Category: Podcast Episodes

As  always do, 

Let’s break it up into sections:

1. Let’s start with our good friend jogging.

This is a traditional workout and when we want to lose weight, this is the most common type of cardio.

There are downfalls and benefits to this approach.

Let’s start with the possible benefits:

1. Insulin Sensitivity- According to Healthline , It has a positive effect on insulin resistance. 

How so?

Jogging promotes the use of carbohydrates as fuel.

By training your body to use carbs properly, you can improve insulin sensitivity.

2. It can help you cope with stress, in fact.

I jog from time to time to clear my mind. 

Addition to this, proper breathing is vital.

Control your breath and do not lock your core. 

Locking your core makes it hard for you to breathe and can also be unsafe.

3. It can improve your Immune System 

There is a PubMed  research that explains that jogging can strengthen your immune system. 

It goes on to explain that moderate exercise, like jogging, actually strengthens your body’s response to illness.

That includes short-term illnesses, like upper respiratory tract infections, and long-term illnesses, like diabetes.

4. It can help you lose weight

Of course, I have to mention this.

By training your body to burn carbs as fuel, it depletes your glycogen storage and can then lead to fat oxidation, which is breaking down your body fat for fuel.

At the end of the day, to sustain weight loss, you need to maintain fat oxidation.

5. There are other benefits that I wont get into detail like, improve your cardiovascular health, help you break through plateau, improve cognitive function and much more

Yes! Jogging can be a great exercise.

Just like anything else, there are possible downfalls:

1. Damage to your joints. 

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, damage to weight-bearing joints is one of the most serious disadvantages associated with running.

This tends to lead to the infamous runner’s knee. 

Which we know is common among runners.

2. Increased Risk of Heart Attack

This contradicts my earlier point so let me explain.

Excess running, in fact, any high intensity exercise that constantly raises your heart rate raises your blood pressure and puts a lot of stress on your heart and large organs. 

60% of your blood should be in your gut, some to your organs and the rest to fire that amazing brain of yours.

We are not designed to consistently pump blood to our large arteries. 

3. It can cause sugar cravings and weight gain

That is tied to the reason above. 

Excessive cardio raises your cortisol levels even for hours post work.

This can be good as you continue to burn sugars, carbs and fats.

If your cortisol stays high for too long, you can crave excess sugars, leaving you to fight cravings. 

Remember, our bodies ten to prefer carbs as fuel.

Don’t let anything I say scare you, remember that I have some recommendations at the end.

2. Now, Let’s talk about Walking:

Many trainers now say that walking is the best kind of cardio. 

Is it really?

Let’s start by discussing the benefits:

This really great article in Harvard Health lists 5 amazing benefits:

1. It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes.

This is important to understand. 

One of the downfalls for those who struggle to lose weight is that they don’t walk enough.

Remember that for optimal fatloss, we need at minimum 10k steps per day 

I would love to see 5k before your first meal.

2. It helps tame a sweet tooth. 

A pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations.

One of the main benefits of walking is it can balance your cortisol levels.

We now know that excess cortisol leads to sugar cravings

3. It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.

A study from The American Cancer Society shows that  walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week

4. It eases joint pain.

And not as hard on your joints a let’s say jogging

Studies show that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place.

5.  It boosts immune function.

A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less.

During flu and cold season, most of us barely move.

Adding to reasons why we stay sick. 

Walking can be great for your body

In fact, I take between 10 to 12k steps most days

Now let’s talk about some possible downfalls to walking:

1. It doesn’t burn as many calories as jogging

Walking can be a great exercise, but there are times when you need to burn more energy to promote fat oxidation

Depending on your fitness level, you can walk for miles, but never reach the cardio zone 

Hitting the cardio zone at least couple times per week is great for sustainable fatloss

2. Not as much after cardio burn

This means that you may not get as much post workout energy burn as jogging 

That is why you can’t just walk once a day. 

To sustain fatloss, you have to keep walking throughout the day 

3. Can be too strenuous 

This is vital if you have achy joints 

In fact, constantly striking the floor can damage your joints leading to knee pain 

Now that we know these things, let’s get to part everyone wants to hear

Which one works best and how to implement.

It is best to have a combination of each

But that is only if you can 

If you are new to fitness, it may better to do brisk walking 3 to 4 days per week for about 30 minutes each time 

Making sure to keep walking throughout the day 

My personal rule is I do not sit for more than an hour each time

Every hour, I get for for about 5 minutes

That is great for your joints and your metabolism 

As your fitness level increases you can have 2 days where you walk and 2 days where you do a walk run 

This is great for cardio health and you are beginning to get the benefits of both 

Then from there you can get to the area where you have 2 jogging days and 2 walking days 

All that may become too much on your joints

Depending on how much you run/jog, I recommend getting a book to learn proper form

You can also replace couple of those days with an upper body focused cardio like rowing 

Or even a lower body focused cardio that doesn’t put as much stress on your joints like biking

Now, it goes without saying, you still need to lift weights to build muscle

Do not assume that cardio alone will sustain fat oxidation

In fact the reason to cardio is not as much to burn fat, but improve your cardio health 

When you combine it with muscle building, it makes it easier to sustain fat loss as you age

An added benefit is building muscle, especially leg muscle can help to support your knee and joints, 

First, let’s break down the possible benefits of getting adequate sunlight:

1. Relieves Pressure on your kidneys!

2. Promotes Good Sleep

3. Speeds up Your Metabolism 

4. Promotes Fat Oxidation

5.Of course I have to mention our friend, Vitamin D aka The Sunshine Vitamin

According to a PubMed article, Vitamin D Deficiency can lead to abnormalities in calcium, phosphorus, and bone metabolism.

In addition there are tons of studies that show a connection between Vitamin D deficiency and obesity .

Now, correlation does not mean causation. 

Getting adequate Vitamin D by itself will not lead to fatloss, but it plays vital roles along with other nutrients for a properly functioning metabolism.

Now that we know all this, what’s next? 

Just go outside. We live in a society where we are told so many things that we are afraid of nature.

Just like anything, too much of a good thing can end up being bad.

For example, if you drink too much water you can drown your body.

Yes, that is a thing. 

Some things to be mindful of:

1. Try to get sun early in the morning and later in the evening where it is not so hot.

Tip on this. Early morning sun safely raises your cortisol levels in the morning as nature intends. This, combined with the right diet approach can lead to more effective fat oxidation. 

2. If you live in a highly polluted area, the pollution can make the sunlight harsh on your eyes and skin
3. Be mindful of how much sunblock you wear. If you are always wearing sunblock, you can diminish your body’s ability to create adequate melanin. If you wear sunblock, please get a natural sunblock that does not have a ton of harmful chemicals. Remember that our skin is out #1 detox organ and those chemicals do seep into our bloodstream. 
4. Once a day try to get at least 10 to 15 minutes of redlight from the rising or setting sun. Research shows us that redlight has tons of benefits i.e reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. In fact, harnessing the power of redlight is becoming a common practice for health and medical professionals
5. Unless medically necessary or if you are in a location that is highly polluted or the sun rays are extremely damaging, minimize the use of sunglasses to help your body properly synthesize Vitamin D from natural sunlight. 
6. If you can, workout outside from time to time to increase energy expenditure and calorie burn.
7. Make sure to stay hydrated. I usually have to drink twice as much water on the days I spend more time in the sun. Dehydration can lead to dry skin and wrinkles, fyi. 

A word of warning, gradually make changes. If you decide to get out in the sun, which I highly recommend for most people, gradually allow your body and eyes to adjust.

Don’t move from barely getting sunlight to immediately getting hours.

You would put yourself at a higher risk for sunburn, skin cancer and excess again, just to name a few. 

Lastly, subscribe to The ZecoHealth Show. I will continue to provide accurate, up to date and actionable content. 

So, What is a plateau? 

According to the Oxford Dictionary it is a verb that means: to reach a state of little or no change after a time of activity or progress. 

That is literally what we think of when we say plateau!

One of the biggest mistakes we make when we reach a plateau is we immediately try to break through it.

Sections:

1. Ask yourself, are you really on a plateau?

This may sound silly, but think about it for a second. 

A plateau is when we experience little or no change.

What if you are experiencing a change, but you think you aren’t’?

What are your markers?

The All or nothing thought

Taking control of your health, including your weight, especially long term takes a holistic approach. 

That is what we mean when we say “ It is a lifestyle”

This is one reason why obesity leads to COPD, Type 2 Diabetes and other health issues.

Do you have more energy? Do you feel better? Have you lowered your A1C? Are you sleeping better?

Better yet, are these markers getting better? Then you are not in a plateau!

These are not small things! 

They are signs that you are getting better and regardless of what the scale says, you may need to shift your mind and thought process!

Now, let’s talk about what to do when the scale isn’t moving!

1. Do not panic. 

Stress raises your cortisol level, which pumps excess blood to your large arteries, which can lead to a heart attack and other health issues. 

Your body cannot maintain that level of stress. 60% of your blood should be in your gut , some to your organs and the rest to fire up that amazing brain of yours. 

In addition, excess stress leads to you craving more sugars, making it hard for you to maintain a healthy weight. 

Excess stress also leads to poor sleep Which is what I will talk about next

2. Get quality sleep. For anyone who has been listening to me, I am beating a dead horse, but sleep is the main factor in sustainable weight management. You that I have an article on zecohealth.com on how to get quality sleep. Yes, we know that poor sleep equals poor cortisol levels among other hormonal imbalances. 

3. Now, let’s talk about nutrition-

1. Hydration- Let’s reset and get back to the basics. Remember the pee test to make sure you are always hydrated . In fact, everytime you drink water, your body burns extra calories to heat the water from room temperature to body temperature. That is why I always say to drink water 30 minutes before and post each meal to burn more calories from the food you eat. Oh and if you combine that with walking, you are promoting fat oxidation aka fat loss. 
2. Are you primarily burning fat or carbs? Are you eating carbs when you are not active? This is very important to understand. I am being very simplistic here, but this is how your body stores/ burns carbs:

1. Goes into your blood for use
2. Stores the excess in your liver for backup. That is around 12 hours worth
3. Anything over that is converted to body fat. 

Ask yourself if you are eating more carbs that your body needs

Remember I say to eat most of your carbs around the time you are active, generally 30 mins before and post workout. 

Any carbs you eat the rest of the day should be minimal and complex in nature. DM me on Instagram @Zecohealth if you have further questions on this topic and I will love to discuss. 

C.  Our best friend protein? Are you eating enough to fuel your muscles? Generally speaking you want to aim for .7 to one gram per pound of bodyweight.

Additionally, 40 grams within the first hour before and 40 grams within the first hour post any lifting session to boost strength and aid recovery and muscle growth. 

Lastly, let’s talk about working out. 

D. Are you overtraining? In most case, this is associated with excessive cardio. Easy ways to know are if you are constantly tired, craving excess sugars or gaining weight. 

Here, I recommend that you slow down, reassess and take a look at your workout routine,

Remember that excess training leads to excess cortisol which leads to you craving more sugars and yes weight gain. 

And! That’s all folks. Take a look at your routine, reflect and make adjustments where needed.

Remember, it is not a fast food menu. You cannot pick and choose. If you want optimal results, you have to take a holistic approach.

Mimi is a Culinary Nutrition Expert, AHCC educator, registered dental hygienist and Host of The Medicin Podcast. She has been helping people prevent disease for over 10 years now, by educating and empowering individuals to be their own best health advocates. Today, her primary area of disease prevention education surrounds Immune Intel AHCC + other medicinal mushrooms. Unfortunately there is a significant gap between the clinical research of mushrooms and the general public, so Mimi is committed to being the link between research and the public via online education, social media and her podcast, The Medicin.

Dr. Chris Lee is founder and CEO of Elemental Shift
Consulting, a neuroscience based consulting
company educating on brain based creativity,
motivation, productivity and research based strategy
for a healthier mindset.

Dr. Chris has consulted with 8 figure stock brokers
on Wall Street to technology companies in
California on using custom biometric and
neurofeedback data to build more resilient
companies from the inside out. He has proudly
served over 1,500 individuals and is currently working
to get his neuroscience backed mindfulness
technique into the United States prison systems.
Dr. Chris uses the latest research and personal case
studies to personalize specific brain training
strategies based on each individual and company’s
needs so they can become anti-fragile to external
changes and activate more neurologically sound
problem solving ability’s at will.
Extremely proud father to his extraordinary Daughter
Phoenix who is the greatest thing that has ever been
gifted into his life.

You can reach Dr. Lee @

twitter.com/dr_chrislee facebook.com/dr.chrisleemindful www.instagram.com/drchrislee/

Let’s start with how we start our day.

I have read articles that state that the average American is exposed to at least 5 stressors within the first couple hours of the day.

The first is the hard sound of the alarm ekk ekk ekk, kicks you out of sleep, and immediately spikes your cortisol levels, then you hurry up and try to shower, if you have kids, you have to get them ready, if you have a husband , he can be another kid, where is my coffee, if you drive in Orlando where people drive 5 miles an hour for some reason, you may have road rage, etc

What does this do? Spikes your cortisol levels. 

There is a research study in PubMed labeled Physiology, Cortisol states that “Cortisol acts on the liver, muscle, adipose tissue, and pancreas.” 

It goes on to say “The presence of glucocorticoids, such as cortisol, increase the availability of blood glucose to the brain.”

If you are constantly in a stressful state, your body thinks that you are always in danger.

Since the human body prefers sugars for quick energy, have you realized that you tend to crave sugary foods when you are stressed.

On top of cortisol, excessive sugars play on the dopamine receptors aka pleasure center in your brain. Primarily short term pleasure.

The best way to manage our cortisol levels is by getting quality sleep. I don’t have to mention any studies here.

Anyone who is sleep deprived will tell you how much worse they feel vs the day that they get quality sleep. I know that I am less patient if I do not sleep well.

I will release a full episode in the future on quality sleep, but

Here are some quick things to do at home to improve sleep quality:

1. It starts with your habits the night before. Keep your home cool. The cool weather mimics nighttime. If you are hot, especially sweating, it makes it hard to fall asleep. Some experts say as cool as 68 degrees, I say whatever works for you. I turn my A.C to 71 degrees every night. I am a freak though cause I turn off my A.C every morning and open the doors. That is a conversation for a different day .
2. After the sun goes down, minimize exposure to bluelight. Close the curtains, use light blocking curtains if possible. You can get them on Amazon. Also, get a pair of blue light blocking glasses, especially if you watch t.v at night. Anylight that you will have on at night, make sure to use blue light blocking bulbs for that room or area. Turn on the blue light filter on your phone as well. In fact, mine comes on automatically every night at 9 p.m. If I send my friends a screen shot after 9, it is bright orange and they get mad at me. Here is a page on Amazon where you can get all these products  Amazon
3. Set your alarm to a soft tone or light. It will make for a more pleasurable morning experience. Especially if you implement the other changes I mentioned, you shouldn’t wake up feeling like you want to break the clock. 

These are just a few tips on sleep, but it is a good place to start. I will release a complete episode on sleep in the future.

Next, let’s talk about water.

There are many studies that explain that drinking water 30 before and after eating can improve thermogenesis which leads to more energy expenditure and weight loss. 

I released an episode 2 months ago on the toxins in our drinking water. I will put a link to that episode in the show notes.  Water & Hydration

In short, quality tests show that from tap to bottled water there can be over 100 toxins. 

This includes residue of Tylenol, rocket fuel, farming residue and much more.

So, get a good filter. I prefer Zero water. It removes a lot more toxins than Pur or Brita.

If you can afford it, replace the shower heads in your home. Our skin is our largest detox organ. The toxic water we tend to shower, wash our hands and even brush our teeth with seeps into our bloodstream. 

Now, Let’s talk about air quality. If you talk to anyone who struggles with asthma, they will tell you the challenges they face when they are surrounded by poor air. 

Poor air quality does just impact people with asthma.

There is an article on epa.gov which indicates that “Research has linked regulated air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter (PM) to lung and heart disease and other health problems.”

A study published online in the journal Environment International, links air pollution to changes in the structure and function of the human gut microbiome. This Study

explains that breathing dirty air takes a heavy toll on gut bacteria, boosting risk of obesity, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and other chronic illnesses.

So here are some ways to improve air quality in our homes

1. Have plants

Common houseplants can improve indoor air quality by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Many common houseplants also have the ability to remove traces of toxic chemicals from the air.

2. Get an Air Purifier

It says it in the name. Purifies the air you breathe in your home.

3. Air out your home

Open the windows and doors from time to time and let fresh air in. 

I open the windows and doors in my home for at least 1 hour each day. 

When I say this, I am assuming that the air is fresh in the area you live.

I am saying this as a pun, air pollution is a real thing.

4. Get Essential Oils along with Diffuser.

Mine is set up to start spraying at 5:30 every morning. I wake up at 6 most days and I wake up feeling amazing and the air smells great. 

Essential Oils do more than just make your home smell nice. 

They can control or even remove fungi. 

Which leads me into my next point!

5. Natural cleaning products 

Many of these products are made with Essential Oils 

Which are a great alternative to synthetic chemicals

Rightfully so, there are more companies that provide natural cleaning products.

 I mentioned at the start of the episode how I used to struggle with asthma. 

One of the worst asthma attacks I have ever had was after using a really strong cleaner. 

I personally use products from Grove Collaborative, but honestly there are many companies that provide natural products. 

You can even start by going to the cleaning aisle in Whole Foods and other similar stores. 

I actually started by purchasing products from Amazon. 

I want to add here that you may want to think about using natural products like deodorant, face cream, lip balm etc. to eliminate toxins trace elements like aluminum. 

Especially since there are many chemicals that are banned in other countries that we allow in the products in the U.S

Now that we know this! 

Let’s diminish your exposure to environmental toxins. 

When many of us talk about weight loss, one of the first things we think of is  eating less calories than we burn

While, it is true that we need to burn more calories than we consume,  if you just focus on calories few things usually happen:

1. You don’t feed your muscles adequately, so you end up looking frail even though you lost a lot of weight.
2. You lost the weight, but struggle to keep it off or you easily gain weight whenever you eat something that may be “fattening” 
3. You don’t feel as strong as you should because your lean muscles are underfed

According to PubMed “Metabolic flexibility is the ability to respond or adapt to conditional changes in metabolic demand.” It goes on to say “This broad concept has been propagated to explain insulin resistance and mechanisms governing fuel selection between glucose and fatty acids, highlighting the metabolic inflexibility of obesity and type 2 diabetes.”

There is also a connection between metabolic inflexibility and diabetes

Another PubMed article indicates that “Fatty acid availability, uptake and oxidation all play a role in metabolic flexibility and insulin resistance.”

It goes on to explain “  During high fatty acid availability, fatty acid transporters may limit cellular and mitochondrial fatty acid uptake and thus limit fat oxidation.”

So,  what do we need to do? 

Train our metabolism to convert energy from the nutrients you eat. 

It doesn’t matter if you are in a calorie deficit, if you cannot efficiently convert food into energy. 

Calorie counting assumes  that you absorb or digest all the food you eat, which is not the case. 

In fact, excessive restriction can lead to nutrient deficiency. 

Lastly, calorie counting doest take into consideration insulin action, metabolic health, types of nutrients and much more!

Let’s talk about some general tips for promoting metabolic flexibility. There are different ways and recommendations to achieve metabolic flexibility. In fact, I do not think 1 method works for everyone. 

Remember, before making any dietary changes, especially if you have underlying health issues, please contact a medical professional 

Here are some guidelines:

1. Keep your blood sugar constant by tracking your blood glucose. The benefit here is that you will have an understanding of how much sugar you have in your blood at any given time.  If your blood sugar is consistently high, then you are more likely a sugar burner. In theory, this means that your metabolism is as accustomed to burning fat for energy as needed, aka ketosis.
2. Eat mostly complex carbs. That helps to keep your blood sugar steady, especially on days that you are not as active. Remember that you can download a Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load App that explains which foods spike or keep your blood sugar steady. 
3. Carb cycle. In previous episodes I explained that I eat good sources of fat during the day when I am not as active and carbs, especially if I eat simple carbs, within an hour prior and post lifting. That way I do not deplete muscle glycogen. 
4. Stay away from juice, sodas and high sugary drinks. Those spike your blood sugar and oftentimes you will end up storing most of the glycogen or worse as fat. 
5. It is natural here to say, drink water. Stay hydrated. This important for many reason. I.e often times when we think we are hungry, we are just thirsty, try it! Drink water 30 minutes before and after each meal. Make it a regular part of your practice. In addition, research explains that the energy your body uses to eat water to body temperature can lead to more calorie burn. 
6. Lastly, Walk, walk, walk. Make sure to get at least 10k steps per day. Walking promotes fat oxidation which is breaking down triglycerides  from body fat for energy. In fact, I get at least 5k steps before I eat most days. So yes, to get a chunk of your steps before eating and even if you cannot, still aim for 10k at minimum. Walking and movement should never be a maybe. It is vital for your health and metabolism.  
7. Lastly, listen to The ZecoHealth show weekly for tips to continue to transform your body into  a fat burning machine. 

Meet Dr. Donna Mazzola is a Pharmacist with a Master’s degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition and Master’s in Business Administration.  After obtaining a Doctorate in Pharmacy, Donna realized that medicine has a place in healing, but it’s the balance between nutrition and medicine that impacts disease. Following a diagnosis with Hashimotos in 2015, she realized it was difficult to find reputable scientific information to support her healing journey. As a result, she created the blog drautoimmunegirl.com and on IG and FB @drautoimmunegirl, to become that source.  Drautoimmunegirl is a blog with a mission to identify the root cause of disease and empower you to take control of your health!Her entrepreneurial spirit pushed her obtain a Master’s in Business Administration in 2015.  Not only did she create her personal brand shortly there after but she also co-founded a tea company that aligns to her mission.  AutoimmuniTea is a brand of tea blends that support the immune system, and are effective for symptom support. At  AutoimmuniTea blends have been created with the Science behind the herbs to help those suffering from symptoms of chronic illness 

You can find out more about Dr. Mazzola on her Instagram https://instagram.com/drautoimmunegirl?utm_medium=copy_link

Dr. Stone is a licensed Naturopathic physician in the state of Arizona and owner of Stone Naturopathic. She first started her practice in 2013 out a friend’s office in Mesa. She then ventured out on her own in 2015 and her practice continues to evolve & grow over time.

She grew up in Ohio and obtained her B.S. in Biology from Kent State University. She then moved to Arizona in 2007 to attend the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine where she earned her naturopathic medical degree. As her practice grew, Dr. Stone developed a passion for helping women with gut, hormone, adrenal, and thyroid issues. She was tired of hearing that women were not being heard by their health practitioners and instead brushed off or given an unnecessary prescription. She continues to fine tune her practice and is always learning more about the big world of endocrinology and gastroenterology. Dr. Stone believes there is nothing is more satisfying than seeing a person achieve not only physical wellness, but also emotional wellness and genuine happiness. She believes each patient deserves her undivided attention and palpable compassion. She wants Stone Naturopathic to feel like home for you.

She is a proud member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association, and the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians.

You can connect with her on Instagram @drstoneaz or via phone P: 480-331-7353

So, what is inflammation? Generally speaking, inflammation is the body’s response to an irritant. For example, if you get a cut, that swelling that develops is inflammation. The cut signals to your body that there is an injury and your body sends inflammatory cells to engage in tissue repair. So, inflammation is how our body protects itself  from things that may harm it. 

We now know how the integrity of our gut impacts our health and body weight. An article written by Harvard Health indicates that when we eat food, our gut breaks it down into small pieces. Only the smallest pieces get absorbed into our blood. The rest is eliminated as waste material. The rest is eliminated as waste material. Some bacteria are better able to chop food into those smallest pieces that get digested, add calories to our body and thereby tend to increase our weight. Theoretically, if our guts have more of those kinds of bacteria, it should be harder to lose weight. 

An article published in Bio Medical Central discusses that Owing to the essential role of the gut ecosystem in maintaining host physiology, its alteration can trigger a wide range of physiological disorders, including low-grade inflammation, metabolic disorders, excess lipid accumulation, and loss of insulin sensitivity, which increase the risk of developing metabolic diseases.

Now, let’s talk about Oxidative Stress. He is Inflammation’s rowdy cousin. Well, according to Health Line Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body. Free radicals can cause large chain chemical reactions in your body because they react so easily with other molecules. These reactions are called oxidation. They can be beneficial or harmful. 

Oxidation is a normal and necessary process that takes place in your body. Oxidative stress, on the other hand, occurs when there’s an imbalance between free radical activity and antioxidant activity. When functioning properly, free radicals can help fight off pathogens. Pathogens lead to infections. 

I came across this article on Medical News Today that Oxidative Stress that indicates that Mild oxidative stress may also protect the body from infection and diseases. Mild oxidative stress may also protect the body from infection and diseases. A large body of scientific evidence suggests that long-term oxidative stress contributes to the development in a range of chronic conditions. Such conditions include cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

A Pub Med study indicates that oxidative stress is involved in several age-related conditions (ie, cardiovascular diseases [CVDs], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, neuro-degenerative diseases, and cancer), including sarcopenia which is the lost of muscle as we age and frailty. 

Now, Oxidative Stress and Inflammation sometimes work together. Another Pub Med article indicates that oxidative stress can activate Inflammation pathways. In fact, The inflammation triggered by oxidative stress is the cause of many chronic diseases.  So then excess of both is damaging to our bodies in so many ways!

SO! Let’s talk about some ways to reduce both!

1. Get quality sleep
2. Reduce stress levels, including Oxidative Stress
3. Improve your Omega 6 to Omega 3  profile. Inflammatory vs Anti-Inflammatory. According to an article in  Pub Med  Several sources of information suggest that human beings evolved on a diet with a ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) of approximately 1 whereas in Western diets the ratio is 15/1-16.7/1
4. Eat foods that are gut friendly. This may mean more non-gmo, organic fresh foods.
5. Eat adequate fiber
6. Do not ignore micro nutrients.Our bodies and cells need vitamins and minerals to properly function.
7. And of course! Follow my Instagram @zecohealth and subscribe to The ZecoHealth Show on Spotify, Google, Amazon and Apple Podcasts.
8. Now, these are just some things we can do, but it is a good place to start!