Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Let’s talk about water fasting vs. dry fasting. Water fasting is when a person only consumes liquids for a period of time. When a person does dry fasting, they’re not consuming food or liquids. One of the biggest benefits of fasting is autophagy. Autophagy is a condition where your body recycles damaged proteins and turns them into new enzymes and structural proteins. Autophagy also helps you get rid of pathogens. Detoxification is just as important, if not more important, in some cases, as getting plenty of nutrients. One of the big purposes of sleep is to detoxify your cells. Fasting, especially dry fasting, mimics a lot of the benefits of sleep. It’s important to note that about eight to ten percent of the water you get is produced by your own cells, which also enhances detoxification. But, if you drink a lot of water, your body doesn’t get a chance to produce metabolic water. Dry fasting is essentially enhanced autophagy. Anything you can do to remove extra waste from the body is a great thing, especially for longevity. Top benefits of dry fasting: • It can help remove intracellular toxicity • It can help strengthen biochemical machines • It can help improve mitochondrial function • It’s a strong epigenetic stimulus • It can mimic some of the benefits of a deep sleep You may want to test out a dry fast and do it gradually to see how you feel. A good place to start would be not consuming any water during a 16-hour fast. Then, when you eat, drink plenty of liquids.

Let’s talk about the best way to extend your life. The #1 cause of death worldwide is heart disease. If we look at risk factors for heart disease, high LDL increases your risk by 38 percent. But insulin resistance increases your risk by 540 percent. Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, like diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension, can be caused by insulin resistance. This seems to mean that insulin resistance is the biggest risk factor for premature cardiac death. The most popular mainstream treatment for high cholesterol is statin drugs. Studies have shown that statins can potentially lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. Healthy mitochondria are essential to longevity. Statins may also impair the mitochondria and increase apoptosis (death of the mitochondria). An interesting study links higher LDL cholesterol to inversely affecting mortality. This means that having higher LDL may help extend your lifespan. Cholesterol is involved in a myriad of functions in the body—it’s essential for a healthy life. Blood thinners and even the heart-healthy diet recommended by the American Heart Association can also contribute to insulin resistance and high blood sugar. To live longer, improving insulin resistance, making insulin more sensitive, and stabilizing your blood sugar is crucial. The most important things you can do to support healthy insulin and blood sugar include: 1. Getting on a low-carb diet (the ketogenic diet) 2. Doing intermittent fasting 3. Not restricting cholesterol 4. Consuming vegetables 5. Exercising DATA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31696945/ https://academic.oup.com https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28132458/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33511728/

Today, I want to share the best remedy to unclog your arteries. A clogged artery is an artery that’s filled with plaque. In many cases, when a person has clogged arteries, they also have stiff arteries, inflammation, and high blood pressure. Many people seek natural alternatives for clogged arteries because the common treatments often have side effects. Potential side effects of these treatments can include: • Myopathy • Erectile dysfunction • Low testosterone • Neuropathy • Dementia • Hemorrhagic stroke • Increased risk of cancer The best natural remedy to unclog your arteries is called nattokinase. Nattokinase is an enzyme in natto (fermented soybeans). Fermented soybeans are also loaded with vitamin K2. Potential benefits of nattokinase: 1. It may help break up clots 2. It may help clear up nasal polyps 3. It may help decrease oxidized LDL 4. It has anti-inflammatory properties 5. It may help lower blood pressure 6. It inhibits the thickening of the artery walls 7. It may help increase HDL and lower triglycerides 8. It may help decrease the risk of strokes 9. It was shown to shrink plaquing in the aorta when combined with ginseng in animal studies DATA: https://www.nature.com/articles/srep11601 https://journals.sagepub.com https://europepmc.org/article/med/28763875 https://www.docmuscles.com/statin-drug-risk-vs-benefit/ https://www.docmuscles.com

Today we’re going to talk about the potential benefits of sulforaphane for autism. Sulforaphane is a natural chemical in cruciferous vegetables and other vegetables. Sulforaphane can be beneficial for other conditions as well, including: • H. pylori • HIV • Hepatitis C and B • SARS-CoV-2 People with autism have a low antioxidant capacity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. One of the lowered antioxidants is glutathione. Lowered glutathione is also involved in conditions other than autism, including: • COPD • Alzheimer’s • Parkinson’s • Cancer • Autoimmune diseases • ADHD • Bipolar disorder • Schizophrenia • H. pylori • HIV A certain protein called Nrf2 is the master regulator of all of the antioxidants your body makes, including glutathione. This protein also activates detoxification enzymes, helps regulate T helper cells, and helps protect against oxidation and oxidative stress. Things that inhibit Nrf2: • High-sugar diets • Lack of sleep • Stress • Glyphosate • Alcohol • Smoking • Toxins • Medications • Infections • Gene alterations Things that trigger Nrf2: 1. Sulforaphane 2. Selenium, cysteine, glutamine, and tryptophan 3. NAC 4. Glutathione 5. Prolonged fasting 6. Cruciferous and sulfur vegetables 7. Alpha-lipoic acid 8. Vitamins A, C, D, E, and zinc 9. Milk thistle 10. Exercise 11. EGCG (green tea) 12. Healthy gut microbes DATA: https://www.sciencedirect.com https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35500829/ https://www.oatext.com https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-022-03189-z https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4811417/

Today we're going to talk about a simple way to prevent kidney stones, and it has to do with apple cider vinegar. The most common type of kidney stone is a calcium oxalate stone. In this situation, you have high oxalates and calcium and low citrate. You may have high oxalates from consuming too many high-oxalate foods. Oxalates are in a lot of foods, including keto-friendly foods. High calcium in the urine can be due to a genetic mutation. Your body makes citrates, which bind with calcium to lessen the amount of free calcium in the body. Free calcium is what can bind to oxalates. Drinking more fluids during the day is one of the best ways to prevent kidney stones. I suggest drinking at least two and a half liters of fluids per day if you're prone to getting kidney stones. Another great way to prevent kidney stones is to add electrolyte powder containing potassium citrate or magnesium citrate to your water. The best natural remedy for kidney stones: • To help dissolve kidney stones, add four to six ounces of lemon juice and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a large glass of water, and drink up! For kidney stone prevention, add the juice of one lemon or just one tablespoon of lemon juice and two tablespoons of ACV to your water. DATA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25542071/

Today, we’re going to talk about the #1 thing that improves your health. It has to do with increasing the diversity of microbes in your gut. Ideally, you want a rich microbiome with a lot of different species. Without this diversity, you’ll provide the perfect space for harmful bacteria to thrive. A lack of diverse microbes can lead to symptoms, including: • Diarrhea • Gut inflammation • Toxins • Obesity • Slow metabolism • Mood changes This lack of diversity is called dysbiosis, and it’s associated with many different serious health conditions. Potential benefits of diverse microbes: • They help you make vitamins • They provide immune protection • They help keep inflammation low • They feed colon cells • They help produce amino acids, neurotransmitters, and other proteins • They help keep your energy high How to increase the diversity of microbes in your gut and boost your health: 1. Consume food that has been grown on soil that has a diverse microbiome 2. Increase the diversity of plant foods in your diet 3. Exercise 4. Get plenty of quality sleep 5. Do intermittent fasting 6. Consume phenols 7. Consume sprouts or microgreens grown on soil 8. Consume probiotic foods 9. Consume raw foods Top things that lower microbiome diversity: 1. Broad-spectrum antibiotics 2. Glyphosate 3. Animals fed on a monoculture 4. Stress 5. Artificial sweeteners 6. Inflammation 7. Liver issues 8. Sterilized foods 9. Radiated foods 10. Overly processed foods 11. A lack of variety of foods in the diet If you’re expecting a baby, keep in mind that having a natural birth and breastfeeding can both enhance the diversity of microbes in an infant.

Let’s talk about the interesting benefits of wheatgrass. Typical wheat products like bread and pasta are made with the seed, or grain, of the wheat plant. Wheatgrass is the actual plant that the seed grows on. The type of wheatgrass used in wheatgrass juice is at an early stage—usually less than ten days old. I think how healthy wheatgrass is for you depends on what it’s grown on. Wheatgrass grown on soil may be more beneficial than wheatgrass grown in other ways. Wheatgrass juice powder may also be more beneficial than wheatgrass powder products. Wheatgrass juice powder is more concentrated because it doesn’t contain any fiber. One of the advantages of wheatgrass juice powder over wheatgrass powder is that people can consume it even if they can’t consume fiber. Unlike grain, wheatgrass is gluten-free and is low in anti-nutrients, tannins, and oxalates. Wheatgrass juice powder grown on good soil is low-carb and rich in vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and amino acids. However, I consume wheatgrass juice powder for two main reasons: 1. 70% of wheatgrass is chlorophyll 2. It’s rich in phytonutrients Both chlorophyll and phytonutrients have a wealth of beneficial properties. Research is also being done on using wheatgrass for a genetic type of anemia called thalassemia. Growing your own wheatgrass to make wheatgrass juice is inexpensive and pretty simple. Give it a try! DATA: https://www.degruyter.com https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5947926/ https://ascopubs.org/doi/abs/10.1200/jco.2009.27.15_suppl.7012 https://www.semanticscholar.org

Let’s talk about the dark side of zinc. Zinc is one of the most important trace minerals for your hair. But having too much zinc can be just as damaging to your hair as zinc deficiency. Zinc is a trace mineral, and it’s involved in over 300 different enzymes. Zinc is needed to support the growth of hair follicles. With low zinc, you could experience hair loss. Zinc is also needed for collagen and keratin. If you're deficient in zinc, you could notice thin and brittle hair. Having too much zinc can lead to copper deficiency. The more zinc you take, the more copper you need. Copper is also involved in hair growth, hair color, and the structural integrity of the hair. The most zinc an adult could take without experiencing any side effects is roughly about 40 mg per day. Symptoms of zinc toxicity can include: • Nausea • Vomiting • Decreased appetite • Abdominal cramps • Diarrhea • Headaches But, you may need even higher amounts of zinc short-term for certain health problems. The key is to make sure you always consume enough copper as well. The correct zinc-to-copper ratio is roughly ten to one. It’s important to remember that when you consume foods high in zinc, your body only absorbs 20 to 40 percent of it. There are a lot of various things that decrease the absorption of zinc. It’s important to avoid things that prevent the absorption of zinc and consume foods high in zinc. You may also want to consider a zinc supplement as well as make sure you're getting plenty of copper.

Let’s talk about protein. We often think that increasing protein helps build muscle because muscle is made of protein. But this doesn’t always work. Some people that eat more protein may even suffer from amino acid deficiency. You need sufficient amounts of protein to build muscle, but, more importantly, you need sufficient amino acids. The general thought is that you need .8 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass—not overall weight. This might look like around 50 grams of protein per day. A moderate amount of protein would be between 1.2 and 1.7 grams per kilogram of lean body mass. High protein would be about 2 grams per kilogram of lean body mass. It’s essential to focus on consuming quality protein from eggs, meat, fish, and dairy. It’s not ideal to rely on getting your protein from plant sources or protein powder to build healthy muscles. Factors that influence the production of muscle protein: 1. Insulin resistance What to do: • Get on a low-carb diet (Healthy Keto®) • Do intermittent fasting 2. Growth hormone What to do: • Intense exercise • Get plenty of sleep • Do intermittent fasting 3. Testosterone What to do: • Consume zinc (red meat, shellfish, seafood) • Avoid refined carbs and sugar • Lower your stress • Avoid soy protein isolates, soy milk, beer, and alcohol 4. Stress What to do: • Take a look at my other videos on how to lower stress 5. The microbiome What to do: • Consume probiotic foods 6. Low stomach acid What to do: • Take betaine hydrochloride 7. Low enzymes in the pancreas or small intestine What to do: • Consume enzyme-rich foods • Take an amino acid supplement 8. Lean protein What to do: • Consume fattier protein sources

Today I’m going to cover the worst mistake people make when dealing with constipation and what to do for constipation. Constipation is congestion in your gut—you have too much stool. Fiber increases stool volume. Fiber also causes your microbes to create fermentation, which leads to gas and bloating. Some studies suggest that consuming fiber can even worsen conditions like chronic constipation or SIBO. The biggest mistake people make when dealing with constipation is consuming more fiber. How to deal with constipation naturally: 1. Reduce your fiber 2. Talk to your doctor about whether or not it’s a side effect of a medication (and what to do if it is) 3. Consume vitamin B1 4. Lower your stress 5. Take bile salts 6. Take a probiotic 7. Do intermittent fasting 8. Consume a moderate amount of protein 9. Consume betaine hydrochloride and apple cider vinegar 10. Consume magnesium and potassium DATA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3435786/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16815488/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15654804/