#153 | The Physionical Man | Nic Verhoeven PhD

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About the guest:

Nic Verhoeven PhD is the host of Physionic, an educational platform on YouTube dedicated to making medical research understandable to empower individuals to make informed health decisions. Dr. Verhoeven's specialty is translating hard data from complex scientific studies into understandable and actionable information for the lay public. In this mission, Nic is entirely successful.

Youtube.com/physionic

NIc's Credentials:

Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine / Cell & Molecular Physiology Cell & Molecular Biology Researcher [10 years] M.S. Exercise Physiology Professor of Physiology, Nutrition

Episode summary:

Nic and I boil the ocean on many topics that needed answers from the best source of scientific research findings. Nic is the best science communicator in the business. Our chat ran a bit long but it will be worth your time. Enjoy!

Below are my notes that Nic referred to during our conversation....Nic agreed with some of my thoughts but not all...listen to Nic, not me.

Layer #1 – the base layer…stuff to avoid… interventions with the fewest side effects are the stupid things you stop doing….any thoughts on the stuff to avoid?

1. Avoid narrow diets for long periods of time…eat a variety of foods
2. Avoid pollution / toxins….no smoking or any smoke in lungs, avoid heavy metals, plastics, nnEMFs, other?
3. Stop screwing up your circadian rhythm…don’t need stimulants to wake up and drugs to feel sleepy…nighttime lighting, eating late, etc…”coffee is good for you” yeah, but don’t need it
4. Stop drinking poisons…using alcohol (in drinks, in mouthwash) that kills NO production from diet. 
5. Stop sitting all the time … Move throughout the day not just during workouts.  And don’t wear shoes all the time…your feet will thank you
6. Stop being inside all the time …losing out on NIR/UV…too much blue spectrum from “white” LEDs. Get sunlight …open a window, go outside, use a full spectrum lamp if you cannot get out enough

Layer #2 – the stuff where the max or min is better (no U shaped curve)…so much of biology is about the sweetspot…not too high or too low…but some things DO fall into the bucket of extremes are best …. any thoughts on these?

1. apoB low as possible?
2. Polyphenols… high as possible?  30 plants every week
3. Fiber …for SCFA, for bowel transit…keep chronic inflammation low
4. Advanced glycation end products (keep blood glucose in normal range & minimize burned foods)
5. Fat isn’t bad…Visceral fat is bad … keeping / building muscle while losing / avoid adding visceral fat
6. Alcohol doesn’t help much…reduces glutathione, impairs sleep, …learn how to relax without drugs
7. Smoke in lungs – smoking, fires, etc
8. Mouth breathing… Minimize mouth breathing….filtering, moisturizing, NO from nasal passages
9. Viral load – exposome?
10. Stimulants – caffeine, nicotine – double edge sword…don’t need it
11. Max Mitochondria / ATP production – energy to power the cells to live and function properly…see layer #3

Layer #3 –a vigorous life for a dynamic physiology…the older athlete does not have the resilience of the young….we have to be more mindful…more purposeful in providing the right stimulus to the body to encourage the adaptations we want.  A steady state is only for dead people…. So, what can we do to create the upward spiral of improvement using cycles…progressive overload (hormesis) then recovery, and then again and again.

1. Hot/cold – don’t be comfortable all the time. Sweat a lot. Shiver sometimes.
2. Hard exertions / recovery – performance improvement comes at the edges…you cannot rest your way into a stronger, healthier body and mind (need HIIT (to clear out old mito), and long, low intensity (to build new mito))
3. Metabolic flexibility – carbs for athletic fuel …burn fat when not eating…
4. Calorie balance – eat excess for growth and in deficit for body comp/autophagy
5. Protein:  high vs. low cycling for growth then autophagy
6. Supplemental nutrients…cycle everything: teach the body to have resilience…avoid building tolerance

Related episodes:

• Episode 143 | Nasal Breathing for Health and to Avoid Injury| George Dallom PhD
• Episode 142 | Fasting Mimicking Diet | Joseph Antoun PhD
• Episode 135 | Healthy Fat % | Vyvyane Loh MD

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*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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