Health & Wellness

[Kev]

Leptin came onto my radar recently and it’s gotten my attention as a key to proper hormonal balance and regulation, and that such imbalances are at the heart of thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, and apparently so many other things.. This topic is new to me, and I’m finding it’s compelling enough to share with the community.. Here are a couple podcasts I’ve listened to recently which cover a lot of information.. (Still a lot to wrap my mind around)..

These ladies cover the need for animal foods, quality fats, morning sunlight exposure, avoiding blue light in the evening, etc.etc.. I’ve personally gone much more carnivore recently to bring better health to gut dysfunction, and now I can see there’s a path to getting the thyroid back in order and being done with this diabetes already..

(First podcast here with Alec Zeck.. Second one in the first comment below)..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTUuWA6nDxg&t=5857s

Discussion

[Kev]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otZ1ZfnKYZs

[Sue Kittrell]

Great info! Thanks for sharing!

[Leigh-Anne]

Hi Kev,

Thanks so much for sharing this, so timely as I just signed up for Sarah Kleiner’s Leptin Reset course yesterday after hearing her on Amber Magnolia Hill’s podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/medicine-stories/id1317478907?i=1000615007353

Super interested in this topic as well. Now I’m having to decide between this new way of eating that my acupuncturist suggested (80% fruits/veg, very little protein and fat, temporarily for a few months to restore my kidney and liver health according to her) vs the way Sarah suggests (~100g of protein/day, generally low carb and higher fat).

Things I’m taking away regardless are a much greater awareness of circadian alignment and working with the sun, getting most of my produce at the farmers market, and spring water. Taking a break from caffeine has also been huge for me.

Will be diving into the two you shared ?

[Kev]

Hi Leigh-Anne.. Well I’ll be.. You just signed up for her course, so as they would say, “that’s so synchro”.. ?

Sounds like you’ve got a good plan in place.. Right now I’m tending towards more animal foods just for the transformation I’ve seen already with my gut.. So many factors involved though, it’s tough to say at this point where this could lead me.. Prior to a month ago, I was mostly vegetarian, only because I love veg and Indian cooking, and quality meats not so affordable.. But for certain, in the past, one of the key components to getting gut health more normal and balanced was chicken bone broth everyday..

I’ve spent nearly the past 2 years getting up right before or at the break of day — just naturally waking up.. All of last year I was in bed no later than 8pm (even in summer), but that was due to some other things and how I was working my daily schedule.. But I must say, I absolutely thrived in terms of energy to get through the day by keeping those hours.. These days I’ve slipped into bedtime as late as midnight, and sleeping to about 8am.. And after 2 years without coffee, started drinking it again (though a very occasional cup here & there over that time), but I found coffee is just too constricting for my system, so have gone to tea (black or green) blended with butter.. That’s yum, but want to stop that eventually.. (I swear, I’ve never been noticeably addicted to caffeine before like I am now, which seems to indicate something.. regardless, it’s a passing thing ultimately)..

Have recently been drawn to sunrise sun-gazing, so that might be happening.. Got an interesting (and only) spot I can do it from in my neighborhood.. As much as I dislike the idea, I might have to set the alarm clock to recalibrate my wake-up time to about an hour before sunrise.. ?

Thanks for the podcast link.. Gonna give that a listen.. I’ll be interested to hear first-hand how her program works for you.. ?

[Amanda]

I started following Sarah Kleiner after hearing her on the Medicine Stories podcast too! I started incorporating circadian principles into my routine last June & have been slowly building upon them. I’m now at the point where I’ve been following all of her leptin protocols for about three months now. I feel amazing. Curious to hear how it goes for you too! ?

[Kev]

I’m curious and keenly interested to look at her protocols, eventually.. Right now I’m personally just working with basic principles.. I’ve gone highly carnivore, and not combining animal foods with carbohydrates (per my kinesiologist’s recommendation to get my GI back on-track); also use quality fats (cook with coconut and grass-fed butter, and supplement with Flax and Nigella, and eat raw nuts & seeds).. and have started a daily daybreak ritual of barefoot walking through my local park, and taking my cap and shirt off for full light exposure, even when it’s 40 degrees and raining.. Love that! ..Looking forward to sunrise sungazing, but no clear view of the horizon in my neighborhood, but do have a good view of sunset.. overcast here these days, so just waiting for that opportunity to get going on that.. Also making a big point to stop computer/blue light by sundown and crawl in bed at a reasonable time (hopefully early)..

I guess I say all this because I’m one who likes feedback and information and sharing.. ?

Hope all are doing splendid this Wednesday day in March….

[maryschurr]

@KWayne , you’re off to an awesome start to Spring! It’s when I like to make changes, do a bit of detoxing (you’re making your own changes already), and enjoying more time outside. More greens from the Farmers Market and growing some herbs for summer since I don’t have room for a proper big garden. My goal is to get more movement outside and sun exposure. Sun exposure early on, so that it is easier once the hot weather hits…I’ll already have my sun protection in place. At least that is the plan and you gotta start somewhere!

[Kev]

Hey Mary!.. I understand the summer heat thing.. It gets brutal here, but at least we’re in a low-humidity zone..

Yesterday, I got some direct sun rays right before sundown.. I have a clear view of sunset.. sorta.. I don’t see the horizon specifically, but rather when the sun dips below the buttes on the other side of the river.. At that point, the sun is about 10 degrees above the horizon.. The light spectrum is not entirely what you see at proper sunset on the horizon, but I’m thinking good enough..

I looked directly into the sun for about 2-3 seconds, and it was trippy what I saw.. It was like some sort of electro-generating device or something.. Have you ever seen those videos of the planets and distant stars acting like pulsating energy generators, almost like they’re some kind of technology?.. It was a bit like that.. Trippy..

And after that, I followed some other guidelines, and looked at the sky just right next to the sun, in order to bathe the whites of the eyes in sunlight.. That was also very trippy.. The sky, and the colors in the sky, just opened up and came to life and became more luminous and beautiful in color.. And the light shining from the sun became more magnificent and brighter and kinda glorious.. Funny, we never typically venture to look in these places, and when you do, you see things you’ve never seen before.. I’m all on-board with this..

[maryschurr]

I do think I know what you mean. We had 2 inches of rain yesterday and part of Tuesday, so happy for that, but also happy for the sun coming out today. Sometimes, we don’t know what we are missing out on by not getting outside nor looking towards the sun!

[Kev]

That was my revelation yesterday.. I was like, how have I been missing *this* all these years??.. Yeah, I know that intellectually, but the new experience is something else..

[Leigh-Anne]

Amanda, that’s so cool that you also found her through Amber’s Medicine Stories! That was a great episode. Obviously it sold me ? I’m just starting to put everything into place. It’s nuts because I was doing keto and even some carnivore (and general low carb for years) and then a new acupuncturist suggested I basically go vegan with only a tiny amount of protein once/week! I actually did it for 3 weeks and am now back to my own way of eating. Really great to hear you’re doing well with it. I’m actually loving the circadian stuff and have been doing that now for a couple of weeks. Feels wonderful.

[Amanda]

That’s so good to hear! The circadian stuff is such a game changer! It sounded so kooky at first, but I was struggling with intense carb cravings that seemed to get more increasingly more powerful in my 40s so I thought it couldn’t hurt to change out some light bulbs, get a pair of blue blockers & get outside for sunrise. The difference in my appetite is unreal. Anyway, cheers to new adventures! ☺

[Amanda]

More increasingly powerful, lol. I can’t edit that comment, so forgive my grammar. I’m trying to cut down on my coffee consumption & am a bit slow on foggy mornings! 😉

[Leigh-Anne]

@amandarose I love that! Currently outside for sunrise and have been good about doing this most days of the week…trying to give myself grace if I miss one here and there. And at night I switched to amber light bulbs (one of the brands Sarah K recommended). It feels good. I’ve been going through a busy stretch and just returned from travel so will be trying to get into the leptin protocol again. Just the little changes (which has included breakfast again for the first time in a LONG time!) seem to help. If this can make a dent in the +10 lbs I am perpetually hanging onto, awesome. I’m turning 46 this year and have felt some perimenopause signs, but nothing too bothersome. Grateful to be feeling really good overall and hoping that continues!

[Amanda]

Sounds like we are at a very similar stage of life! And oh gosh, I hear you on the perpetual 10 pounds! I’m hopeful getting leptin balanced is the missing piece. So far so good. Let’s definitely keep in touch on our journeys! ?

[Leigh-Anne]

Yes, that would be wonderful 😀 And wishing you so much success on the journey.

[Amanda]

Wishing you success as well! ?

[Jena]

Kat is amazing, thanks for this….it is opposite to my veggie fruit habit….I will research further.

[Kimberly]

I know Kat James personally & have been to one of her total transformation weekends quite a few years ago. I’ve been following her since her book came out – she is the real deal.

[Stephany Vanochten]

Thanks gang for the share! It never fails with Synchronicities! I’ve been researching different ways to regulate my hormones myself. As 40 is approaching this year I can’t loose weight in the same way. In the summer I garden alot so lots of fresh veggies. But this winter the organic veggies I buy just weren’t hitting nutrients I needed. I’ve worked with my physical body with medication and deferment to listen inwards when I’m not feeling my normal 100%. I was guided to buy 1/4 of a cow for my family around Christmas. That was a big upfront expense. But well worth it! Local beef best way to go. You get all cuts for same price. So it definitely makes up for the price. Along with orgain meat, bones and fat. I made huge batch of bone broth canned it. And huge batch of rendered tallow. Use ut in cooking dressings and lotion! Best hand lotion in the winter. Swear by it!

Comment on recommendation for 80% veggies definitely makes since! After holidays body did not want much meat. I’m definitely gonna read uo and watch this videos! Thank again for the sharing! Great community!!!

[Kev]

That’s awesome to have all those cuts to render tallow and make big batches of bone broth!.. I make chicken bone broth from [store-bought, but organic, free-range] chicken drumsticks and I swear by it as an important component in resetting gut health.. Also found that consistency is important, to not lapse too long on doing it..

[Kev]

A fairly good conversation with Gerald Pollack, discussing the [structured] water in our bodies, and how it turns our cells into batteries, being primarily energized, or charged, by infrared light (ultraviolet as well), and the importance of getting proper, healthy light exposure at certain times of the day.. This of course ties into circadian health and leptin optimization, and being attuned to natural rhythms.. It’s a fairly good overview of foundational principles.. (Video is one hour 27 minutes long)..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v8aHU6lF4Y

[maryschurr]

Thank you, Kev! I love his info, looking forward to watching.

[Kev]

Another good conversation — Sarah Kleiner & Alec Zeck.. 2h 31min..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3_8_F8NYqk

[Author]

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