terrible diet cannot be counteracted solely through exercise. Doctor Mindy, also known as Dr. Mindy Pelz, emphasizes the power of the body and the importance of believing in oneself. In this episode of her podcast, The Resetter, she interviews Dr. Terry Wahls, a pioneer in the autoimmune movement. Dr. Wahls shares her personal journey with an autoimmune condition, MS, and how she was able to mitigate her symptoms primarily through diet and supplementation. However, the conversation goes beyond diet to cover topics such as toxicity, stress, the modern world, human connection, and the cellular danger response. Dr. Wahls' thorough approach to chronic diseases, especially autoimmune conditions, provides valuable insights for those dealing with such conditions, those with relatives suffering from them, and those looking to prevent them. Additionally, Dr. Mindy announces her Reset Academy, an exclusive community for those looking to kickstart their fasting and health journey, providing support, insights, and guidance towards health goals.
A physician's journey to mitochondrial healing for MS: A physician with MS discovered the importance of mitochondrial health and experimented with treatments like e-stim and a structured paleo diet, leading to significant improvements and a new perspective on disease, health, and research.
Terry, a physician diagnosed with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, discovered the importance of healing the mitochondria to slow down his decline and improve his symptoms. He experimented with various treatments, including electrical stimulation (e-stim) and a structured paleolithic diet, which he redesigned based on his research. The paleo diet focused on nutrient-dense foods and avoiding high-carb, high-glycemic index foods. Terry's experiences led him to question if he was doing all he could to slow his disease progression and ultimately changed his perspective on disease, health, medicine, and research. He discovered that mitochondria were the key drivers for various progressive neurologic disorders, including MS, and that supplementing and supporting mitochondrial health could lead to significant improvements. The ketogenic diet, which also focuses on mitochondrial health, differs from the paleo diet in its emphasis on achieving a state of ketosis through very low carbohydrate intake. Both diets have shown promise in supporting mitochondrial health and improving symptoms for various chronic diseases.
Supporting Vegetarian Wahls Diet for Mitochondrial Health: Vegetarian Wahls diet includes gluten-free grains, legumes, and pressure-cooked proteins, omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and recognizes individuals' spiritual beliefs for unique adaptations.
The Wahls diet offers various options, including vegetarian, to support mitochondrial health. For those with spiritual reasons for vegetarianism, it's essential to ensure they get sufficient protein from gluten-free grains, legumes, and pressure-cooked to reduce lectins. Omega-3 and omega-6 fats, such as from algae sources, should also be included. Ketones and amino acids become increasingly necessary as we age, and our ancestors' diets suggest a history of physical activity leading to a ketosis state. The Wahls diet recognizes and respects individuals' spiritual beliefs and offers adaptations to meet their unique needs. Ketones and amino acids are valuable resources for aging individuals, and our ancestors' diets indicate a history of physical activity leading to a ketosis state.
Our ancestors' diet and metabolism: Our modern diet and lifestyle differ significantly from our ancestors', impacting our health negatively. Aligning our environment with our DNA's evolution can promote better health.
The way we eat today, with constant access to food and a diet high in processed items, goes against our genetic design. Our ancestors had to work hard to obtain food, which led to a diet rich in protein, leafy greens, and occasional fruits. This metabolic switching between a fat-burning state and a fed state likely increased the survival advantage of our species. However, the modern environment, with its continuous feeding, high stress, inactivity, and low vitamin D, high glycemic index food, is a relatively new concept, only a few hundred years old. Our inability to make vitamin C, which is found in fruits, may have ensured that we had to eat more fruit and lay down more fat, increasing milk production in women and contributing to the growth of bigger brains. So, it's important to consider aligning our environment with our DNA's evolution to promote better health.
Our ancestors prepared for winter with nutrient-dense foods: Incorporating nutrient-dense foods like fruits, fats, organ meats, and maintaining a healthy weight can support optimal health
Our ancestors consumed more fruits, fats, and organ meats during the fall to prepare for winter, and these nutrients helped them survive and even grow bigger brains. However, becoming underweight can lead to serious health consequences, and a healthy weight is important for overall well-being. Dr. Mindy and Tony Horton have created a new fitness program called PowerSync 60, which includes a customized meal plan and workouts that consider hormones. Additionally, Dr. Mindy emphasized the importance of organ meats, such as liver and heart, for their positive impact on the mitochondria. She suggested creative ways to prepare and enjoy organ meats, such as cooking chicken hearts with onions and garlic or adding liver to bacon. Overall, incorporating these nutrient-dense foods and maintaining a healthy weight can support optimal health.
Optimizing Nutrition for Autoimmune Health: Focus on eliminating sugar and processed foods, increasing non-starchy veggies, adequate protein, and consider personalized approaches like fasting or ketosis. Address toxins to support cellular health.
The nutritional needs of our cells play a significant role in maintaining our health, particularly in managing autoimmune conditions. Cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for creating robust cell membranes and maintaining brain health. A poor diet can lead to rapid aging, increased complications, and exacerbated autoimmune symptoms. To optimize nutritional intake, focus on eliminating sugar and processed foods, increasing non-starchy vegetables, and ensuring adequate protein. Personalized approaches, such as fasting strategies or ketosis, can also be effective. Community support and spiritual practices, including fasting, can enhance the healing process. Toxins, whether biologic or synthetic, can interfere with normal cellular function and should be addressed to support overall health. The concept of a cellular danger response highlights the importance of understanding the impact of toxins on our cells.
Understanding the cell danger response and its triggers: Personalized approach to addressing cell danger response triggers can lead to significant health improvements, with diet and lifestyle changes yielding up to 80% improvement in clinical trials
The cell danger response is a crucial part of our body's defense system, but when it becomes chronic, it can hinder the healing process. This response can be triggered by various factors, including nutritional, toxic, emotional, and traumatic stressors, collectively known as the exposome. In chronic conditions, it's essential to approach health in a personalized way, as everyone's triggers may be different. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution for autoimmunity, interventions such as diet and lifestyle changes can yield significant improvements for many individuals. For instance, in clinical trials, up to 80% of participants reported reduced fatigue, pain, and improved quality of life after following a diet and lifestyle program. However, these results could be even more impressive with personalized testing and advanced functional medicine approaches. In summary, understanding the cell danger response and addressing its triggers through a personalized approach can lead to remarkable improvements in health.
A holistic approach to managing autoimmune conditions: Medication is important but not enough for managing autoimmune conditions. A holistic approach that includes lifestyle modifications is crucial for comprehensive care.
Autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus, require comprehensive care that goes beyond just medication. These conditions often come with other comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance, which need to be addressed. Moreover, having one autoimmune condition increases the likelihood of developing others. Therefore, addressing diet and lifestyle factors is crucial in managing these conditions. The expert emphasized that while medication is important, it's only one part of the story. He also suggested that policies promoting regenerative farming, gardening, and teaching people how to cook and meal plan could help prevent and manage chronic diseases, including autoimmune conditions. In summary, a holistic approach that considers both medical treatment and lifestyle modifications is essential in managing autoimmune conditions.
The importance of face-to-face connections: Scheduling in-person interactions, practicing gratitude, and reconnecting with communities and support systems can enhance our mental and emotional health.
Both physical and emotional connections are essential for our wellbeing. While technology allows us to stay connected, it's important to remember that it doesn't fully replace face-to-face interaction. A sugar tax or white flour tax could help reduce consumption of unhealthy foods, but human connection is equally important for our mental and emotional health. Scheduling time for in-person interactions, practicing gratitude, and reconnecting with our communities and support systems can all contribute to a more fulfilling and connected life. The pandemic has shown us the importance of cherishing these connections and the profound impact they have on our overall health and happiness.
Strengthening family connections through weekly dinner nights: Weekly dinner nights can foster communication and gratitude among family members, leading to stronger connections. Prioritize this simple yet meaningful tradition.
Creating consistent family time through activities like weekly dinner nights can significantly strengthen family connections. Terry Wahls, a functional medicine doctor, shares how her family has practiced this tradition for generations, making it a valuable tool for fostering communication and gratitude among family members. Wahls also invites listeners to join her upcoming seminar series on hormones and mycotoxins, where she will be presenting insights from the MS Center and IFM conferences. To learn more about her work and the seminar, visit terrywalls.com. This simple yet meaningful family practice, along with Wahls' expertise in health and nutrition, offers a powerful reminder of the importance of prioritizing relationships and self-care.
