Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The BEST Time to Take Probiotics to Survive Stomach Acid Sep 24, 2023

Show notes

Today I want to answer some important questions about probiotics.

Probiotics are microbes. Microbes are a crucial part of our world. They convert carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur into forms that living things can use.

We have ten times more microbes living on and inside our bodies than we have cells.

Microbes have many functions and help us in various ways, including:

• Helping to make nutrients available

• Providing immune protection

• Protecting against pathogens

• Supporting detoxification

• Improving digestion

• Helping to make vitamins

Strong hydrochloric acid in the stomach can kill a good portion of microbes. Bile salts also affect the microbiome. But, some microbes are resilient and can even live without oxygen.

How to support the survival of probiotics in the stomach:

1. Take a probiotic supplement or consume probiotic foods at the end of your meal

2. Consume probiotics earlier in the day

3. If fasting, drink more water with your probiotics

4. Don’t take probiotics with lemon water or apple cider vinegar water

5. Consume raw plants grown in soil

DATA: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/E... https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

9 Clear Signs You're in Ketosis: Without Testing Sep 24, 2023

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Today I want to cover nine signs you’re in ketosis.

Testing your ketones when you first start the keto diet can be helpful. But, the problem with testing your ketones long-term is that once you start to burn ketones efficiently, the tests aren’t very accurate.

Thankfully, there are nine clear signs that can tell you if you're in ketosis or not.

Top signs of ketosis:

1. No keto transitioning symptoms (keto flu, keto fatigue, keto rash)

2. Weight loss (initial water weight)

3. Loose clothes around the waist

4. An increase in energy

5. A boost in cognitive function

6. Less inflammation and pain

7. Feeling satisfied after eating

8. Better mood

9. No appetite

The TOP Best Foods for Kidney Disease (End Stage Kidney Disease) Sep 23, 2023

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Today I want to cover the best foods for kidney disease.

The top causes of kidney problems are diabetes, insulin resistance, and high-sugar, high-carb diets.

Consuming a low-carb diet, like the Healthy Keto® diet, and doing intermittent fasting are two of the best things you can do to help prevent kidney disease.

But, if you have stage 3A through stage 5 kidney disease, you may want to consider making some adjustments to your keto plan.

If you have a kidney problem, it’s important to work with your doctor to make sure certain nutrients aren’t out of range. These nutrients include potassium, sodium, and phosphorus. Protein levels can also become too high if someone has a kidney problem.

The best diet tips for kidney disease:

• Consume lower amounts of high-quality protein (pasture-raised organic eggs, wild-caught fish, seafood, and grass-fed, grass-finished beef)

• Consume lower amounts of sodium (2,300 mg of sodium per day)

• Avoid processed foods and junk foods

• Avoid high-potassium foods and consume low-potassium foods

• Avoid soda

• Avoid foods high in phosphorus

• Take the natural form of certain vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin D3)

• Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids (take cod liver oil)

The Most Effective Remedy for Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears) Sep 23, 2023

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Tinnitus is ringing in the ears, and it can drive a person crazy. Today I want to cover some tips to get rid of tinnitus naturally.

Tinnitus is a little bit mysterious and hasn’t been fully figured out. Typical treatments for tinnitus are medications called Gabapentin and Klonopin.

These two medications both have a mechanism to increase GABA in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and slows down the central nervous system.

An interesting study shows that people with tinnitus may have lowered GABA and upregulated glutamate. Glutamate stimulates the brain.

The problem with GABA supplements is that they don’t cross the blood-brain barrier. This means they will have a difficult time penetrating into the brain to create any effect.

However, an amino acid called taurine turns into GABA and can pass the blood-brain barrier. Just be sure to take taurine on an empty stomach.

In addition to increasing GABA, it’s essential to inhibit glutamate. MSG and aspartame are high in glutamate, so it’s important to avoid foods containing these ingredients.

Other sources of glutamate to avoid:

• Hydrolyzed protein

• Calcium caseinate

• Yeast extract

• Textured protein

• Whey protein

• Soy protein isolates

• Soy sauce

DATA:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://www.tinnitusformula.com/libra...

https://www.truthinlabeling.org/names...

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazin...

The Shocking Effects of Going Caffeine-free for a Month Sep 23, 2023

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Let’s talk about what would happen if you cut out caffeine for 30 days.

Over 85% of adults in the US consume caffeine, and children also consume a tremendous amount of caffeine.

Some studies show that caffeine consumption can increase conceptual memory, reasoning, reaction speed, and spatial memory. It can also affect your mood.

However, many people experience symptoms associated with consuming caffeine, including:

• Anxiety

• High blood pressure

• High pulse rate

• Arrhythmias

• Loss of fluid

• Digestive problems

Caffeine also increases adrenaline and stimulates the adrenals, which can lead to all kinds of health concerns.

There can be high levels of two different types of mold found in overly processed coffees and decaf coffees. These types of mold can lead to allergies and irritation in the liver.

Coffee can also deplete vitamin B1. If you’re going to drink coffee, it’s important to consume high-quality organic coffee and keep it at one cup a day.

Potential benefits of not consuming caffeine for 30 days:

1. Less anxiety and a higher sense of calm

2. Better sleep and more energy throughout the day

3. Lowered blood pressure and pulse rate

4. No more arrhythmias

5. Healthier teeth

6. Healthier liver function

7. Healthier adrenal function

The best ways to come off caffeine:

• Switch from coffee to tea

• Try herbal coffee substitutes

• Take vitamin B1 and vitamin B12

• Take adaptogens like ashwagandha and lemon balm tea

How To Naturally Reverse Premature Graying of Hair Sep 22, 2023

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Today we’re going to talk about the best things to prevent premature graying of your hair. It’s natural for your hair to turn gray with age. However, many people are getting gray hair way too early.

Even though you may have genes that give you the propensity to get gray hair, there are still things you can do to help prevent your hair from graying prematurely.

The pigment in your hair and the enzymes that allow the pigment to occur are both dependent on copper. You could be deficient in copper from not consuming foods high in copper. High levels of stress can also cause a copper deficiency.

It’s important to do whatever you can to decrease stress and increase copper to prevent gray hair. It may be best to get the copper you need from foods rich in copper rather than a supplement.

As you age, you accumulate hydrogen peroxide in the hair shaft. Hydrogen peroxide can cause a bleaching effect on the hair. To slow this accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, you can try consuming foods rich in catalase.

Foods high in copper:

• Seafood (especially oysters)

• Mushrooms

• Organic, grass-fed beef liver

• Spirulina

Foods high in catalase:

• Organic, grass-fed beef liver

• Vegetables (especially cruciferous vegetables)

• Sprouts or microgreens

Things to avoid:

• Alcohol

• Smoking

• Junk foods

• Sugar

• Refined carbs

• Low-fat diets

Normalize Cortisol Levels with Ashwagandha Sep 22, 2023

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Let’s talk about how to reduce stress using ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha is an herb that has been around for a very long time and has minimal side effects.

Potential benefits of ashwagandha:

• It’s an incredible adaptogen (it helps you cope with stress and depression)

• It may help increase exercise performance

• It may help decrease cortisol

• It may help reduce fibroids

• It has anti-inflammatory properties

• It may help improve the immune system

• It supports cognitive function

• It may help lower blood sugar levels

It seems like natural alternatives are always attacked. Recently, there has been some fear around ashwagandha because, like other natural remedies, it’s not FDA-approved.

The committees that approve drugs have a lot of conflicts of interest. Many medications that are FDA-approved have a massive number of side effects, but people take them without hesitation.

You may find it beneficial to try ashwagandha and come off of it for a while to see how you feel. Ashwagandha is powerful for stress, but you may not need it after you change your lifestyle and get rid of stress. Natural remedies are great tools but aren’t meant to be taken for the rest of your life.

DATA:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25199...

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/f...

https://www.nuplazid.com/

https://ebm.bmj.com/content/25/4/145

Drink 1 CUP PER DAY to Shrink an Enlarged Prostate Sep 22, 2023

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Let’s talk about benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. This means a person has an enlarged prostate gland.

Symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia:

• Frequent urination (especially at night)

• A weak stream

• Dribbling after urination

• A sensation that you can’t fully empty your bladder

Excess estrogen increases the size of the prostate. Estrogen also increases prolactin, which can increase the size of the prostate.

Estrogen is a byproduct of testosterone in both females and males. To convert testosterone to estrogen, you need an enzyme called aromatase. The testicles and fat cells make aromatase.

Phytoestrogens can mimic estrogen, but not very much. To shrink the prostate naturally, we want to inhibit aromatase to decrease estrogen production.

Top things that increase aromatase:

• Age

• Body fat

• Insulin

• High-carb diets

• Alcohol

• Whole grains

• Hormone replacement therapy

• Birth control pills

Things that decrease aromatase:

• Cruciferous vegetables

• White button mushrooms (sautéed)

• Flaxseed

• Green tea

• Citrus peel

In addition to losing weight with Healthy Keto®, reducing insulin, and consuming cruciferous vegetables, you can try a fantastic natural remedy for an enlarged prostate that involves citrus peel.

The best natural remedy to support prostate health:

Add a whole lemon and a glass of water to a blender, and blend it for about 30 seconds. Then, blend again with about five to ten drops of liquid stevia or 1/2 to 1 cup of blueberries. You can have this at any time of day—enjoy!

DATA:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23673...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31169...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

The Hidden Dangers Of Excessive Salt Consumption Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Let’s talk about the signs you’re consuming too much salt.

Top signs you’re consuming too much salt:

• Edema (in the eyes, hands, feet, or lower legs)

• Thirst

• High blood pressure

• Headache

• Restlessness

• Irritability

• Nausea

• Fatigue

Top signs of sodium deficiency:

• Weakness

• Low blood pressure

• An increase in neurotransmitters

• Vascular stiffness and high blood pressure

• Insulin resistance

In my opinion, the most common cause of high blood pressure is insulin resistance. Many things can contribute to insulin resistance, including a high-carb diet, intermittent fasting, and a low-sodium diet.

The most common treatment for high blood pressure is diuretics. But, diuretics can cause you to lose both sodium and potassium.

People who are salt sensitive or who have symptoms of a sodium deficiency are really deficient in potassium. Sodium and potassium work together in the body, and you need twice as much potassium as you do sodium. The average person needs 2300mg of sodium and 4700mg of potassium per day.

The more carbohydrates you have in your diet, the more potassium you’ll lock up, making it unavailable. It’s important for people with diabetes to get on a low-carb diet and consume foods high in potassium or a good electrolyte powder.

We need sodium in our diets, but not just sodium chloride—we need the whole mineral balance. This is why it’s best to consume sea salt.

However, if you have high blood pressure, try consuming Baja Gold Sea Salt. This type of sea salt tastes great and has lower amounts of sodium.

DATA:

https://insulinresistance.org/index.php/jir/article/view/78/242

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3533616/

The 12 Signs that Your Gallbladder is in DANGER Sep 21, 2023

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There are twelve important signs of a gallbladder problem that I want to cover today. But, most of the time, a person with a gallbladder issue doesn't experience any symptoms at all.

The majority of the time, a person has no idea they have a problem with the gallbladder. However, even though there are no major symptoms of a gallbladder problem, there are signs that can indicate your gallbladder is in trouble.

Most of these signs are related to a bile deficiency because of a blockage, but excess bile can also lead to issues.

Top signs of a potential gallbladder problem:

1. Visceral pain under the right rib cage

2. Nausea

3. Neck pain

4. Shoulder pain

5. Pale or gray stool

6. Floating stool

7. Itchy skin (especially at night)

8. Diarrhea, watery stool, and loss of control over bowel movements (from excess bile)

9. Dark urine

10. Jaundice