Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

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The #1 Best Remedy for Eczema Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

Let’s talk about one of the best remedies for eczema, also known as dermatitis or atopic dermatitis.

This is a skin condition where you have extreme dryness and sometimes a red rash or itchiness.

Typical eczema treatments, like steroids, have potential side effects. So, we want to focus on natural alternatives for eczema.

This condition could be due to a deficiency of essential fatty acids caused by a poor diet or a genetic problem.

The #1 remedy for eczema:

• Black currant seed oil (GLA)

What to do:

1. Take five drops of black currant seed oil and rub it in your hands to warm it up. Then apply it to the affected area.

2. Take a black currant seed oil supplement or a few drops with water orally.

The #1 Best Food for CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) Sep 14, 2023

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Let’s talk about coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).

Coenzyme Q10 is a helper molecule inside your mitochondria that helps make energy within your cells. It also helps stabilize the membrane in the cells, preventing any leakage of electrons. If you don’t have enough coenzyme Q10, you’ll lose energy.

Top benefits of coenzyme Q10:

• It increases energy

• It reduces fatigue (especially while exercising)

• It increases your oxygen while exercising

• It improves your repair while exercising and overall exercise performance

• It can help support a healthy heart

• It acts as an antioxidant

• It supports the arteries

Foods high in coenzyme Q10:

1. Heart muscle

2. Organ meats

3. Fatty fish

4. Extra virgin olive oil

Exercise indirectly increases the amount of CoQ10 your body makes. You can also get CoQ10 from supplements.

Top things that inhibit coenzyme Q10:

1. Statins

2. Age

3. Low vitamin C, B6, folate, or alpha-lipoic acid

4. Anything that damages the mitochondria

5. Stress

Simple Test to Detect MALTODEXTRIN in Your Supplements Sep 13, 2023

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Did you know some health supplements contain hidden sugar, like maltodextrin? Today, I will share a simple test to find hidden sugar in your food and health supplements.

Iodine mixed with water is a golden color. If you combine iodine with starch, it turns blue. When you add iodine to bread, for example, it turns blue. Or, if you put maltodextrin in water and add a few drops of iodine, the water will turn blue.

My brand of electrolyte powder doesn’t have any sugar or maltodextrin in it. However, when we look at a competitor’s electrolyte powder that also claims it doesn’t have sugar or maltodextrin, it turns blue when iodine is added.

Maltodextrin behaves like sugar, spiking insulin, but can be classified on a label as a carb and not a sugar. On the glycemic index, table sugar is at 65, and glucose is at 100—maltodextrin is between 105 and 185.

Maltodextrin is the most common starch added to supplements and other products. If there is less than one gram of maltodextrin in a product per serving size, the company doesn’t even have to state it.

Maltodextrin can also be found in flavorings, energy gels, sports powders, and even baby formulas. It’s important to be aware that some so-called keto-friendly products can also contain maltodextrin.

Seed Oil vs. Sugar: Which is Worse? Sep 13, 2023

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Today we’re going to discuss which is worse: sugar or seed oils packed with omega-6 fatty acids.

Common seed oils are:

• Soy oil

• Corn oil

• Canola oil

• Cottonseed oil

• Safflower oil

• Sunflower oil

On average, we’re consuming way too many foods high in omega-6 fats. Ideally, a person should consume a 1:1 ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids.

However, the average ratio is 15:1. This imbalance can lead to all kinds of health problems, especially in the cell membranes.

Refined sugar also leads to health issues and is converted to fat, but the extra sugar doesn’t accumulate in the body like omega-6 fatty acids do.

Omega-6 fatty acids (seed oils) lodge into your cells and accumulate in your tissues for 600 days. They are not water-soluble like sugar is and can't be burned off like sugar can.

Both refined oils and refined sugar can deplete important nutrients. While certain whole foods, like fruit, have sugar, they also have nutrients and phytonutrients to help replenish what was lost and provide protection. But seed oils are a highly refined, over-processed part of a seed that doesn’t have any protective factors.

To make seed oils they also use a solvent called hexane to extract the oil from the seed—is it possible some of this solvent could end up in the oil?

Overall, while sugar isn't good for you, omega-6 fatty acids are worse for your health than sugar is.

Protein Is Not a Protein Sep 13, 2023

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Today, I want to clear up some confusion around protein.

Typically, the minimum amount of protein a person needs is 50 grams. You might think that if you consume a beef steak that’s 100 grams or 3.5 ounces, you’re getting double the amount of protein you need for the day.

However, there is a difference between the weight of a steak and the amount of protein in the steak. For example, a steak that weighs 100 grams only contains 26 grams of protein. This is because steak also contains fat and water.

Proteins also vary in amino acids. We don’t even really have a daily requirement for protein—we actually have a daily requirement for amino acids in the protein. The problem lies in the quality of protein or the bioavailable acids in the food you eat.

While some plants have protein, animal sources are a better option for protein than plant sources. Also, know that many infant formulas and foods for toddlers are loaded with soy protein and other plant proteins that can cause problems with digestion.

Foods high in protein:

1. Breast milk

2. Eggs

3. Meat

4. Chicken

5. Dairy

Might Want to Think Twice Before Eating Oatmeal Sep 12, 2023

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Is oatmeal bad for you? Let’s talk about it.

The small packets of flavored oatmeal contain a lot of sugar, and even though they may be marketed as healthy—they’re not.

But what about unsweetened oatmeal?

Here are three things you might not know about unsweetened oatmeal:

1. Certain studies show a significant improvement in blood sugar and cholesterol. However, the control in one of these studies is white bread. The study also only showed an improvement in blood sugar right after the meal.

Part of the study referring to cholesterol was only on consuming beta-glucan, which is an isolated compound in oatmeal. In a different study, the participants all had diabetes, and they didn’t see a change in their blood glucose levels.

2. Oats contain a type of gluten called avenin. This protein has been known to increase cytokines.

3. Oat products have often been treated with glyphosate. The World Health Organization classifies glyphosate as a carcinogen.

It may be beneficial to skip breakfast altogether and give intermittent fasting a try. If you do consume breakfast, eggs would be a healthier choice than oatmeal.

DATA:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21843037/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3524229/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21294744/

https://www.ewg.org

Fascinating Health Benefits of Methylene Blue Sep 12, 2023

Show notes

Today we’re going to talk about methylene blue. I haven’t talked about this before because it’s not a natural remedy—it’s actually a synthetic drug. However, it has some interesting properties.

Methylene blue is sold over the counter and has been around for a very long time. It was the first fully synthetic drug in medicine, one of the first antibiotics, and one of the first antipsychotic drugs.

It was also used for malaria and is currently used for cyanide poisoning and carbon monoxide poisoning. In low doses, methylene blue acts as an antioxidant.

Methylene blue can potentially help with certain conditions, including:

• Septic shock

• Anaphylaxis

• Viruses

• Fatigue

• Brain fog

• Memory loss

• Depression

• Candida

• Nerve degeneration

• Gout

• Mitochondrial dysfunction

• Inflammation

If you decide to try methylene blue, I suggest getting the USP pharmaceutical grade one percent solution. This will give you about 0.5 mg per drop.

Someone taking an SSRI would not want to take methylene blue. Check with your doctor before taking something like this for any other contraindications.

Eating Cereal or the Box: Which is Healthier? Sep 12, 2023

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Is cereal bad for you? Let’s talk about it.

If you had to choose between consuming cereal or the box it came in, my assumption would be that the box is a healthier choice.

There was a recall on certain cereals a few years ago because of a problem with the boxes that could possibly create temporary nausea and diarrhea in some people. But, even so, the cereal inside of the box is more concerning.

Cereal is promoted as being healthy, yet it’s an ultra-processed food with added sugar. It also contains grains and synthetic vitamins. Not only that, but companies have made outrageous claims regarding their cereal brands.

There is even a loophole allowing companies to add maltodextrin or corn syrup to the cereal and list them as carbohydrates, even though they behave like sugars.

While they may say you could experience various health consequences if you stop consuming cereal, I believe the only consequence would be a healthier body.

The healthiest breakfast food for kids is actually eggs. Ditch cereal and learn more about the health benefits of eggs in my other videos.

A Simple Test to Determine Allergies Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

Today I’m going to share a simple DIY allergy test. This is primarily for food allergies that you can't quite determine.

During an allergic reaction, your pulse increases. A pulse oximeter is a great tool to help you check your pulse easily, but you can also check your pulse using your wrist or carotid artery.

How to do a DIY allergy test:

1. Check and record your pulse rate:

• In the morning, before getting out of bed

• Before eating

• 30 minutes after eating

• 30 minutes after that

• Before bed

2. Record what you ate next to your pulse rate

Typically, you could have an allergy if there is a difference between the low and high pulse rates above 16 points. The pulse rate also needs to be above 84.

If you react to a meal, use this test over a few days, eliminating foods one at a time to help you isolate which ingredient is causing a problem.

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A Simple Test for Low Stomach Acid Sep 11, 2023

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Today I’m going to cover the best tests for low stomach acid and what to do for a deficiency in stomach acid.

The best tests for a stomach acid deficiency:

1. Riddler’s gastric acid reflux point test

Press on your rib cage one inch below your breastbone and one inch to the left. If the area is tender, you may lack stomach acid.

2. The baking soda test

Dissolve 1/4 tsp. of baking soda in eight ounces of water and drink it in the morning before eating. If you don’t have enough acid in your stomach, you may start burping within one to five minutes.

3. The betaine hydrochloride test

Take one betaine hydrochloride supplement before eating, and add more with each meal. If you have low stomach acid, your symptoms will be relieved.

Symptoms of low stomach acid (low hydrochloric acid):

• Indigestion

• Gas

• Bloating

• Acid reflux

• GERD

Another common problem people experience as they age is called atrophic gastritis.

Symptoms of atrophic gastritis:

• Mucosal atrophy

• Low hydrochloric acid

• Low B12 or folate

• Low iron

• Intolerance of red meat

• Indigestion

• Gas

• Cognitive decline

• Brittle nails

• Restless legs

• Thinning hair

• Acid reflux

• Muscle cramps or muscle twitches

• Rosacea

• Bad breath

Common causes of atrophic gastritis:

1. H. pylori

What to do:

• Consume sulforaphane

2. Low hydrochloric acid

What to do:

• Take betaine hydrochloride

• Take methylcobalamin and methylfolate

In some cases, you may need to fix the inflammation in your gut before you increase your stomach acid. You can do this by consuming cabbage juice, wheatgrass juice powder with water, zinc, and probiotics. It’s also important to get on a Healthy Keto® diet.

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