Dr. Greg Eckel on How to Keep Your Brain Healthy As You Age

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Katie: Hello, and welcome to the Wellness Mama Podcast. I’m Katie from wellnessmama.com and wellnesse.com. That’s wellness with an E on the top. And this episode is all about cutting-edge mind regenerative know-how and easy methods to preserve your mind wholesome as you age. I’m right here with Dr. Greg Eckel, who has spent the final 20+ years of his life growing and refining his distinctive method to persistent neurological circumstances. In addition to his expertise in scientific follow utilizing a mixture of naturopathic and Chinese medication, he has a deep private reference to this, which he explains in his personal phrases, firstly of this podcast. And he took a deep dive into this analysis and has been on the entrance finish of some actually cutting-edge know-how, however we additionally speak about some widespread on a regular basis issues we will all do to enhance our mind well being. We speak about issues like what misfolded proteins are and what they do within the mind, why we’re seeing an increase in brain-related circumstances, the stunning issue he sees in lots of brain-related ailments, and it’s not what you assume, what Vsels are, that are very small embryonic stem cells, and the way this with sure lasers are offering actually wonderful anti-aging and mind well being outcomes. And then into extra broad issues like food plan, dietary supplements, sleep and different components that actually affect the mind. Definitely a variety of data on this one. So, let’s be part of Dr. Greg. Dr. Eckel, welcome.

Dr. Greg: Oh, thanks.

Katie: I’m excited to speak with you in regards to the mind, particularly. But earlier than we soar into that, I’ve a observe in my present notes that claims that you simply hooted the noticed owl on the Olympic Peninsula, and I’ve to grasp what that story was.

Dr. Greg: Well, I converse owl. So as an undergrad, I used to be actually inquisitive about forest ecology and environmental science, I nonetheless am. I truly I feel we must always all have a bumper sticker that claims, “Save the humans,” not simply save the whales. But I work for the Forest Service in Quilcene. It’s on the Olympic Peninsula at one of the stunning locations on the planet, and I realized easy methods to name or hoot the noticed owl.

I bear in mind Jay, he was from North Carolina, he was a part of the Forest Conservation Council, and we mainly put little recordings and we have been like, within the bathe within the mornings like, hoo, hoo, like hooting like an owl, after which we might exit. We lastly, you recognize, it was such a rush the primary time I did it. Was, you recognize, you drive as much as the highest of the mountain high and also you hoot out the decision, and so they reply again and it simply makes the hair in your arm stand on edge. It’s, like, so stunning. So all summer time we hooted the noticed owl, so it’s sort of a enjoyable, you recognize, occasion trick while you’re tenting up there, to speak to the owls.

Katie: That’s wonderful. I’m comparatively sure you’re my first visitor ever who speaks owl. That’s actually cool.

Dr. Greg: Yes. They’re one in all my, you recognize, totem animals at this level. Yes.

Katie: I adore it. Well, that, in and of itself is fascinating, however not truly what you’re recognized for. You’re recognized on your work in mind regeneration and mind well being. So to start out broad, I might love to listen to how you bought into that space to start with?

Dr. Greg: You know, this story begins 11 years in the past with the assembly of Soraya. And Soraya was 6’1, dreadlocks right down to the ground, actually simply a tremendous goddess. And she discovered her means into my coronary heart like nobody ever on the planet had ever performed earlier than. And, you recognize, we blended our households, it was her three children and my two children. We even had a maid named Alice like “The Brady Bunch.” We blended our medical practices, and he or she was an authorized nurse-midwife, nurse practitioner, I’m a naturopathic physician, and every part was simply going simply high-quality.

And you recognize, truly, it was higher than high-quality. It was wonderful and magical. And then we moved and Soraya turned obsessive about this one orange Fiestaware plate. And, you recognize, I believed huge…look, we transfer issues get misplaced, you recognize. But it was this one plate, it turned like an eerie Groundhog Day and dinner dialog with me and the youngsters of like, “What’s going on?” “Mom’s looking for that plate again.” And you recognize, she would undergo the kitchen after which the cabinets after which down the hallway the place we stored the tenting gear, to the storage, after which lastly wind up within the attic. She’d come again pissed off. And then, you recognize, a day or two later she’d do the identical factor, and it began to turn into regarding in that.

Then three months go by, Chelsea, my workplace supervisor at some point got here to me and mentioned, “Hey, Doc, Soraya just left the building.” I mentioned, “What are you talking about?” Said, “Well, she just left the building. She was in her white lab coat and stethoscope and just started wandering around the streets of Portland, Oregon.” And at that second in time, I knew that we would have liked to do one thing. And we cleared the schedule, and that was simply three months proper between shifting to when she strolled out of the clinic.

And you recognize, we went on the lookout for options and solutions and at that time, you recognize, she was 42, we thought it was the overall culprits. Maybe it was, you recognize, perimenopause early, or mould toxicity, or, you recognize, among the issues that you’d assume for someone that younger. Well, luckily, I’ve all the time mentioned she was one in 1,000,000 being, however sadly, the specialists agreed with me on that and he or she received this analysis known as CJD, Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness, which is a uncommon about 330 instances of North America a 12 months. And it’s a quickly progressing dementia with no recognized remedy.

Now, I being, you recognize, uniquely positioned as husband and doctor, I swung for the fence. What I found didn’t assist Soraya one iota. I imply, we, you recognize, at some extent in a development and perhaps your listeners can relate to this, you recognize, you’re on the lookout for options and solutions and also you’re simply not getting them. So sooner or later, you must, with grace and a variety of prayer sort of, not throw the towel in, however change your outlook and expectations.

And so, I switched from looking for options to only surrounding her with love. And, you recognize, when she handed, our nurse-midwife sort of loss of life doula mentioned it was essentially the most stunning loss of life she had ever attended. You don’t actually hear that so often while you speak about loss or someone’s loss of life. But it additionally, you recognize, I didn’t need my struggling to be for naught. And so I, you recognize, sort of bushwhacked and made it up as I went, as a result of there have been no options for neurodegeneration. So, you recognize, I’ve a roadmap, I invite people to say you don’t must go it alone and we now have a variety of choices for you.

So I rapidly turned a mind regenerative specialist in that course of. And even via my grief, the loss, and that entire course of, you recognize, I got here out entire with an open coronary heart and only a zest for the preciousness of life, and a hearth and a ardour to assist as many individuals as I can with neurodegeneration of their mind well being, after which even on a long life entrance. So, you recognize, I assume I arrived in mind regeneration in a college of onerous knocks there, and actually went for it. And actually, I sort of name them Soraya’s presents, is what we use.

Katie: Wow, what a strong story. And, I’m sorry she’s not with us anymore however it sounds such as you’ve really discovered the presents and the gratitude in that and utilizing it to assist so many different individuals which I’m positive she could be so completely satisfied to see.

Dr. Greg: Yeah, you recognize, it’s fascinating, whereas she’s not in her physique, she actually is right here with us and in such an exquisite means, that’s the piece for me that I’ve this zest for. We don’t understand how lengthy we’re on the planet and the way lengthy we get to, you recognize, truly really feel and style and contact and look in individuals’s eyes. And so it simply provides this richness to what we’re doing right here. There’s a legislation of physics, proper, that vitality can’t be destroyed or created, it solely adjustments type. So I wish to say she left her physique perhaps means too quickly, however she’s nonetheless current in so, so some ways. And simply the lives that we’re serving to right here and the conversations we get into individuals, it’s actually fairly extraordinary.

Katie: Wow, it jogs my memory of the stoic phrases, Memento Mori, “Remember your death,” which truly I’ve tattooed on my wrist as a reminder of that exact same factor of we don’t understand how lengthy we’re right here. And how can we make the very best of it and assist the most individuals within the time that we now have? And I do know that this, from my analysis, at the very least, led to your very distinctive method that can also contain serving to individuals with Parkinson’s which is not going to be your complete focus of this podcast. We’ll positively go broad into extra common mind well being. But I might love to only hear just a little little bit of excessive stage about that as effectively.

Dr. Greg: So this element…so I mentioned Soraya was one in 1,000,000 and this analysis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob illness is about 300 instances a 12 months in North America. So I didn’t need to focus on CJD, however I received in on the prionic textbooks. So prions are misfolded proteins that don’t have any genetic materials in them, they’re very odd. And oftentimes, while you see them within the literature, they’re known as infectious brokers.

And in there, Parkinson’s is in there, beta-amyloid plaque for Alzheimer’s and dementia, there are tau proteins, Lewy physique proteins of dementia. So there’s all of those misfolded protein ailments, which is neurodegeneration. So I picked Parkinson’s as a result of, you recognize, I’d been in follow at that time, 17 years, I’m now 21 years in follow, and I had a variety of people with that analysis. And it’s like, wow, effectively, I’m uncovering these therapies that may actually assist with this. And so we put them collectively in what I name my FAN-C method to Parkinson’s illness. So I wrote a guide known as “Shake it Off: An Integrative Approach to Parkinson’s Solutions.” Now, there are different guide titles coming round all the aspects of mind well being, so in case your listeners and viewers are watching and so they’re like, “Well, I don’t have Parkinson’s disease.” Hang in there as a result of this is applicable to actually our mind well being, is the dialogue.

But I wished to actually area of interest out and give attention to these people with this one analysis of Parkinson’s. And so I wrote a guide on it, I’ve a summit on the identical title, after which I’ve received an even bigger broader Brain Regeneration Summit. But on the method, that’s how I picked Parkinson’s. It was an enormous portion of my follow on the time. And the treatments, mainly, the Soraya’s presents that I discovered actually was relevant and I put that into my framework, which I name my FAN-C method to mind well being.

Katie: And I might guess from, I haven’t studied mind well being practically as in-depth, clearly, as you have got. But in finding out different areas of well being, it looks like usually excessive situations of illness may give us sort of a extremely fascinating perception into what early levels seem like and/or on the flip aspect, what optimum seems like and sort of that development. And looks like we will take the intense after which learn the way we will all enhance from these instances.

Dr. Greg: That is it. That’s so true. And so, you recognize, what we’re seeing in clinic…so I’m not saying I’m curing illness by any means. But we’re seeing stage two Alzheimer’s reverse, we’re seeing Parkinson’s illness, individuals don’t have any proof of illness anymore. One affected person specifically that I’ll share her story with, Cindy, got here in, she was actually debilitated with a tremor, couldn’t dress anymore. And mainly was caught on her sofa as a result of she was falling over, even with a three-sided strolling assist she was nonetheless injuring herself fairly a bit. And fairly depressed at that as a result of, you recognize, mainly debilitated on the sofa with Parkinson’s. She discovered us and got here out to the clinic for what I name Camp Nature Cures, it’s the expertise of mind regeneration right here. And we handled her in that course of.

And I received a name from her a few 12 months later and he or she mentioned, “Dr. Eckel, you’ll never guess what.” I mentioned, “You’re right, Cindy, I will never guess what. What’s up?” She help, “My husband just told me to slow down walking in the park.” I mentioned, “Wow, when is the last time he said that to you?” And she mentioned it has been over a decade. She had the analysis for 10 years, and mainly, simply, you recognize, was rapidly going into full-on incapacity, not in a position to transfer off the sofa. She actually received her life again.

Now, whereas I can’t declare that for everyone that we deal with, we now have a few 95% success price of bettering their high quality of life right here with our FAN-C method. And that’s, we go away the door open for that to happen. And we’re iterating on a regular basis I’m within the analysis and studying an increasing number of about how can we assist individuals’s brains regenerate. And on that, you recognize, it even goes to the purpose of mind well being and longevity. So from treating precisely what you mentioned, treating the illness course of and repairing there, effectively, then you will get into prevention. And then, we will get into the longevity dialogue, which these are all so enjoyable to get into. But, you recognize, we’re seeing issues that aren’t occurring different locations across the globe with these sufferers.

Katie: That’s unbelievable. And you talked about the time period beta-amyloid plaques. And I’d love so that you can outline this just a little bit extra as a result of I don’t comprehend it in a really nuanced mind well being means, however I positively come throughout this phrase usually in a variety of my studying, and in analysis, and the way this appears to be a key in a variety of this stuff which can be occurring. My primary understanding is that this stuff can construct up within the mind. And as an illustration, like, deep sleep is the time when our physique flushes cerebral spinal fluid and helps break these down. But that’s in regards to the extent of my understanding. So are you able to give us just a little primer?

Dr. Greg: Yeah. So the beta-amyloid plaques are round…they’re misfolded proteins that get tousled. They’re known as neurofibrillary tangles, they’ll get in there and the technical time period is that they’re gonna muck up your mind. So they get in there and so they trigger mayhem and so they begin different cells to misfold. So different protein buildings will misfold and so they sort of “spread” and I’m doing huge citation marks with that. In that, they’re signaling different cells to misfold. So then that’s what stops the transmission of the neurons and leads into dementia signs or Alzheimer is the most important type of dementia, Lewy physique dementia, these all go into the reminiscence loss, and many others. So these are associated to, in Parkinson’s illness, it’s known as alpha-synuclein is the misfolded protein. So you hit it spot on together with your understanding there.

Katie: Okay. And as you talked about, hopefully, most individuals listening aren’t coping with Alzheimer’s dementia or Parkinson’s. But it does appear to be these circumstances are all on the rise and probably occurring at earlier ages. So conceivably, individuals listening might have among the both danger components or early levels and never comprehend it. Why do you assume we’re seeing an increase in these circumstances proper now?

Dr. Greg: I feel it’s multifold. I imply, there’s one element on ranges of toxicity in our world. So you may even see some adverts on the market round, you recognize, roundup, glyphosate, sure pesticides related to triggering Parkinson’s. There are heavy metals in our surroundings that get lodged into our mind that may be at trigger. On the reminiscence loss, it’s an fascinating element that it’s nearly within the innate knowledge of the physique. I’m seeing unresolved traumas on the root of a variety of that. It’s nearly as if the innate knowledge says you haven’t handled that trauma, and we’re going to guard you at this level.

And there’s a hyperlink and now it is a working speculation on my half. But even on ancestral traumas, as we’ve been on the planet for longer and longer durations of time, we’re carrying these genetic lineages of our households and doing…you recognize, this piece that I went via with Soraya, we actually received into what might have induced this to start out within the first place? Because that’s the trillion-dollar query of why do proteins misfold?

And ancestral trauma has truly come up on the checklist so far as creating epigenetic adjustments that then are rippling out in our generations now. So it’s multifactorial, there’s food plan, there’s diet, there’s unresolved traumas, there’s household lineage, the ancestral element to it. So all of it provides up, after which by yourself genetic platform as effectively. So there are some nuances there so far as how do you unpack that for someone in a logical trend? How do you examine that every one collectively, and placing it right into a plan that may get you traction and motion.

Katie: That’s so fascinating. I used to be just lately requested by a pal at a cocktail party, what do you assume is the best reason for human struggling? And my reply was unresolved trauma due to a few of my very own expertise in the previous few years. And that sort of recurring theme that appears to be exhibiting up in a variety of, to your level, persistent well being circumstances. And particularly the generational aspect, which was a brand new analysis pathway for me.

I had Mark Wolynn on just lately, who authored “It Didn’t Start with You.” And he defined what you talked about, that epigenetic change. And I’m excited for the way forward for that analysis. I feel it’s nice that we’re seeing and beginning to perceive that it’s extra than simply the sum of the bodily inputs going within the physique. And I feel that looks like, particularly with the mind, gonna be a really, crucial pathway to go down in continued analysis.

So I really feel like we effectively established why these are issues and sort of what the intense variations of them seem like. I’ve additionally seen you write and say that you simply plan to stay to be 150 years previous, which might require a fairly wholesome mind and a fairly wholesome physique. So I’m curious to sort of construct that bridge now and discuss in regards to the constructive aspect of all this, which is what can we do to enhance our mind well being?

Dr. Greg: Yeah, for positive. What has given me some chutzpah, so to talk, is seeing a few of these persistent neurodegenerative circumstances reverse to the purpose of no proof of illness. And it’s miraculous, to say the least, as a result of it’s not presupposed to occur. You’re not presupposed to get your mind again after it’s been broken. And in seeing that, and having the privilege to take a seat with 90-year-old sufferers saying, you recognize, a variety of the theme with the 90-year-olds is, if I had recognized I used to be going to stay this lengthy, I might have taken higher care of myself. And so, you recognize, it was like, effectively…so I took it to coronary heart. I used to be like, “Okay, well, I’m listening to that. And if I wanna live to be 150, that means,” you recognize, simply issues begin to change while you begin to mission on the market. But we’re additionally residing at a tremendous time. We have know-how now that’s exhibiting age reversal. So there’s a strategy to measure the age of your cells, not simply the chronologic age of like, okay, I’m 51 years on the planet, however how previous do my cells assume they’re?

And you’ve seen this with you recognize, buddies or someone is similar age as you and both they give the impression of being actually means youthful than you and also you’re like, how are you doing that? Or they give the impression of being actually older, you recognize, 10 to 12, 15 years older. Like perhaps they have been a smoker, perhaps that they had a variety of unresolved trauma, or you recognize, who is aware of what their scenario was, however they aged faster. And so we’re exhibiting on biologic age about 2.6 years age reversal. So my cells are telling me that they’re 12 and a half years youthful. And that feels actually good. I additionally really feel that younger as effectively. So you recognize, when individuals are available in and say, “Oh, I’m just getting old, it’s just you know, normal aging.” I’m like, “No, I call hogwash on that statement.”

You know, the getting old that we’re selling in our communities with our brains and with our brawn, and with group in a really, like, we’re gonna not Benjamin Button it, like, age backwards collectively, however we’re. Like, I need to be higher this 12 months than I used to be final 12 months. You know, my 40s, have been fairly good decade, I received more healthy from 30 to 40. And now from 40, effectively, sorry, 40 to 50, and now 50 to 60, I wanna be even higher than I used to be in my, you recognize, 50s. So, you recognize, why not? Why not age like that?

Katie: And it looks like we’re beginning to perceive an increasing number of about this being doable, and doubtless in a novel means, particularly within the mind, from my understanding. In that the mind is able to nearly like regeneration, and neuroplasticity, and issues which can be at the very least slower in different areas of the physique. I feel we even have applied sciences rising that may let that occur in a variety of methods at a mobile stage all through the physique. But are you able to discuss just a little bit about a few of these new modalities which can be sort of bettering the physique’s capability for therapeutic?

Dr. Greg: Sure. The greatest lever that I’ve found is round VSELs. So they’re known as very small embryonic-like stem cell procedures. And these VSELs, once I graduated medical college in 2001, we didn’t study VSELs. And they have been found in 2005 by Dr. Ratajczak, at University of Kentucky. And they have been mainly thought-about detritus waste as a result of there was no lively biologic exercise in these cells that have been discovered within the serum of the blood, till we discovered a strategy to activate them.

So these are cells that we have been shaped in utero in our mom’s bellies that created us. They’re embryonic-like, which means they’ll flip into any cell of the physique. They go dormant after we’re born. Occasionally, they’re activated when you have got like a coronary heart assault or some cardiac occasion. They’ll come again alive or flip again on and act, you recognize, restore, then they return to dormancy. But we’ve discovered a strategy to activate them with a laser after which information them into the physique for the place they should go. So we actually shine the sunshine for the place the cells that have been activated by mild have to go.

Katie: That’s so fascinating. So to verify I perceive, these are cells that exist in our personal physique. So despite the fact that there’s the phrase embryonic, it’s not that we’re taking these from embryos, these are our personal embryonic stem cells?

Dr. Greg: Right. That’s proper.

Katie: I’m curious, simply as a cross over there. I’ve learn how, as an illustration, when a mother is pregnant, cells from her child mainly go in her physique and might go to a spot the place there’s an damage and assist restore it. Are these the same kind of cell or am I complicated two various things?

Dr. Greg: It will get complicated fast as a result of there’s a variety of completely different cell traces of stem cells. So these are embryonic-like, they’re not embryonic, proper? So the embryonic are those that begin with the 1 then go to the two, then go to the three or the 4, then the ten,000 issues of the human physique. These VSELs assist that, then there’s additionally mesenchymal stem cells from the placenta, that then are additionally circulating again to mother to assist restore. So there’s a variety of stem cell motion throughout the rising of one other being within the stomach, proper?

Katie: Got it. Okay, however the ones we’re speaking about listed here are from our personal serum in our blood?

Dr. Greg: Yeah. So mainly, we pull your blood, we spin it down, and it’s within the plasma, the clear portion of the…you recognize, the purple blood cells go to the underside, then normally a wax separates the serum up above.

Katie: So are you able to discuss extra in regards to the laser facet as a result of I really feel like this half is basically new. And I’ve solely learn very, like, temporary high-level stuff of this, however it appears actually unbelievable, the potential of this?

Dr. Greg: Yeah. So it is a particular laser known as a SONG laser that truly adjustments mild into sound. It’s received a refraction on it have about…it refracts the laser. So it goes from mild to sound. So it’s a sound wave that truly is available in. And on it, due to that refraction, there’s mainly data switch ahead and backward on the laser.

And so it’s a particular, you recognize, Dr. Todd is his identify, he owns the patent on that laser and he’s the one which created the entire course of and truly is the creator of this. So I wanna give, you recognize, due appreciation and a shout out to him for locating this out. I’m on his medical advisory board and heading up the neurodegenerative mind well being entrance of the analysis there.

Katie: So what does the potential and the long run seem like each within the regenerative aspect when somebody already has one in all these extra excessive variations, and/or within the preventative aspect?

Dr. Greg: If we reverse getting old by 7 years, we might reduce all persistent sickness on the planet by 50%. So it’s doable that we might, you recognize, actually preserve ourselves younger. Not stay without end, however preserve ourselves younger in that you recognize, stopping persistent sickness, getting out of ache, having full mobility, having our power, having our thought course of and, you recognize, sharpness of thoughts, and many others. So on the longevity entrance, you recognize, the sky is the restrict. And we’re coupled with the laser-activated and guided stem cell process, and we use hyperbaric oxygen, and we even use historical know-how like Chinese medication as effectively. So all of these issues wrapped collectively of assembly individuals the place they’re at, measuring blood and plasmalogens and different issues like this of actually engaged on mind chemistry, we will, you recognize, actually make a distinction.

You know, due to this course of that I went via, I planted the flag within the earth to, you recognize, can we transfer the needle with neurodegeneration? The reply is sure. Can we do a greater job of that? Certainly. Can we expedite these reversals? Yes. That’s what I’m engaged on, it’s what the those that I’m speaking to in medication, even exterior of drugs I feel bioenergetics and sound and frequency therapeutic, I’m very inquisitive about these matters. And actually making sound frequencies as a result of the laser goes right into a sound wave, which appears to be repairing the mind. And it’s additionally cartilage and…you recognize, I can undergo numerous tales of you recognize, individuals needing a hip, or a knee substitute, or a shoulder substitute, they don’t want it anymore on imaging. Their physique healed itself. So it’s tremendous thrilling of what the chances are and actually easing the struggling and/or getting individuals again right into a thriving mode.

Katie: What does entry to those therapies seem like proper now? I do know it’s comparatively new, is that this one thing individuals are capable of finding in most locations or if not, how can somebody discover it?

Dr. Greg: So proper now as a result of we’re nonetheless engaged on regulatory course of, so there’s the extremely regulated system of drugs within the United States, for higher or worse. And so there’s a handful of clinics utilizing the VSEL know-how. I’m the middle proper now, in Portland, Oregon, and shortly to have a clinic in Park City, Utah, across the longevity play so far as the mind regeneration element. Lots of people are doing a variety of longevity therapies. But this system and the transformation is, I feel, what units what we’re doing aside there. So we don’t have an internet site for the suppliers. It’s known as Qi Generation, is the identify of the corporate that owns the patents on the laser-guided and activated VSEL process.

The papers are simply getting printed. So there’s been two papers printed on the process. I’m hoping that there’s a 3rd popping out right here in December round…it’s 10 sufferers with coronary heart illness and injection fracture, bringing their hearts again on-line, which is tremendous spectacular. So I’m hoping that one comes out in December right here. So I assume my long-winded reply to your query is, it’s not tremendous accessible on the market but however we’re actually on the entrance edge and the entrance traces of this popping out.

Katie: Gotcha. And like we talked about, hopefully, most individuals listening don’t have one in all these extra extreme circumstances that they’re acutely coping with. But there’s a lot to study from these circumstances that apply to all of us. And with that being mentioned, it looks like with each facet of well being and this too, there’s gonna be a really multifaceted method. And I do know you had a background in purposeful medication earlier than you even specialised in mind well being, so it makes me curious sort of what the intersection of these two issues seems like in different areas as effectively. For occasion, beginning with maybe food plan, which is…diet is my background. I’m curious if you happen to’re seeing any scientific proof and/or in your follow, issues which can be useful to the mind from a dietary perspective?

Dr. Greg: There are. There are a ton. So there’s this fascinating speculation for Parkinson’s known as the Braak speculation of alpha-synuclein touring on the vagus nerve from the intestine. So probably Parkinson’s begins within the intestine. So we’re testing…you recognize, we deal with everybody’s food plan. Food is your finest medication. I imply, I’m a naturopathic doc in spite of everything, and agency believer in that. And it does make a distinction.

So you recognize, you want your oils, you want your good greens for vitamin minerals, you want sufficient protein to get your amino acids. And then there’s the energetic a part of the meal too. So earlier than I received into doing the embryonic-like stem cell process exosomes or mesenchymal stem cells when these have been out there a couple of years in the past, that’s the greatest lever that we actually began to see essentially the most change for people. I used to be doing Chinese medication, naturopathic medication, food plan, remedy, diet, we have been having some profit, however not as a lot because it’s actually accelerated with this further therapeutics on high.

Katie: I’m with you, I all the time take into account food plan the inspiration of anything. And I’ve mentioned earlier than, you’ll be able to’t out-supplement a foul food plan, you’ll be able to’t out-exercise a foul food plan, all of them must work hand in hand. But that being mentioned, are there any vitamins that we’re seeing within the analysis which can be particularly supportive of the mind which can be price supplementing? I’m positive there’s a person facet right here as effectively, like I discovered, for myself at the very least, I’ve some choline-dependent genes and I don’t tolerate eggs very effectively. So I do very well once I complement choline. But are there any common suggestions which can be mind supportive?

Dr. Greg: Yeah, so positively omega-3 fatty acids is the hugest class. DHA is the one constituent for mind well being. But they’re anti-inflammatory, they’re wonderful for our phospholipid bilayer. New analysis popping out on plasmalogens which I didn’t actually study that in medical college. And Dr. Dan Goodenowe is popping out…he wrote a guide known as “Breaking Alzheimer’s” and printed on the Alzheimer’s International Convention right here this final 12 months on growing plasminogen ranges in our blood and reversing Alzheimer’s, mainly.

So oils are crucial. The omega-3 fatty acids, the 3-6-9 ratio, plasmalogens is an enormous participant there. Level of ldl cholesterol and iron within the blood are also wonderful markers for mind well being and may give some distinctive supplementation tips. I additionally take a look at the thyroid so generally supplementing with thyroid supporting meals as a result of there are a variety of people with the Parkinson’s analysis with hypothyroidism.

So there’s sort of unofficial hyperlink there however I’m seeing there are some instances on PubMed of reversal of Parkinson’s illness with sufficient thyroid remedy. Dietarily, supplementation, you recognize, once I went to highschool…you recognize, it’s such as you assume you have got all of it found out then you definately understand, oh, no, there’s a fractal universe right here and there are such a lot of ranges to what we’re doing. So the entire endocannabinoid system, generally it’s, you recognize, a cannabidiol deficiency or ratio challenge that’s underlying the hormone imbalance. And there are extra receptors for CBD within the mind than all the different neurotransmitters put collectively. So that’s one other space that we take a look at, is trying on the CBD.

Of course, the mushrooms. I’m actually excited for extra psychedelic analysis to return out. I imply, that simply makes whole sense to me. Looking at neural networks and the way mushrooms talk on the planet and our brains are just about arrange the identical means. So lion’s mane, there’s a variety of analysis popping out on lion’s mane. Chaga, these mushrooms, you recognize, historical mushrooms which were round, we’ve been utilizing them in Chinese medication for eons, and now they’re popping out within the west, which is basically thrilling to see. The B nutritional vitamins, you recognize, B12, folic acid, they need to all the time be taken collectively as a result of generally you’ll be able to masks a deficiency by some means with these.

Using, you recognize, the methylation course of and you recognize, what’s occurring with homocysteine within the blood. And that’s the methyltransferase pathway. So if you happen to’re not methylating effectively or end up with among the deficiencies and the SNiPs, that’s a simple means of measuring what’s occurring in your physique and in your blood. And then that may lead into, you recognize, carnitine supplementation, choline supplementation, lecithin. So there are some easy dietary interventions that you are able to do to additionally assist feed the mind. Magnesium is a superb one, you recognize. So that is the place you sort of get into the, what I name the American shotgun method, proper?

Everybody involves me and says, “What can I take from my brain?” And it’s like, effectively, right here’s all the issues and so they’re all effectively researched. But, you recognize, while you line all of them up, and also you’re taking a gazillion dietary supplements, it’s such as you’re treading water and simply attempting to maintain your head above water. Versus what I name the Zhang of the components of path, the place you have got an emperor, and generals and assistants, all people to line up and transfer you such as you’re doing the freestyle. So that provides you some traction and motion to the place you wanna go. And that’s the place the individualizing of this system is available in, via particular testing, ensuring we meet individuals the place they’re at what’s their genetic platform? And then what’s the, you recognize, subsequent finest step for them on this second.

Katie: That does appear to be the pattern throughout all facets of drugs, fortunately, is that personalization facet. Although, I’ll say magnesium is a recurring advice…

Dr. Greg: Across the board.

Katie: With each knowledgeable, each situation I’m but to have anybody say magnesium is dangerous. So that looks like a very good place to begin for lots of people. You additionally talked about that omega 3, 6, and 9 ratio. So I’ve talked earlier than about one in all my theories in regards to the rise in a variety of persistent circumstances, is overuse of vegetable oils and polyunsaturated oils. And this looks like one other one, I do know it’s just a little bit controversial, however a advice I all the time give is that our our bodies sort of developed all through historical past with out these particular fat, so we all know we will exist with out them. And so till we’re extra positive, it looks like a fairly protected factor to restrict or keep away from them.

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You additionally talked about ldl cholesterol. And I feel this could be referring to just a little little bit of a controversial subject however I wished to deal with it. And I could also be off base and proper me if I’m improper, however I’ve seen some proof that lowering ldl cholesterol an excessive amount of can truly be dangerous to the mind. And which may be in our worry of cholesterol-related to coronary heart illness, we could be damaging the mind. Am I right about that? And in that case, how can we steadiness that?

Dr. Greg: Yeah, you might be completely right on that. We have gone overboard on manipulating ldl cholesterol. And there’s proof arising, Cholesterol beneath 200 which is now the present really helpful quantity. When I began follow, it was 220. Well, what occurred? We have the appearance of statin medicines that we will drop it down. But I feel what we’re doing could be very short-sighted in that we’re manipulating ldl cholesterol artificially too low. And you take a look at what effectively does ldl cholesterol do for us? It’s the spine of all the intercourse steroid hormones in our physique. It’s integral for the integrity of our cell wall. We want good ldl cholesterol, and it’s gotta be on the fluid dynamics so trans fatty acids shouldn’t be within the food plan. But we’ve gone too far.

And there’s some proof popping out on long-term statin remedy, which is a cholesterol-lowering drug being implicated in early-onset dementias, and mind, reminiscence points, and many others. So, you recognize, it has by no means made sense to me to provide a mitochondrial toxin, only a statin remedy within the mitochondria, or the vitality manufacturing facility of each cell of your physique. And the center specifically has essentially the most mitochondria as a result of it’s pumping on a regular basis. The mind has a variety of mitochondria too, by the way in which. And so we’re toxing out the vitality factories of the physique to decrease a ldl cholesterol quantity that will or could not transfer the needle. I imply heart problems remains to be the primary killer on this nation, with over 50 million individuals on statin remedy. So we haven’t actually moved the bar in coronary heart well being with the appearance of this drug.

So it’s just a little, you recognize, it’s controversial as a result of it’s been pushed by the propaganda to say decrease is healthier, decrease is healthier. But I’m not seeing that clinically. And I’ll let you know, you add plasmalogens into that blend and dialogue of ldl cholesterol as a result of plasmalogens make about 20% to 25% of the cell wall or the phospholipid bilayer across the cell. Cholesterol is the opposite huge main portion of that. And, you recognize, we could be on to one thing of bringing again our well being in consuming higher. I imply these ratios…I feel you’re spot on while you take a look at linoleic acid which is predominantly the acid that comes from these seed oils, these plant oils, the vegetable oil varietals, so they aren’t good for our well being.

Katie: I’m actually glad you introduced up that mitochondria piece as effectively. I’m under no circumstances an knowledgeable on this, however I’ve had a pair on friends on just lately that target mitochondrial well being and it’s been sort of a analysis subject for me. And it looks like you talked about there’s a excessive focus within the mind and the center. So that is, contemplating that there’s an increase in circumstances associated to each of these, perhaps one thing we must always take a look at. And one factor that a kind of friends really helpful was the significance of pure mild for influencing mitochondrial operate. And it made me marvel, is there a profit to the mind as effectively? Especially as we’re uncovered to an increasing number of synthetic mild and fewer and fewer outside mild, is there something we will do utilizing pure mild patterns to profit the mind? I do know, as an illustration, it helps circadian rhythm and deep sleep helps with these amyloid plaques like we talked about. But past that, is there a profit to getting pure daylight for mind well being?

Dr. Greg: Oh, yeah. I imply, throughout the board, while you take a look at, you recognize, the physicians that sort of received a Nobel Prize in Medicine was all about circadian rhythm driving all hormonal steadiness within the physique. So it does make a distinction, like the quantity of blue mild that then suppresses melatonin, I imply, it simply sort of…the ramifications of what we’ve performed with mild and our sleep cycles like, you recognize, the brand new smoking is lack of sleep. So you recognize, no person would, listening to your podcast, assume that it’s high-quality for me to smoke a pack of cigarettes, like, it’s not gonna have any impact on my well being, proper? But all of us do it of like 4 to 5 hours of sleep, or, no matter with children or, you don’t get it, proper, you don’t get that stage of sleep. But then the equal well being affect is of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, proper? You simply won’t discover it, you don’t have that smoker’s hack within the morning however over the long run, it positively catches you.

And so, you recognize, positively in a mind well being operate, limiting blue mild, utilizing the blue blockers at nighttime, watching LED lights in your setting. I do know sort of all people has switched to that for the environmental element. But once more, this idea of like, save the people, like we’re happening. The planet is gonna be right here, we’re those which can be gonna disappear. So it’s, you recognize, save the people, like, okay, we positively wanna take heed to what assets we’re utilizing, and many others., and within the grand scheme of it, are we doing extra hurt than good by now we’re consuming extra poisonous medicines? I do not know. But, you recognize, like, who’s that huge image so far as not simply the underside line of vitality, you recognize, burnt by candescent mild bulb versus, you recognize, all the different ramifications that occur from throwing our circadian rhythm off? So that’s an enormous participant.

Katie: I actually like your line about save the people. And truly, one in all my favourite quotes from this podcast was with my son. I interviewed him when he wrote a cookbook, and I requested him a query about environmental components. And he turned it round on me, he’s like “Mom, you actually asked the wrong question because it’s not that we need to save the planet. The planet is a self-correcting organism, and it will eventually save itself. It’s asking the question of do we get to keep living here when it does that?”

And I believed that was a extremely good level. And to your level simply now as effectively is the earth as a complete will self-correct. It’s simply going to be if it does it in a means that’s cataclysmic to people earlier than we repair these issues. I feel you’re proper, we have to discover that steadiness of environmentalism and in addition caring for people as a result of long run, these two issues have to preserve working collectively. But on the observe of sleep, what are some issues we will do from a mind perspective? How can we optimize our sleep? And perhaps what are some issues to concentrate to in terms of sleep?

Dr. Greg: So I like monitoring it. So I put on one of many Oura rings. But, you recognize, there’s all of these units on the market now, the WHOOP, and you recognize, the Fitbit, and, you recognize, iWatch, all these issues are monitoring your deep sleep. So you wanna be monitoring it as a result of it does make a distinction as a result of whether or not you get up…you recognize, I’ll see people and so they’re like, “Oh, I slept horribly.” I used to be okay let’s take a look at your information. It’s like, effectively, truly, you’ve received sufficient deep sleep, you’re over 20% rem, over 7 hours of sleep and also you weren’t stressed.

So, you recognize, it’s just like the story that we lay on high of the sleep which the information suggests like, no, it’s truly we want a distinct story right here. So it’s getting sufficient relaxation, so how do you do this? There’s sleep hygiene practices on our units. You know, it’s f.lux is a blue display blocker that goes because the solar units. Now it does make your display tougher to learn. But you take a look at that and perhaps you might want to flip it down, flip it off, proper? It’s time to get off the pc. Getting exterior throughout the day, throughout the daylight, throughout the early mornings actually does make a distinction.

Now, I stay in Portland, Oregon and it’s grey and darkish just about 9 months a 12 months right here. So that doesn’t work. So it’s like getting in entrance of some full-spectrum lights within the morning, proper? Seasonal affective dysfunction is such an enormous factor up right here due to that as a result of we’re not getting the complete spectrum of sunshine on our our bodies. I feel permitting the sunshine to not all the time put on sun shades, don’t look into the sunshine, don’t stare on the solar. But, you recognize, get out within the daylight in order that that is available in. Because that’s stimulating melatonin, melanin at the back of the attention there and in your pores and skin, the melanin of your pores and skin that’s additionally then circulating and altering some hormonal steadiness in your physique.

So sleep hygiene is then, you recognize, doing extra mild issues at nighttime, like extra dialog. Light strolling is ok, however don’t go to the health club as a result of that’s gonna spike your cortisol and presumably throw off your circadian rhythm. So it’s moving into these well being habits. Sometimes it’s taking a shower, slowing down, being extra contemplative at nighttime. These are all actions that we will do to assist assist us into optimum relaxation or, you recognize, getting a crown if you happen to’re a hoop wearer or, you recognize, alongside these traces.

Katie: All nice recommendation. And that morning mild advice is one other recurring one. And I adore it as a result of it doesn’t value something. We see within the lab outcomes it truly performs out and makes an enormous distinction in your hormones as effectively. So it’s a kind of…you recognize, there’s these wonderful, like, VSELs and all these cool issues we will do. But there’s additionally these free issues like sleep integration and daylight that we must always begin with. Love when that one comes up. And as we get near the top of our time, I wanna be sure I respect your time. But you’ve provided to share a chapter of your guide with us. So I might love so that you can discuss in regards to the guide. And I’ll ensure that hyperlink is within the present notes.

Dr. Greg: So in there, I’ve received a replica of it right here. It’s known as “Shake it Off: An Integrative Approach to Parkinson’s Solutions.” Now, it’s not nearly Parkinson’s. Yes, it’s Parkinson’s on the duvet, however this guide, it does lay out my entire FAN-C method. So F-A-N -C, my FAN-C method to mind regeneration. And that’s what we now have individuals flying in from across the globe, to be handled within the clinics a lot in order that we’re increasing out into Park City, Utah space as effectively.

In there I structure F stands for the purposeful method that we’re treating heart-centered dynamic beings shifting via time and house.

A is the evaluation. And that is usually missed as a result of individuals wanna go to the N, which is the nerve well being, like, what can I take from my mind? Versus we have to assess and switch over some stones as to potentialities as to what are obstacles to your physique therapeutic itself. Three biggies just like the triad that I see are heavy metals, the intestine microbiome, and hormone imbalances. And so these three areas, these are the low-hanging fruit.

Now, in fact, I talked about in right here mould and lyme and different culprits which can be additionally main gamers that could possibly be mimicking among the neurodegeneration and/or getting in the way in which of your mind therapeutic.

Then I get into N so of the FAN-C method. The N is the third letter, and that’s nerve well being. So that’s all the completely different vitamins. Now, it’s not exhausted. I imply, I don’t have peptides on this guide, as a result of these I actually received into utilizing afterwards. So we don’t have the peptides in there, however there are a variety of peptides which you could take for nerve well being. Lots of the vitamins that I discussed throughout this present, truly it went above and past within the checklist. And then we get into the…oh, in that nerve well being one of many different fascinating issues that was uncovered was I’ve a patent pending on a nasal spray known as Clear Mind. And that is to actually rid the physique of mind fog. And so it’s a potent neuro anti-inflammatory. Really places the fireplace out, so to talk. And we’re having actually nice outcomes with that Clear Mind Nasal Spray.

And then -C is the mobile regeneration. And so I used to be utilizing tissue allograft merchandise and different stem cell merchandise exosomes, these have just about been faraway from the market in May of 2021 this 12 months with a regulation from the FDA that turned all of them into drug merchandise. So there’s a variety of completely different analysis that has to occur there. But we’ve received the VSEL, the laser-activated and guided very small embryonic-like process with hyperbaric oxygen and photobiomodulation, the PMF, and low-level laser therapies to all help the physique in its therapeutic response. So that’s the FAN-C method that I lay out within the guide.

I even have all workout routines like Qigong workout routines that I used to be given. I studied in Sichuan province in Tibet as a Chinese medication pupil. And so it’s the Jin Jing muscle tendon altering School of Qigong. So I do cloud palms, and I’ve received tremendous mind yoga within the guide, and I speak about food plan, diet in there as effectively. So it’s a simple learn. I actually made it to be consumed, to have the ability to learn it for sufferers and their households. And actually, it’s a good way to take a look at even stopping, you recognize, if you happen to’ve received people with Alzheimer’s dementia or you have got considerations that growing, the structure and the framework within the guide despite the fact that it’s titled Parkinson’s, it’s nonetheless an relevant learn for mind well being normally.

Katie: Awesome. Well, these notes will likely be within the present notes in addition to linked to your guide so individuals can continue learning. And talking of books, I’m curious if there’s a guide or a lot of books, in addition to in fact, your individual which have had a profound affect in your life, and in that case, what they’re and why?

Dr. Greg: You know, the earliest guide that I feel had the most important affect on my life was Ram Dass’s “Be Here Now.” I discovered that guide I feel as a sophomore in highschool, and it was my introduction to a different world, I assume, of potentialities. And in there, at the back of his guide, I feel I learn each guide within the assets division at the back of that guide. So it led me down, sort of via all the non secular transitions. It led me to Thich Nhat Hanh and “Peace Is Every Step.”

And I actually…you recognize, Buddhist thought and non secular thought from all over the world, and simply across the idea of being within the now. And, you recognize, it led me to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross “On Death and Dying.” I imply, it was simply mainly instrumental of like, my curriculum of why I got here to the planet. And I discovered that in early highschool. So I’m so grateful to have discovered him as a instructor, and I received to review with him some time he was on the planet. And it led to so many different issues for me. So, you recognize, so far as earliest influential guide that I bear in mind, that’s the one.

Katie: I adore it. I’ll hyperlink to that as effectively. And then lastly, I’m curious, this may be on a private stage, or it could possibly be medically associated. Any simply high items of recommendation, or the sort of the 80/20 of belongings you discover most necessary in your individual life for sustaining well being?

Dr. Greg: You know, I feel there’s a variety of trying exterior of ourselves for the reply. And as I age, you recognize, you take a look at all of those sort of the sage recommendation is go inside, the solutions lie inside. And that by no means actually made any sense to me till, you recognize, the previous few years and I’m like, holy cow, that is what they’re speaking about. Like, getting quiet, nonetheless, meditating, actually growing a follow for your self, that you’re intelligence. My understanding of the universe is basically main in the direction of oneness.

And if this entire factor is one entity, and we’re all simply sort of separate however the identical sort of manifestations of one another, we’re simply, you recognize, there ought to, primary, much more love ought to come out of that idea. And quantity two, it’s actually getting quiet sufficient to be able to truly take heed to your inner barometer of not emotional or not reactionary, however actually, that also voice that’s in all of us. And entrusting your intuitive sense as a result of you can be guided.

I imply, that’s my job as a physician, doctor, is I hear intently. I wish to say I do a variety of nothing all day. It’s the physique, and it’s the intelligence, and the medicines that actually are doing all of the work. I’m holding house. I is usually a good information and cheerleader, however finally, that’s what we should be doing for ourselves, is simply getting quiet and hear. And if you happen to begin asking these questions of your self, of your highest self, for the best good, perhaps out of that curiosity, you might be shocked at the place you’re led and what solutions you get.

Katie: I feel that’s an ideal place to wrap up. And I like that recommendation. I’m so appreciative of your time right now. This has been such a enjoyable deep dive into mind well being and well being normally, and I’m simply very appreciative. Thank you for being right here.

Dr. Greg: Oh, thanks a lot, Katie.

Katie: And thanks, as all the time, to all of you for listening and sharing your most beneficial assets, your time, your vitality, and your consideration with us right now. We’re each so grateful that you simply did. And I hope that you’ll be part of me once more on the subsequent episode of “The Wellness Mama Podcast.”

If you’re having fun with these interviews, would you please take two minutes to go away a ranking or evaluation on iTunes for me? Doing this helps extra individuals to seek out the podcast, which implies much more mothers and households may gain advantage from the knowledge. I actually recognize your time, and thanks as all the time for listening.