A post-Thanksgiving health episode that harkens back to classic health episodes from a decade ago. Chris is a great health communicator and has vast knowledge of anatomy and supplementation.
I enjoyed the episode so much that I listened to it twice — it's packed with interesting data points. Quick notes below.
Health Defined
- High energy-to-anxiety ratio, high libido, deep sleep ability
- Fatigue = loss of "surplus" energy for nervous system regulation, wasting energy as anxiety vs productivity
Mitochondria & Aging
- Mitochondria generate energy for tissue production, maintenance, and repair; aging = 1% annual decline in this function (ages 18-70)
- Age = 25% of mitochondrial decline; lifestyle = 75%
- Injuries/illness/poor nutrition divert mitochondrial energy from maintenance to repair, accelerating aging
- Deep sleep lowers metabolic rate, allowing mitochondria to repair and restore energy reserves
- Aging deaths primary from heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative; cancer rates increase in populations aging beyond median heart design deaths
Creatine
- Present in every cell (brain, retina, muscle) as energy transport "power grid"
- 20g/day accelerates TBI recovery and improves cognition; acts as secondary energy distribution in sleep deprived, taxed mitochondria state
- Requires 1-2 lbs red meat/salmon daily or supplementation
Light & Vision
- Morning sunlight signals brain to wake mitochondria and organize daily energy metabolism; windows reduce peak light by ~10k lumens
- Red light/near-infra red directly stimulates mitochondrial production and improves cellular water structure efficiency
- Morning sun (30min post-wake) activates mitochondria; enables 1-2hr red/NIR light absorption but zero Vitamin D (low UV angle)
- Vitamin D requires afternoon UV exposure (10-15min unprotected, high UV index); supplements miss systemic solar benefits
- Lutein/Zeaxanthin from marigold-fed egg yolks protect vision; Vitamin A activation depends on genetics, liver health, no seed oils
Exercise & Longevity
- Gymnasts/pole vaulters outlive median +8 years due to diverse movement planes (inversion/rotation) vs just VO2 max
- Cyclists at median; combat sports and high-injury activities below median
- Mechanical tissue stretching may inhibit tumor growth and aid T-cell activation
- Exercise must include coordination/reaction/balance to maintain neurological plasticity
Supplements and Nutrition
- Methylene Blue, causes mitochondrial electron "detour"; beneficial only if normal pathways blocked, otherwise creates chaos, more benefits seen in aging users due to weakened mitochondria
- CoQ10, acts as electron transport "ferry"; best from heart tissue; 100-200mg often better than 400mg+
- Nattokinase, degrades blood clots/reduces fibrinogen; prevents stroke/heart attack from plaque rupture (synergistic with K2)
- Whole foods provide synergistic co-factors preventing imbalances from isolated synthetic nutrients
- Hypothalamus monitors energy conversion; nutrient density signals "abundance," upgrading metabolism/libido/repair
Seed Oils (PUFAs)
- PUFAs integrate into cell membranes (4-year turnover), causing oxidative damage and cancer risk over 8+ years
- Strip Vitamin E, oxidize easily, damage cell integrity creating "fragile" systems
- LA Veterans study showed seed oils lowered cholesterol but increased cancer/mortality vs saturated fats
Cholesterol & Heart Disease
- Atherosclerosis from immune system quarantining oxidized LDL (damaged by seed oils), not cholesterol presence
- High cholesterol signals sluggish metabolism failing to convert to bile acids/testosterone/adrenal hormones
- Heart attacks from plaque rupture/clotting, not occlusion; stabilizing collagen critical
Thyroid Health
- Thyroid communicates abundance; low thyroid from low protein/iodine or mitochondrial dysfunction
- Modern diets lack iodine (soil depletion, salt fear); toxins (bromide/fluoride) increase requirements
- Selenium protects thyroid from oxidative damage during hormone production; deficiency causes Hashimoto's