Issue #23: Your 2nd Brain
Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 15th. It was 25 years ago today that the domain name "google.com" was registered - seems like that was a pretty big deal looking back in time. Any guesses of a current event that will seem just as big 25 years from now?
Now on to our last Core Supplement - Probiotics.
“The microbiome affects our mood, libido, metabolism, immunity, and even our perception of the world and the clarity of our thoughts. It helps determine whether we are fat or thin, energetic or lethargic. Put simply, everything about our health hinges on the state of our microbiome.”
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The number of genes in your microbiome.
In our gut exists a complex ecosystem of approximately 300 to 500 bacterial species.
Your "2nd Brain"
Remember learning the digestive system back in school? We eat food...some of the good stuff goes into our bloodstream and the bad stuff gets removed. That was pretty much it.
But leading scientists are now saying “if I had to choose, the gut would be the top organ system we should prioritize."
When our gut is infected or overworked with digesting unhelpful food (processed junk), we don't have the energy to support the healing of the rest of our body.
But it's not just our digestion...our gut significantly impacts our emotions and influences our entire nervous system throughout our body.
According to Jay Pasricha, M.D. at Johns Hopkins, scientists used to think that anxiety and depression led to digestive problems (constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain and stomach upset 🤢), but it probably works in both directions.
Our two brains "talk" to each other and a healthy gut is essential for a healthy mindset. This is important because nearly 50 percent of us have an unhealthy gut at some point.
We Aren't Alone
Your gut has more bacteria living in it (~39 trillion) as you do total cells (~30 trillion) in your body. Don’t worry - most of these bacteria are good for you. In fact, they’re essential for our health.
While the science is evolving, these bacteria primarily protect your gut lining so that food doesn’t escape the small intestine and get into your bloodstream (this is called leaky gut...and I can tell you from personal experience it sucks).
But these bacteria also boost the right things in our body (metabolism, immunity, testosterone, and serotonin - see Issue #18) and lower the bad things (inflammation, cancer growth, cortisol).*
*For further reading, check out the books - Drop Acid by Dr. David Perlmutter and Unlocking the Keto Code by Dr. Steven Gundry.
The Why & How of Probiotics
As our diet has evolved, our more sterile environment reduces the number of bacteria that get into our gut and sometimes we need to proactively ingest live strains of the good bacteria.
Plus, when we get sick it's often from bad bacteria - the good bacteria fights these off to get back to balance.
Supplement Guidance
With 30 trillion+ bacteria, we are all so different and any specific recommendations should either come from your doctor or through what works best for you.
So understand these are general guidelines to get started if you aren’t already taking a probiotic - or it’s not working for you.
Take a probiotic with at least 30-40 billion CFU/AFU (this is the live bacteria count)
Look for supplements that are hypoallergenic*, non-GMO, GMP
Common names will start with Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacillus
Benefits from specific strains:
Lactobacillus reuteri - accelerate wound healing, reduce abdominal fat, boost immune system, prevent tumor growth, increase testosterone, stimulate oxytocin (social bonding neurochemical) - see story in NYT
Lactobacillus plantarum - showed significant reduction in stress/anxiety in just 8 weeks, regulate immune system and reduce gut inflammation
Bifidobacterium lactis - reduce food-borne pathogens (e.g., salmonella)
Bifidobacterium longum - improve cholesterol levels
*Some probiotics contain high levels of histamines - yes, the same thing that causes allergies and why you might have taken an “antihistamine” like Claritin. Specifically Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus bulgaricus have high levels of histamine. 🤧
If you are bothered, consider switching to strains such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium, or Streptococcus thermophilus.
Here are some recommended brands:
ProbioMax 350 DF by Xymogen (Dr Mark Hyman recommendation)
Activated You Restorative Probiotic (Dr Frank Lipman recommendation)
Seed Health (we take this at our house)
*Thrive25 has no affiliation
And, yes - we realize this is like speaking another language and nearly impossible to keep track of these different bacteria strains! 😕
Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
U.S. Lifespan Declines: According to the CDC, the average person born in the U.S. in 2021 is now expected to live for 76.1 years - the shortest lifespan recorded since 1996 and down 2.7 years from 2019. COVID played a significant role here, but isn't the only factor. Income, access to affordable healthy food, outdoor spaces, the time to exercise, and access to quality healthcare significantly affect our lifespan in this country.
Another Different Age?: Chronological, biological…now sleep age? Researchers at Stanford Medicine believe sleep age can help predict mortality. The study found that sleep fragmentation - when people wake up multiple times throughout the night - is the strongest predictor of mortality. Check back in with our week on SLEEP (Issues #11 - #15) to improve the amount and quality of your sleep.
The Queen's Longevity: Queen Elizabeth lived to 96 without being afflicted by cancer, dementia or other health issues that come with age. Well sure - she was a queen! Beyond her life of luxury, she practiced the habits for a very healthy lifespan - exercise, purpose, meaning, getting outside, strong social connections, along with some tea, dark chocolate, and yes - even alcohol.
Thursday Night In
Gluten Free, Paleo Salmon Patties
Boosting our omega-3 from yesterday (Issue #22) with some delicious salmon. You can eat as a burger, on a salad, or as an entrée with a side of veggies.
10% discount to Primal Kitchen - Use Code: THR25
Answers to Issue #22 Logic Puzzles:
There were 2 fathers and 2 sons - but only 3 men went into the sporting goods store. A Grandfather, a Father, and a Son.
Max and I played eleven (11) games of tennis. 🎾 (NOTE: If Ryan won 3 bets, then Max gave him $3 for those games. But Max ended up with $5 at the end so he must have won 8 bets ($3 to pay back Ryan and then $5 in his pocket). 3 wins for Ryan + 8 wins for Max = 11 total games.
Thanks for joining us today - looking forward to catching up with your tomorrow...
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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.