The Girlfriend Doctor w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca

Latest Episodes:

Intermittent Fasting, Perimenopause, and Wellness As We Age with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Cynthia Thurlow Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

Cynthia Thurlow tells the story of how a serious health scare, complete with ruptured appendix and complications, put her on the path to functional nutrition and helping people heal through food and healthy lifestyle changes. Learn about how intermittent fasting plays into perimenopause and your menstrual cycle, when it's appropriate, and how to avoid the most common mistakes people make when fasting.

[2:00] Cynthia worked as an ER nurse for 16 years before working in critical care and cardiology. Having a child with life threatening food allergies put her down the path of thinking of food as medicine with a functional nutrition program. Lifestyle medicine has become Cynthia's main focus now after waking up in 2016 and feeling like she couldn't write another prescription that doesn't treat the root cause of the issue.
[4:20] Cynthia started attracting other women who felt like their needs weren't being heard. She did a lot of work around nutrition and group programs. In an effort to stretch herself, Cynthia challenged herself to do a Ted Talk about her perimenopause experience, and later on, a second one about intermittent fasting.
[6:20] A ruptured appendix turned into a huge number of complications. Manifestation played a big part in Cynthia's recovery.
[8:15] There is a huge amount of confusion around menopause and perimenopause. In 2015, Cynthia's life was far more stressful than she realized and it created the perfect storm for perimenopause. She was doing all the wrong things and woke up one day exhausted, gaining weight, and facing down new food sensitivities.
[10:50] When Cynthia went to her OBGYN, she was offered synthetic hormones, an IUD, and even a hysterectomy. She had to reroute everything in her life to focus on healing including prioritizing sleep, reducing her training, changing her diet, and reducing her work load.
[12:05] Most of us don't have to worry about stress management in our 20's and 30's, and perimenopause is a barometer to let us know if we're balancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic nervous system.
[13:05] We don't give prevention enough credit in maintaining health.
[15:05] For both Cynthia and Dr. Anna, their experiences are what brought them to where they are now in life and they wouldn't be doing the meaningful work they do without them.
[16:25] It's important to honor the rhythm of your menstrual cycle. The ideal time to fast is the time period right after menstruation and before ovulation. Additional stress during the five to seven days preceding the cycle can be particularly disruptive.
[18:40] Progesterone is often prescribed during perimenopause, but it's important to take days off during the week. Prolonged progesterone supplementation increases insulin resistance.
[22:45] Cynthia has had fantastic success treating type 2 diabetes and women who are insulin resistant with intermittent fasting but it has to be treated with caution. If you've suffered from anorexia, intermittent fasting may not be a safe option. Have a conversation with your doctor or psychologist to ensure you're at an appropriate stage in your recovery to begin fasting.
[25:10] If you're not sleeping through the night, don't add intermittent fasting. Adding another stressor isn't going to help. Figure out why you aren't sleeping first and once that's been addressed intermittent fasting can be the missing piece of the puzzle for your health.
[26:30] As we get older, we don't manage stress levels the same way we did when we were in our 20's. It's critically important that we take care of ourselves so that we can utilize a strategy like intermittent fasting to improve our health. You'll get the best results if you can moderate the lifestyle pieces first and then integrate it into your lifestyle.
[28:05] Cynthia's book came out of her successful Ted Talk and it's essentially a blueprint for successful fasting, specifically for women.
[29:25] There is a difference between clean and dirty fasting. Clean fasting is all about black coffee and bitter tea, and breaking your fast in the right way at the right time. Some of the common mistakes that people make is having BCAA or protein powder during a fast in the belief that the calories are low so it doesn't count.
[31:30] When you're starting out, it's important to support your body's detoxing process. Replacing the electrolytes your body is losing during a fast is crucial to sticking with it.
[34:15] Extended fasting can be beneficial, but it takes some effort to work up to. There are plenty of ways to look at fasting to make it sustainable and attainable.
[35:20] A teaspoon of MCT oil is okay while fasting, but more than that can push you out of your fasting window. If you're just starting out and need a fatty coffee to get you through the early days of fasting, that's okay.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Intermittent Fasting Transformation by Cynthia Thurlow

cynthiathurlow.com

@cynthia_thurlow_

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Always seek the advice of your own physician or qualified health professional before starting any treatment or plans. Information found here and results are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional and are not intended as medical advice.

Be sure to check out Dr Anna's new book, MenuPause.

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Upgrade your Female Brain, Mood and Memory with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Louann Brizendine Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Louann Brizendine talks about why menopause is not only a period of transition for women but also an opportunity for positive transformation and more happiness than you thought possible. Learn why the female brain becomes stronger and better in the midlife, how to adapt and thrive during that time of change, and why we need to incorporate more compassion, community, and connection in our lives as we age.

[0:45] There is a physiology of mental health that is often ignored. There are changes to our brain that happen as we age and we need a comprehensive approach to healing. Biology and psychology have always both been fascinating for Dr. Anna, which is why she graduated with a double major in both fields.
[4:30] To thrive you must honor your physiology. There is no mind/body dichotomy, they work together and rely on each other to make up you.
[6:45] The Female Brain recently became a movie. It told the story of Dr. Brizendine, played by Whitney Cummings, and her book.
[11:30] Being in psychiatry, Dr. Brizendine thinks of life in chunks. The Female Brain takes you to the beginning of the transition of your brain and the developmental stages from the ages between 40 and 90.
[12:30] Declining progesterone and other hormones after the age of 30 affects our mood and thoughts through our physiology. Psychosis and mood changes can happen because of this transition.
[13:50] Menopause is a rewiring of our brain that is as important as puberty. Hormones cause behavior. We think we are driving our own ship, but that's not entirely true. Right around the late 30s there are some shifts in our hormones which can cause all kinds of disruptions.
[16:05] These hormone disruptions can cause all sorts of behavior changes where you feel calm and cool one moment and a raging inferno the next. It's important to honor and nurture yourself during those days of the cycle and realize that you can get a handle on it.
[18:30] Even with women who have had their ovaries removed, they often experience a second stage of menopause.
[20:20] If you've had a total hysterectomy, you technically don't need to take progesterone. A lot of women around the age of 50 in this situation start to feel fatigued and depressed, largely due to the adrenal glands. When we're younger, our ovaries produce 90% of the testosterone in our bodies, but that switches to our adrenal glands as we get older, and as we age, we don't produce as much of the hormones we need.
[23:50] Men don't typically go through andropause until the age of 60. This can cause a mismatch between women who have a low sex drive and can be treated in ways that can help.
[25:00] The Bush administration canceled the Women's Health division of the FDA that was looking into those effects. There is still a lot of sexism in the medical system. Doctors have the ability to prescribe medication for off-label use, and Dr. Anna often prescribes testosterone in this way.
[26:45] When you give someone too much testosterone, it can create agitation and anger as well as novelty-seeking behavior. Physicians need to be careful when recommending or prescribing these hormone supplements.
[28:30] Dr. Brizendine recalls the story of a patient who was prescribed testosterone and accidentally took 10 times the normal dose.
[29:50] If the couple has a good sexual relationship, they can create a schedule and framework for sex and supplementation that makes it easier to experiment and adjust. A lack of sex drive is a long conversation.
[35:10] Loneliness is more prevalent than ever. We don't generally live in a commune with our extended families anymore, and are more isolated. Oxytocin is a basic human hormone created from touch, the one thing that we have minimized for the past two years.
[38:20] A lot of people have had a chance to get in touch with their spiritual life as an antidote to loneliness. First, you have to become aware that you're lonely, then you have to accept it. There are a number of symptoms that afflict people that you wouldn't necessarily associate with loneliness.
[40:30] Once you're aware and have accepted, the action phase starts. Research has shown that women generally need at least four human contacts per week. Humans need contact. Without it we feel like we're dying and it can lead to all kinds of negative health problems.
[43:20] The 50s and 60s are wonderful decades. Research shows that we generally get happier as we age as we let go of the nonsense expectations we have and do things that are more meaningful to us. There is a lot to look forward to as you get older including more compassion, community, and connection.
[47:50] Dr. Anna asks a series of rapid fire questions about Dr. Brizendine's favorite foods, supplements, and exercises.

Mentioned in this Episode:

The Upgrade by Dr. Louann Brizendine

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Be sure to check out Dr Anna's new book, MenuPause.

Get your sneak peek: dranna.com/gfd-sneak

Order your book today: dranna.com/gfd-book

Take Dr Anna's quiz and get matched with your ideal menu: dranna.com/gfd-quiz

Get your Weight Loss Checklist as well: dranna.com/gfd-checklist

Try her Keto-Green Recipes for Menopause at dranna.com/gfd-recipe

How to Take Care of Your Skin and Turn Back the Clock with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Anthony Youn Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Anthony Youn is a plastic surgeon, bestselling author, and transformation expert who has become a social media sensation building an audience of millions of followers across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. He joins the show to discuss how to take care of your skin and what you can do to turn back the clock.

[7:20] Dr. Youn re-invented himself during the pandemic as he found himself having to close his office and not having patients to take care of. He started creating entertaining and educational videos on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
[8:21] Dr. Youn likes the fact that he can treat 20 people in his office in a day, but that he can also help 500,000 people on social media.
[11:03] When it comes to the fight against aging, Dr. Youn recommends eating real food, using clean skincare, and looking at actual plastic surgery only as a last resort. As far as best diets for the skin, there isn't a particular one Dr. Youn recommends following – it's about consuming what's best for your body in general.
[11:31] There are a few things Dr. Youn suggests everyone does to take good care of their skin and to help turn back the clock: using Retinol or a good anti-aging cream at night, using an anti-austerity serum every morning, and using a sunscreen of at least SPF 30.
[13:32] Dr. Youn and his team conducted a test that consisted of them applying simple skin care cream two minutes in the morning and two minutes at night for two months. They found that the participants of this experiment looked about five years younger.
[13:54] Here's what you could do in the morning to be ahead compared to 90% of people: cleanse your skin in the morning, apply an antioxidant serum – like a vitamin C serum after that, and apply sunscreen last. A toner or a moisturizer aren't necessarily needed.
[14:16] At night, it's important to cleanse your skin to get rid of the day's worth of grime, oil, makeup, and pollution. After that, you want to apply Retinol or another anti-aging cream.
[14:47] Remember: moisturizers aren't truly anti-aging, they're just for comforting and hydrating your skin.
[15:50] When it comes to seeking and undergoing plastic surgery, it's important to keep in mind that you have options. If you're looking at little downtime and not as much cost, for instance, there's IPL (Intense-Pulse Light). It's a great way to get rid of spots caused by the sun. Looking for an overall anti-aging treatment? Then, Microneedling is worth looking into. As Dr. Youn puts it 'You don't have to undergo surgery with an expensive laser with a 10-14 day downtime to look and feel younger – you have so many options these days.'
[18:09] When it comes to the online and medical spaces, there are a couple of things that have left Dr. Youn appalled. The first one concerns people who perform surgical procedures in hotel rooms or other locations, and they do so even if they aren't doctors. Thankfully, these fake doctors, who have also caused some people to die, are being arrested and put in prison. The second phenomenon discussed by Dr. Youn are some doctors who have the tendency to add surgery after surgery, and have operations lasting eight, ten or even more hours. This is a situation that is starting to become dangerous.
[19:40] In his approach, Dr. Youn has limited any operation to about five hours because, as he says, safety has to be the top priority.
[20:31] There are different categories of anti-aging ingredients that are most commonly used when it comes to skin care. There are retinoids – derivatives of vitamin A – for example, and there are growth-factor based creams or peptides.
[22:55] One thing that's important for you to remember is to try to identify and avoid triggers. For some people this could be heat, for others alcohol, or coffee. Everybody is different.
[23:59] People can get overgrowth of bad bacteria on your skin, just like they would get it in their gut.
[27:19] As far as antibiotics are concerned, Dr. Youn acknowledges that there's a challenge plastic surgeons face when it comes to their risk-benefit ratio of their operations. In some cases, antibiotics are overprescribed. But it's important to be aware of the fact that antibiotics aren't found only in the medical space. Research in the food service industry, for instance, has found that there can be antibiotics as high as 70% in food given to animals.
[29:45] Some facts about Dr. Youn: fat injections, fat and back grafting are among his favorite surgical procedures. He enjoys smoothie bowls, a glass of wine here and there, and a beer once every few months. He plays tennis and is a huge fan of yoga. In his downtime, he enjoys doing creative work like writing and brainstorming video ideas. As for sex, he considers himself a traditionalist, picking missionary as his favorite sexual position.

Mentioned in this Episode:

younbeauty.com

@tonyyounmd on YouTube

@tonyyounmd onTikTok

@tonyyounmd on Instagram

Dr Youn's books

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Be sure to check out Dr Anna's new book, MenuPause.

Get your sneak peek: dranna.com/gfd-sneak

Order your book today: dranna.com/gfd-book

Take Dr Anna's quiz and get matched with your ideal menu: dranna.com/gfd-quiz

Get your Weight Loss Checklist as well: dranna.com/gfd-checklist

Try her Keto-Green Recipes for Menopause at dranna.com/gfd-recipe

The Role of Minerals in Fatigue, Hormones, and Optimal Health with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Barton Scott Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

Instead of guessing, you need to test when it comes to your health. Barton Scott is on the podcast to talk about his struggle with brain fog and low energy, despite being a high level athlete in his youth and how he discovered the connection between minerals and optimal health. Find out how to improve your thyroid function, why magnesium and iodine are crucial to your hormone health, and how to get more of them into your body ASAP.

[1:40] Barton started his journey because of his own experience. When he was younger, Barton was a high-level athlete and student and always pushing his body. His mother had ill health for a long time, and he could tell that she was losing her vitality as time went on.
[3:35] Barton spent a lot of money on testing for him and his family, and he noticed that nothing they seemed to be doing affected the test results. He started looking at what areas of his life he could change.
[4:20] As a high-level wrestler, Barton had been supplementing since the age of 12. Eventually, he realized that his lifestyle was preventing him from really benefiting from the supplements he was taking.
[5:15] If we don't absorb, it doesn't matter. If you're not testing, you're guessing. As a chemical engineer, Barton was uniquely positioned to solve the issue.
[6:50] Mineral supplements go a long way towards replenishing the body and have a major impact on how you show up in life. It affects your energy levels, your ability to sleep well and to focus. We need minerals to activate the building blocks of life.
[8:20] We are all missing something, and that something changes over time. That's why testing is so important.
[9:10] Barton has done a few extended fasts in order to accelerate the healing process of a hamstring injury. Knowing his mineral levels at the time was crucial. It can be hard to do a water fast when other people in your life aren't participating and it really makes you aware of your relationship with food.
[13:30] Minerals activate all the enzyme pathways in the body. The only other way to do that is with heavy metals, but we need to take steps to protect ourselves from the accumulation of heavy metals. The safest way to detox your body from heavy metals is using minerals to fill those gaps.
[15:55] Heavy metal toxicity is very common in people. Lack of appropriate minerals is a pandemic on its own.
[16:40] The source of your minerals doesn't particularly matter. Your body is smart enough to be able to make use of them, whether they come from food or supplementation.
[17:10] Iodine is important for a number of bodily functions. Dr. Peter McCullough recently talked to Joe Rogan about using Iodine as a nasal rinse as protection against Covid. Iodine is a vital mineral and we take in such a small amount on average that it's surprising we don't all have hypothyroidism.
[19:35] Healthy populations in Japan eat 80-100 times the amount of Iodine that the typical North American eats in a day. Iodine is critical for the thyroid to be able to support your hormones as one of the foundational building blocks.
[22:50] Barton's iodine formula is unique because of its ability to be absorbed into the bloodstream without having to go through the digestive system. Gut issues are incredibly common and are the main reason people aren't absorbing the minerals they need.
[25:25] There are many ways to ingest the supplement and many people report that they become more vascular. It helps with cold sensitivity, which correlates to more mental energy and clarity.
[26:00] It took the better part of a year for Barton to fix his iodine deficiency. For a normal healthy person, we are not consuming anywhere near enough iodine each day. If you have chlorine or fluoride in your water, they are also interfering with your ability to take in enough iodine.
[28:10] Hair analysis is an important piece of information when it comes to iodine and mineral absorption. It's an easy non-invasive test that can reveal a lot about someone's condition.
[33:15] If you do hair analysis quarterly, you will have a map that will serve you very well on informing you on what your body needs and what you need to adjust.
[34:45] Similar to the iodine, Barton's magnesium doesn't need to be digested to be absorbed. It goes straight into the bloodstream and enables your body to produce melatonin and serotonin.
[36:05] People that have had cramps have reported relief very quickly after beginning magnesium supplementation. When you're stressed, your body is leaning hard on magnesium. Cramps are a sign that your body is missing something.
[38:20] Magnesium is good for collagen production and hormone production and alongside iodine, is one of the most important minerals for your health. It's almost impossible to have too high a level of magnesium.
[40:40] When you get magnesium as part of your testing, ask for a red blood cell measurement. It's processed differently and more useful for what you want to know. The ideal level of red blood cell magnesium is 5 or more.
[42:35] Get the test and the consultation. Without the consultation, you won't be able to see the patterns that indicate an issue.

Mentioned in this Episode:

@askbarton

@upgradedformulas

upgradedformulas.com - use "dranna15" for 15% off your first order

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Love, Passion, and Oxytocin Moments with Dr. Anna Cabeca Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

February is the month of love, so it's time to take the opportunity and show yourself some love too! Find out how to not only live longer but improve the quality of your life, by choosing to have more oxytocin moments and by embracing and recognizing the ones you love and who love you back.

[0:20] It's not just about the number of years in our lives, but our healthspan as well. We are destined for a long life and our quality of life is in our control.
[0:40] Oxytocin is one of the leading factors to longevity in our lives. The love we feel in our lives is correlated to the most powerful rejuvenating hormone in our lives. Stress and cortisol is the opposite. When we don't get a break from the stresses in our life we shorten our lives unnecessarily.
[2:45] February is filled with messages of love, but if we're not feeling love in our life, it can become a stressor. High stress and low oxytocin is the physiology of divorce.
[4:10] Dr. Anna received an email from a listener that realized the link between pain during intercourse and being receptive to love and affection. Between using some DIY lube and Julva, she was feeling rejuvenated and found herself initiating sex for the first time in a decade.
[6:10] There are over 200 different chemicals found in umbilical cord blood and many of those contribute to lifestyle diseases.
[7:10] The clitoris to anus is the most important real estate of the body. Clitoral atrophy can happen, just like your muscles, if you don't take care of it.
[7:50] The Davinci 50 Conference is a diverse group of physicians, healthcare entrepreneurs and business people learning from the world's leaders in cutting edge rejuvenation science.
[9:20] There is magic in the times we pause and reflect. That is when we connect with ourselves and our loved ones. The oxytocin moments we experience determine the quality of our life. The more we can choose to see them, the healthier and younger we are.
[11:10] The most important love organ is the heart. Identify the people and things that you love and can rekindle or reconnect with them. When it comes to children, it's important to model what self-love looks like.
[12:45] Taking care of your heart is something that Dr. Anna has been aware of since being a teenager when her mother went through heart surgery at the age of 52.
[14:05] The hormone connection to diabetes and women in menopause isn't shared enough.
[15:00] February should be the month of love, passion, and oxytocin moments. Be aware of the people you love and show them that you value and care for them.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Order MenuPause at drannacabeca.com/collections/books

dranna.com/watchmasterclass

team@drannacabeca.com

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Overcoming The Leptin Plateau with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Bindiya Gandhi Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Bindiya breaks down the impact of the hormone leptin and why so many people struggle with a weight loss plateau that they can't breakthrough. Learn how dieting for too long can actually prevent you from losing weight, why the counterintuitive solution may be to eat more, why leptin might be the reason you're always craving food and stressed out all the time, and what you can do to reset your metabolism.

[0:20] Leptin is a largely unknown hormone but one of which everyone should be aware. Leptin is responsible for telling your brain that you have enough fat stored to fuel your body for calories at a normal rate. When leptin levels are high, that's when you're prone to food cravings, gaining weight, anxiety, and more.
[3:00] We have been told for years that we should be snacking between meals, but when we do that it increases our insulin and blood sugar levels without much benefit. You should typically eat every 4 to 6 hours, and if your leptin resistance is off you need to reset your metabolism.
[5:20] Leptin doesn't impact everyone the same. It's important to identify what is optimal for you and how your leptin levels are affecting your health goals.
[6:45] Everybody eventually hits a weight loss plateau. Constant diets with rapid weight loss or weight gain mess up your metabolism. When you start restricting your calories your body can go into starvation mode and this can result in a pause in weight loss, even if you're eating the same foods as before.
[9:45] The majority of Dr. Bindiya's patients have hit this weight loss plateau at some point, and when that happens they usually also experience constant fatigue and low energy. Tracking leptin levels is the first step to resetting their metabolism.
[11:30] One of the first things Dr. Bindiya recommends is for her patients to eat more to shock their bodies out of starvation mode.
[12:45] If you are leptin resistant, you have probably been in a starvation state for a long time and your thyroid may be suffering, but this can often be missed in clinical tests.
[15:30] As we get older, leptin resistance becomes more of an issue. We have to optimize our lifestyle to help with the genetics with which we are born.
[19:05] Intermittent fasting is a powerful weight loss strategy, but it can go too far and trigger the body's starvation response. It's counterintuitive, but we need to eat enough during the eating window to reset our metabolism.
[22:30] Dr. Bindiya works with patients by identifying what is happening with their bodies when they hit a plateau. She looks at their hormones, stress levels, and diet history. If they've been doing intermittent fasting for a while, the answer may be to ease up a bit, especially if they are stressed more than usual.
[26:15] When snacking, people tend to eat more sugar, carbs, and fruit. We want to reduce our fruit consumption because it negatively impacts leptin and congests the liver. Simply eliminating fruit can have a big impact.
[27:10] Stress management is an important aspect of treatment. If you're not getting quality sleep, figuring that part out is crucial. If you've been exercising too often or too intensely, you may have to switch it up and take it a bit easier.
[29:30] In order to overcome a plateau faster, supplements can be very helpful. Probiotics are important for establishing gut health, as well as supplements that support your liver and blood sugar.
[33:15] Practicing daily gratitude is an important habit for Dr. Bindiya that has transformed her life. She starts every day with reflecting on something for which she is grateful.

Mentioned in this Episode:

drbindiyamd.com/quiz

@drbindiyamd

drbindiyamd.com

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

MenuPause: Feel Incredible at Any Stage of Life with Dr. Anna Cabeca Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

Dr. Anna talks about her upcoming book MenuPause and how you can use the six-day menu plans to overhaul your hormonal balance and allow your body to detoxify and heal. Learn about the different phases of detoxification, the #1 most beneficial thing for your body no matter how old you are, and why your health always comes down to two specific factors.

[0:30] Dr. Anna talks about her past book releases, and what her latest book is about. MenuPause is a collection of six-day menu plans that pause out something from your diet because something as simple as a six-day pause can make a huge change in your life.
[4:35] You can reclaim the health of your life through food. Menopause can be one of the most challenging stages of your life and what you eat has a direct impact on your ability to handle and manage that time.
[6:20] Detoxification symptoms can sneak in when you are pausing out certain foods. As we detox, emotions are released as well. Many different religions from around the world say similar things about how your organs hold certain emotions. As we take in nutrients and help our bodies release toxins, we consistently see a release of toxic emotions as well.
[8:40] You need to empty the trash and sometimes that means having another person to hold the trash can for you so you can talk.
[9:25] Phase 1 detoxification is mobilizing the toxin into a water soluble molecule and phase 2 is flushing them out. Your liver needs to function well and have the proper nutrients in order to detoxify.
[10:20] Hormones are energetic molecules. We are energetic beings. Thoughts are energy. The Keto Green way is more than just a diet, it's a way of looking at life.
[14:30] We go farther as a community. We need to reach out more. The most healing hormone in your body is oxytocin, also known as the feel-goodd hormone. The most beneficial thing for your body is to feel good, and that includes orgasm.
[16:00] Your body is designed for pleasure, for exercise, to be nourished and cared for. Your body is the cathedral of your spirit. Be good to yourself and be good to others.
[18:00] Dr. Anna details the different six-day plans found in MenuPause and which one may be right for you.
[22:50] In Japan, women view menopause as their second spring and a time of renewal. Since they tend to follow a more plant-based diet their experience of menopause is very different than women in the West.
[24:50] Join the Keto Green challenge group to start your transformation. Dr. Anna has seen incredible improvements in people where they have lost extra weight or got off certain medications because of changing their diet.
[26:30] Dr. Anna lost her mother at a young age from health problems and complications in surgery. Life and death have taught her two things, health always comes down to inflammation and hormonal imbalance/adrenal dysfunction. The life cycles of women around the world hint at what works and what doesn't when it comes to diet and lifestyle.
[28:50] Dr. Anna's father experienced health problems as well and at the age of 79 his symptoms were pretty much dismissed by his cardiologist as simply old age. Dr. Anna took on her father's treatment and in 30 days he went from almost bedridden to playing tennis with his grandchildren. It doesn't matter how old you are, you can always turn around Type 2 Diabetes but it starts with you taking control of your health.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Order MenuPause at drannacabeca.com/collections/books

dranna.com/quiz

dranna.com/checklist

dranna.com/watchmasterclass

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

2022: Inviting More Miracles Into Your Life This Year with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Marci Schimoff Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

We can't create miracles, but we can create the conditions to invite them into our lives this year. The biggest thing that each of us can do to create a better world is for each of us to live a better, happier life. Marci Schimoff talks about her Year of Miracles program and how you can learn to become open to receiving more miracles in your life, how to focus your energy and attention on love and gratitude, and why the path to peace is finding happiness that doesn't depend on your circumstances.

[0:30] 2021 was a year of challenge and growth for many people, Marci included. Pivoting into her opportunities has been a real blessing.
[2:20] The past year has also introduced a lot of additional stress into people's lives. Having a supportive community around you can be crucial to growth and wellbeing, and can help you avoid becoming depressed and isolated.
[5:10] We can't do everything alone. We are social creatures and we get energy from connection with other people. Marci helps organize groups of women to connect with each other which has created miraculous changes in their lives.
[7:30] A miracle is a surprise and welcomed event that can't be explained by science and often attributed to divine grace. We can't create miracles, but we can create the conditions for miracles to show up in our lives.
[9:00] The first step to formulate for miracles is to remove the blocks that we have that prevent miracles from flowing into our lives. Miracles are everywhere, we just aren't necessarily open to them. One of the biggest blocks is not feeling worthy of them. We unconsciously block good from coming our way because we feel unworthy of it.
[10:15] Somebody can only give you something to the degree you are open to receiving it. The same is true with the universe.
[10:30] Ask yourself the following five questions to assess how well you receive in your life: Do you do a good job taking in compliments? Do you receive gifts easily? Are you able to ask people for help? Do you share in your wins and successes, or do you downplay everything? Do you feel okay receiving if it comes easily, or does it feel like cheating if you don't struggle or work hard?
[15:05] Notice the ways you are unconsciously pushing away the good in your life. The more you can practice this, the more open to receiving you will become and more miracles will show up in your life. Focus on the energy of love and gratitude instead of brushing it off.
[17:00] What we put our attention on grows, so choose where you put your energy and attention and focus on what makes you feel good. The better you feel, the more you will attract like energy.
[17:50] Most people set New Year's resolutions, but only 8% of people realize their intentions by the end of the year. The difference is in setting soul-based intentions rather than ego-based intentions. When you set a resolution, notice whether you feel expanded or contracted.
[21:30] Marci tells the stories of a few of the people that have gone through the Year of Miracles program.
[23:45] Marci has everyone set an overarching theme for the year. This year Marci's theme is to trust in the flow and the universe. People who are happiest believe that the universe is on their side and fundamentally benevolent. Look for ways to find joy in the moment, even when things are tough.
[26:45] We are all works in progress and it comes down to habits. If you can look at negative things and see what could be better instead of how bad things are, you are on the right path.
[27:50] The five foundations of the Year of Miracles program spell USHER: Universe, Soul, Heart, Energy, Responsibility.

Mentioned in this Episode:

miraclesthisyear.com

miraclesebook.com

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Boosting Your Metabolic Health at Age 50 and Beyond with Dr. Anna Cabeca and JJ Virgin Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

JJ Virgin shares the key lifestyle changes that you need to make to boost your metabolism and live your best life at age 50 and beyond. Learn about the seven foods you should drop immediately from your diet, how to cross train your diet in the same way you would cross train your exercise, and the key health parameters you should be paying attention to every week to know if you're moving in the right direction.

[1:45] One of the things you have to prioritize as you age is self-care and putting yourself first. Sacrificing your sleep may no longer be a worthy option. You can be in your best shape at 50, but you need to focus on what you need to be healthy.
[3:30] A healthy body burns fat and holds onto muscle. If you're carrying around extra weight, it may be an indicator that you have a metabolic condition. Weight loss is a side benefit of your metabolism working well.
[4:20] You need to step on the scale everyday if you want to understand how your body is functioning. The key is to position yourself as the observer instead of the judge. People who weigh in every day keep the weight off and it helps you connect the dots between what you're eating and how it's working for you.
[7:00] There are seven foods that are commonly found in most people's diets that once removed often result in immediate weight loss. We're very aware of food sensitivities like shellfish and peanuts, but rarely pay attention to things like sugar and gluten.
[8:50] You need to eliminate sugar and sweeteners from your diet. Sugar is doing a lot of disruption to your gut and making it more inflammatory overall.
[9:45] There is a right way to do keto and a wrong way to do keto. Paying attention to your alkalinity and constant measuring is important to keeping a diet on track.
[11:45] JJ is anti-diet. Dieting should be used therapeutically in the short-term, so you can learn what works for you and bring that into your daily routine. Cross train your diet like you would use your exercise.
[12:40] 76% of us are overweight or obese right now, and only 12% of the population would be considered metabolically healthy.
[13:40] For someone metabolically healthy, intuitive eating can work well to help you understand what food is working for you. Since most people aren't in that category, intuitive eating is pointing them in the wrong direction.
[14:30] Avoid eating before sleep and avoid eating for at least an hour after waking up. Get up and get active as quickly as possible.
[15:30] Any kind of toxin can get in the way of you losing weight. Mold toxicity is extremely prevalent and can cause major issues metabolically speaking.
[17:15] The first meal in the morning where most people mess up. So many of the breakfast choices are simply sugar. When you break your fast it should be with clean protein, healthy fats and fiber.
[19:00] A continuous glucose monitor can be a powerful tool in helping you understand the effects of food on your body.
[21:25] Eating disorders are very common in the diabetic population. The trajectory of the US population is not going in a great direction. Right now, we are on track for 100% of the population to be diabetic by the year 2030.
[23:15] You need to love yourself right where you are, and then dare yourself to want more. You just need a path to heal your metabolism and that's not going to happen if we don't have these conversations.
[24:20] Dr. Anna goes over the baselines for metabolic health for both men and women. In addition to waist-to-hip ratio and triglycerides, we should also be paying attention to Vitamin D, blood pressure, and triglyceride to HDL ratio. If one of these factors are off, it becomes the precursor to several other factors going off the rails, and it can point you toward what you need to fix.
[28:45] If your diet is dialed in but your fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin H1C is elevated, you may need to look at the stress in your life. It's important to track these numbers because they point to where in your lifestyle you need to make some shifts so that it doesn't get worse.
[29:15] Focus on one change at a time, otherwise you won't stick with anything. JJ recommends starting with food and identifying your hidden food intolerances. Once you know which foods work for and which ones don't, you begin lowering your sugar impact, and that prepares you to enter ketogenic cycles without the usual pain involved with jumping into something new.
[33:55] A caloric restricted diet doesn't work long-term, but cross training and cycling through diets short-term can be very effective. It's a lifestyle approach.

Mentioned in this Episode:

JJVirgin.com/7foods

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Uric Acid Exposed: The Key to Losing Weight, Controlling Blood Sugar, and Achieving Extraordinary Health with Dr. Anna Cabeca and David Perlmutter MD Dec 30, 2021

Show notes

David Perlmutter MD reveals the exciting and challenging science behind a major health risk that almost no one is talking about. Find out how uric acid is contributing to some of the biggest health risks in modern life, how the standard American diet is the perfect formula for creating dangerous levels of uric acid in your body, and how you can make changes to your diet that will help you lose weight, control your blood sugar, and live a healthier life.

[1:40] As of 2022, David will be 67 years young and he's planning on traveling from Vancouver to Alaska with his wife. The world has a lot of variability and uncertainty right now so it's hard to make detailed plans for the following year, but in some ways, that's good because it forces you to focus on the present.
[5:00] David's new book is called Drop Acid. It specifically deals with uric acid and how we discovered it to be a central player in regulating metabolic health. It's not only that uric acid just becomes elevated, it actually plays a causal role in conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
[7:45] Metabolic issues are the number one cause of mortality on the planet. Countries like Japan have been aggressive in intervening with people with high levels of uric acid because of its dramatic associations with death from all causes.
[8:25] Risk of death due to cardiovascular disease rises by 38%, stroke by 35%, and for every point of elevation in uric acid above 7 all cause mortality increases by 8%-13%. Having a high uric acid level is associated with a 80% risk of dementia, and a 55% risk of Alzheimer's.
[10:00] Testing uric acid levels is fairly routine, but what it indicated wasn't meaningfully understood until recently. David began looking at uric acid because of his interest in metabolic health and its association to Alzheimer's. The original paper linking uric acid to metabolic issues was published in 1894, and was buried until a researcher named Dr. Richard Johnson started doing studies on it.
[12:15] David was listening to a podcast episode with Dr. Peter Attia doing an interview with Dr. Johnson and he was overwhelmed by the information. Every minute was a new pearl of information. David started communicating with Dr. Johnson, which became the basis of a new friendship.
[14:30] The genetic mutations that cause humans to have higher uric acid than other mammals happened around 14 to 17 million years ago as an evolutionary survival mechanism. In times of food and water scarcity, uric acid allowed us to increase our blood sugar and retain water which were powerful advantages.
[15:45] To this day, we have a component of our genes that want to be thrifty and pack away fat for the next period of food scarcity. Historically, the biggest threats to our survival was in finding food sources and being eaten by predators, and uric acid helped with both of those.
[16:55] Certain cultures have evolved this gene and are more at risk of negative effects from it in our modern world. Fructose is the key ingredient to uric acid production in the body and the world is awash with it. The highest rates of obesity are in those genetic populations.
[18:50] 50% of American adults will be obese by 2030, including children. 10% of kids between 12 and 18 are hypertensive. This is a direct manifestation of the foods we are eating, primarily fructose. Fructose is metabolized into uric acid and uric acid is doing the dirty work.
[20:10] In the context of 99.9% of human habitation on this planet, this adaptation was very advantageous. It wasn't until recently, when our diets have changed so significantly, that it has become a liability.
[21:15] Clearing uric acid is where the challenge is. We have lost the function to clear uric acid and with most foods we eat increasing uric acid levels, it can be difficult to keep levels low on the standard American diet. Fructose is the main culprit and average daily consumption increased by 1000% between 1970 and 1990.
{24:30] Not all alcohol is associated with high levels of uric acid, but beer is one of the worst contributors. Targeting a specific enzyme called xanthine oxidase can help the body excrete uric acid.
[27:20] In menopause, uric acid increases because estrogen plays a major role in the kidney's ability to excrete uric acid. Women who are on estrogen replacement therapy seem to have some protection from their uric acid rising.
[28:30] One of the most important discoveries has to do with a master pathway known as AMPK. This pathway is turned on by things like exercise, berberine, and metformin, and when activated, it prevents the body's production of extra glucose and sugar.
[31:45] The opposite of AMPK is triggered by two ways: fructose entering the body and uric acid in general. Uric acid is the key to the ability to hibernate, but if you don't plan on spending the four to six months sleeping, you should try to keep uric acid low to maintain your metabolic health.
[33:55] For people who are working hard to lose weight and get healthy, reducing uric acid may be the vital tool they need. Picking up a uric acid monitor will give you a good idea where you are right now. We want to have a uric acid level below 5.5 mg/deciliter, with the average level in America being around 6.0.
[37:40] The average individual in America, aged 60 or older, has full blown metabolic syndrome. 88% of adults in America have at least one component of metabolic syndrome.
[38:30] The LUV diet can be incorporated into your keto, paleo, or vegan plan. The main focus is in getting the fructose out of your life.
[39:15] Fruit has fructose but when you eat fruit you're getting that fructose in the context of fiber, bioflavonoids and Vitamin C. Fruit juice consumption is associated with an overall smaller brain and weaker memory.
[41:00] Tart cherries were used in the past with women to help them control their gout, and now through the lens of modern research we know why.
[41:30] We've known since 1970 that fructose is a threat to metabolic health, despite the $10 billion that was spent to keep us from that information. $500 million was spent to convince the public that corn related sugar was the "safer" sugar. Fortunately the truth is now coming out and we are waking up to the risks of uric acid.
[42:40] David published an op-ed challenging the Biden administration on the USDA recommendation that 10% of our daily calorie consumption should come from sugar. This is a perfect example of science coming up against politics.
[44:10] The nutritional requirement of sugar is zero. High fructose corn syrup is a toxin to fetal health. When it comes to certain organizations, it's like steering an aircraft carrier, especially when you look at which groups may be funding those organizations.
[46:20] The only time we would need fructose in our bodies is when facing starvation, and even then our bodies can create fructose from glucose.
[48:25] The quick fix is to eat less salt and your body will be less aggressive in triggering the pathway that leads to high uric acid levels.
[49:00] One study looked at two groups of school-aged children, and in one group they placed a water fountain outside their classroom and encouraged them to drink. That group had a 30% reduction in the development of obesity. Fat is a powerful resource for making fresh water in your body, and when we're dehydrated (or our body thinks we're dehydrated) it wants to store fat to survive.