We had the opportunity to have some interesting and innovative treatments done last month in Southern California at Upgrade Labs and Next Health. Our original plan for this blog post was to share this experience and talk about some of the latest modalities in the longevity space. First we thought we’d take a step back and talk about why we are focused on this area of interest and why the future of medicine and health is so exciting, yet also very challenging.
We’ve spent the last few years really delving into nutrition, longevity and the latest in preventative medicine. As with any field of study, the more we learn, the more we realize we have so much more to learn! One of our fears is us getting caught up in our own confirmation bias. We’ve all learned and/or tried things that work for us that we strongly believe in, and it can be hard to stay objective and open to other ideas and interpretations. Also, being in one of the most progressive areas in the country for science and innovation, we are careful not to get sucked into the idea of NIH – “Not Invented Here” – if it wasn’t researched/invented here, it must not be right. Our goal is to be open-minded and not be afraid to change based on new information. We want to bring you the latest science, the latest discussions, as well as the latest theories, whether they’ve been proven or not. It’s important to know where the path is leading and also important to be able to change course when warranted.
Another challenge that can hinder the implementation of new, and sometimes life-changing, treatments, is the idea that “there is not enough research”. PubMed has over 29 million citations and abstracts in the fields of biomedicine and health, covering portions of the life sciences, behavioral sciences, chemical sciences, and bioengineering. Chances are if you want to find some peer reviewed articles to support or refute anything, you can find it if you search long enough. We definitely agree that scientific research is necessary and imperative to furthering medical advances, as well as to be sure that we come to understand all potential side effects of treatments and medications. However, we would not be on the cutting edge if we waited for everything to be studied for years and years.
For example, the idea of intermittent fasting has only recently become more accepted as an intervention for weight loss, gut health, Type II Diabetes, and even cancer. As we talked about in our blog post on fasting, we thought for years that we had to eat several small meals throughout the day. After seeing promising research as well as many anecdotal testimonies of the benefits of fasting, along with adopting it ourselves, we know that it does, in fact, have validity as an intervention and as a lifestyle.
We have seen many other examples with ourselves, our trainers and many clients, who have tried adding things such as intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet, adding collagen and bone broth to their diet, stem cell therapy, regular sauna sessions, meditation, etc. We have seen the results. When your skin looks better, your weight is down and your blood work numbers have improved, we are opting for the route that has shown us results, even if the research isn’t conclusive yet.
The most important thing to do when looking at a “new” or alternative treatment or program is always weigh the risk vs. benefit. If there is little risk and there might be some positive outcomes, why not?? We would opt for trying something that has worked in clinical practice with little down side over taking a medication that may have many side effects and perhaps low efficacy. Maybe there isn’t always sufficient research to provide a concrete conclusion that something does what it’s supposed to do, but if there’s enough proof that it’s not harmful and may have some value, again, why not??
We used to believe that our genes would seal our fate. We now know that our health and longevity is based on about 10% genetics and 90% on our environment and our microbiome. If we can positively affect our health by trying some things that are very low risk and have potential high rewards, we are in favor of doing everything possible to live longer and healthier.
Stay tuned for our next blog post in which we discuss some of the new and interesting treatments out there, including our experience at Upgrade Labs and Next Health.
For More Information:
We suggest listening to this podcast with Peter Attia and Jason Fung in which they have a great discussion on evidence-based medicine, as well as discuss more on fasting as it relates to Type II Diabetes: Jason Fung on Peter Attia’s podcast.
Another really informative podcast is from Ben Greenfield where he refutes several myths about health and longevity in response to an article recently published:
*Disclaimer: The information in this blog is for informational purposes only. Please always consult your doctor before considering any new diet, supplementation, or other changes to your normal nutrition and exercise routine.
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