In today’s episode I am going to be talking about protein and why it’s so important to make sure you’re getting enough protein not only in your diet but in every single meal. So, let’s get started.
As humans we need 3 sources of calories or energy that our bodies can’t produce by themselves: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat. These are called Macronutrients. And, from my experience as a Naturopathic Doctor and Clinical Nutritionist for over 23 years, I see that the best health comes from balancing these 3 Macronutrients in every meal. Just as a point of reference, 1 gram of protein provides 4 calories for our bodies, 1 gram of carbs also provides 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat provides 9 calories for our system.
Why Is Protein So Important?
The basic structure of protein is a chain of biochemical 'building blocks' called amino acids. Our bodies use those amino acids to build and repair muscles and bones and to make hormones and enzymes. You also need protein in your diet to help your body repair cells and make new ones. Protein is also important for growth and development in children, teens, and pregnant women. Furthermore, protein is also a critical part of the processes that fuel your energy and carry oxygen throughout your body in your blood, and it helps make antibodies that fight off infections and illnesses. So, protein is a very important part of a healthy diet.
The protein we eat gets broken into amino acids during our digestion process and there are 9 essential amino acids that our bodies can’t produce: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These amino acids are not synthesized by mammals and are therefore dietarily essential or indispensable nutrients, meaning we must get it from food or another source.
We can get those nine essential amino acids from either animal-based or plant-based protein. We just have to learn how to choose the protein each time we eat.
Our bodies use these amino acids for building muscle every day, especially if we're working out and we want our muscles to grow, our bodies need even more of these amino acids. We also use amino acids in the liver for detoxification and we need amino acids for making neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, adrenaline, etc.
If we're not getting enough protein and amino acids in our diet, we're going to be making it harder for our body to maintain adequate neurotransmitters and to maintain adequate detoxification.
Where to find Protein?
The thing I find is that so often people are way more likely to get plenty of carbs and now we're even learning to get fat in our meals but still many people are not getting enough protein. It is so much easier to get access to carbs than it is to protein. For example, if you’re hungry and eat a snack it will likely have more carbs than protein or fats. Chips, crackers, even fruit are all sources of carbs and have little or no protein in them.
Remember, our bodies like balance and so we are going to be feeling so much better if we get sources of all 3 macronutrients in every meal. We want to have all 3 macronutrients in every meal in intervals of 3 to 4 hours through the day. We want to have space in between meals so our bodies can digest and absorb these nutrients.
So, you can get protein from animal sources like eggs, milk, chicken, beef, turkey, and fish. I normally see that eating too much eggs or dairy causes inflammation, especially in people with leaky gut so I recommend to have them in moderation. I also recommend when choosing meat like chicken or beef that it is organic, free range, grass fed and free of hormones.
There is also plant based protein like nuts, seeds, legumes, soy and certain grains like quinoa. The thing with plant-based protein is that the quantity you have to eat to reach the minimum requirement is large and plant sources of protein often come tied with high carbs so you risk overfeeding your gut bacteria and having digestive issues.
Now you could also get a plant-based protein powder like pea protein, for example. If you’re interested in this product, you can find it here. There is also hemp seed, flaxseed and watermelon seed protein powders available. These plant-based protein powders are a good way to reach your body’s minimum protein requirement if you don’t eat meat.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
The amount of protein you need depends on a number of factors, including your weight, age, goals, and activity level. As a general rule, we need around 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight or 0.36 grams per pound of body weight per day. This is the minimum requirement for a sedentary person. However, if you do intense workouts, have a physically demanding job, or both, you may need more, maybe even twice as much.
If you're wondering how many grams of protein you’re eating you can do a google search and type for example, how many grams of protein in 4 ounces of chicken and it will immediately show up for you (in this case it’s around 31 grams of protein). If your food comes in a package, you can look on the label and see how much is in there.
My recommendation is to get at least 20 grams of protein per meal or each time you eat. So, each time you eat ask yourself where is the protein? At the same time, I recommend keeping the carbs under 20 grams in each meal.
The thing is there's not one perfect number you really have to know your body and your activity level and start to fine tune it and play with it until you find the spot where you feel the best.
There are also other factors to consider like health-related issues. If you have kidney issues for example you may need to moderate your protein intake because as your body uses protein, the protein breaks down into waste that your kidneys must remove from the blood.
Consistency And Balance Are Key
It's important to give your body consistent signals. Our bodies do best when they can predict what is going to happen regarding food during the day. If we shift things around all the time like not eating for long periods of time and then eating too much all at once, then our metabolism and digestion can be overwhelmed.
If we can't digest everything that we eat especially the carbs and fibers, we end up overfeeding our gut bacteria and then we end up with bloating and gas and burping and bacterial overgrowth or yeast overgrowth.
I see this a lot where people want to eat more of healthy stuff - more vegetables and more seeds and more nuts and they put it all in their protein shake or bowl - but our digestive system is only capable of absorbing a certain amount of nutrients each time we eat (especially if you have leaky gut), so the rest ends up just overfeeding our gut bacteria.
It’s the same with protein. You don’t want to eat 100 grams of protein in one meal because it would be too much to digest, and your body will not be able to benefit from it. What you want to do is space your protein intake evenly through the day in 3 or 4 small meals and combine the protein with some healthy carbs based on your blood sugar levels and insulin function and some healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocados.
What happens is when we have an adequate protein intake it really helps balance our blood sugar levels. If we have a meal with just carbs then our blood sugar is going up and down like a rollercoaster. Protein not only helps smooth out all of your metabolism, but it also helps prevent reflux as it signals to the esophageal sphincter to close so you're much less likely to have reflux happening.
Protein also helps you feel more satiated and satisfied. If you're only having carbs in a meal then it's just going to be a temporary blood sugar spike, but if you have protein in there and healthy fats now your brain is getting the signals that you ate and you're resetting your hunger and fullness signals which is way better for your leptin levels and longevity overall.
So, this is why it’s so important to have an adequate protein intake. I recommend that when you cook you leave some leftover protein in the fridge ready to eat so it’s easy to add protein in a meal that doesn’t have it.
For those of you who might be interested in learning more about how to eat in the way that I'm describing or would like to decrease the inflammatory foods and detox your body and really start feeling good then I definitely encourage you to check out my New 14-Day Detox Program.
This program includes two protein shakes per day with 18 grams of protein, and two meals per day with a meal plan that I created based on making sure you get at least 20 grams of protein in each meal. I also teach you how to eat mindfully and how to detox gently but effectively without feeling worse. This can all be done without pushing yourself too hard and stressing you out, and while carrying on with your daily activities and routine.
If you want to learn more about my approach on how you can start taking better care of yourself and apply my SelfC.A.R.E. protocol so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to start by reading my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.
In my book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online.
For the most comprehensive support to recover from stress and trauma, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here.
We're here to help you!
Connect with Dr. Doni:
Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON
Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON
YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND
Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW
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Books and Resources:
Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576
Stress Warrior Book (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR
Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE)
HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR
7-day Stress Reset (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET
HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/
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Personalized Solutions:
If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH
To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
In today’s episode, I interview Laura Paulisich. Laura is an industry-leading, toxin-free living expert, founder and CEO of TOXYFREE and the creator of the Basic Needs Method, which offers toxin-free solutions through products and systems easy to implement.
After going from struggling with a chronic autoimmune disease since childhood to thriving health, Laura has helped thousands of people find toxin-free solutions through physical products and digital classes.
Unfortunately, toxins, chemicals, and undesirable containments exist in many of the items we come into contact with in the modern world, and it can feel overwhelming to even think about where to begin. Today we talk about ways to de-toxify and simplify our lives, while increasing our performance at the same time.
Prioritizing Your Health Proactively
Understanding all the areas of our lives that are touched by toxins can feel like an overwhelming task but investing in learning more can pay innumerable dividends in your health.
When we neglect our relationship with our food, our surroundings, and our environment we believe that possibly we save ourselves some time, but the truth is that these toxins have large felt effects not only on the quantity of our lives but also on the quality.
We think we're sleeping but we're not really getting good sleep and we may think we're drinking water but we're not really getting what we need from our water.
I hope listeners will start to really get an “aha” moment from listening to this episode and really question: am I really getting my basic needs met?
Information is Power
One of my biggest goals as a naturopathic doctor is to make the information that will make you stronger, healthier, and living with greater vitality, as easy to implement into your daily life as possible.
Laura has a similar goal. At 12 she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, and like many of us, for years followed the unquestioning habits of most of our peers. It wasn’t until ten years ago when she learned that it’s especially important to avoid processed foods when you have an autoimmune disorder. Starting with that kernel of truth, set her off on a longer journey to rid herself of shame, common misconceptions, and finally learn how to give her body the nutrients and nourishment it needed to thrive.
We are Fundamentally Connected to Nature
We are biological beings who are in tune with what we need. And as is almost always the case, what is good for us is also what is good for the earth. When selecting products and foods that are as close to the source as possible, that are treated thoughtfully, and have less pesticides and chemicals, we are getting closer to the natural abundance that is widely available in our world.
It's not just about what we eat or drink, it's what we're wearing, what chemicals are on our clothes and what we're absorbing through our skin, what is in the air we're breathing, what’s in our homes, etc. If our food is that important, then our whole environment is that important.
Our most important ecosystems are our homes and our workplace and, as Laura points out, they're either making us sick or they're making us well.
We can integrate these toxin free practices into our day-to-day lives at home if we focus on how we can get back to our basic needs and get back to nature. We forget that as humans we are part of nature and that we respond well to nature. So, I hope anyone listening just has a chance to think “wow, how can I just start to bring nature back into my home, my experience, my food, my existence?”
Does Switching to Toxin-Free Products Really Make a Difference?
Yes. Making the switch can feel arduous at first, but the difference can be felt in being able to heal faster and perform at an optimal level.
Laura discovered that by switching to 100% toxin-free products she was able to outlive her autoimmune disorder.
By questioning the traditional marketing we receive every day, for instance with cleaning products, we may think that we are wiping away germs from our counter tops, but many of those products are filled with unnecessary chemicals. Another example is the usual laundry detergent that you can buy in any grocery store, these products are filled with unnatural chemicals that stick to your clothes and end up inside your body. Or, the sponge that you clean your dishes with can shed microplastics that are then absorbed into your body. Even your cookware is most likely a culprit in harboring unsafe chemicals and coatings.
All these toxins can add up and make our bodies unable to heal or recover as quickly. But, by changing the foods we eat, the products we buy, the water we drink, we can slowly but surely ensure that we are removing those harmful toxins from our environment and therefore our system.
It's especially important to avoid processed foods if you have an autoimmune disease. We have to understand that toxins can be very harmful to our bodies.
Laura learned that she would always feel hungry and until she got the right nutrients. Then the next thing was as a consumer and person trying to have less stress around food, how really difficult it was to find nutrient dense foods and cookware and other products that were free of toxins.
It may feel overwhelming at first, but it saves you stress, time, and money in the long term. And it gives you back what we all desire the most: Freedom. It’s better to spend more up front and invest in natural food and toxin free products, as opposed to spending much more after, on health issues that will inevitably arise.
Stress, Toxins and Autoimmunity
We know from research that autoimmunity starts in the gut. If we're under stress and we're exposed to toxins, pesticides, non-organic foods, plastics, etc. our digestion gets disrupted. Now, leaky gut further imbalances our gut bacteria and we know from research that when you have a combination of leaky gut and imbalanced gut bacteria this makes autoimmunity so much more likely.
Genetics can be powerful, but it’s what we choose to eat and come into contact with that can determine whether those genetics become activated or not. Stories like Laura’s are not only inspiring but also replicable. If you already have a genetic autoimmune condition and suffering from the subsequent symptoms, then it is still possible to turn off those genes by limiting your exposure to toxins.
Traditional medicine would rather have you collecting expensive diagnoses and medicines rather than resolving the root cause of the issue. An estimated one in six deaths are related to environmental toxins. But it is entirely possible to manage your exposure to toxins, your stress, and therefore your overall health.
Where Do I Even Begin?
The best place to begin detoxing your life? Begin with what’s on your plate, and how it gets there!
If you want something that is going to help you get a simple and effective complete reset on your relationship with your food and your body, then check out my New 14-Day Detox Program here.
This program includes:
- A specially designed meal plan with the detoxification process in mind. Foods that will deliver the greatest balance of your nutritional needs, while at the same time cleaning out the unnecessary waste.
- A Total Detox Support Kit including the Total Detox Powder (your choice of plant-based or collagen based), Antioxidant Support Capsules, and Complete Amino Detox Capsules.
- Your own SelfC.A.R.E. Notebook to track your experience and to learn how to get back in tune with your body and its signals.
- Recorded Q & A online group sessions.
- Instructional videos, comprehensive guide and daily emails.
- Access to online portal with resources.
Not only does this program give you easy step by step instructions on what you need for recalibrating your body, it also helps you understand what foods to avoid, why to eliminate them, and how to train your body to bounce back. I also teach you detoxification techniques and how to avoid toxins in your life.
Please also check out Laura’s incredible resources. She has classes on making your own nutrient dense bone broth, fermenting foods to restore healthy bacteria, mastering 5 recipes that will keep you satiated and nourished all day, making your own homemade cleansers, re-mineralizing your water, and systems to make it all easy to adopt habits.
If you want to reach out to Laura and learn more about how to live a toxin-free life, please check out her website or her Instagram @toxyfree. You can also check out her book: My Happy Life for Sale.
If you want to learn more about my approach on how you can start taking better care of yourself and apply my SelfC.A.R.E. protocol so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to start by reading my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.
In my book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online.
For the most comprehensive support to recover from stress and trauma, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here.
And if you have tested positive for HPV and you’re ready to transform your health and life, please start by watching my HPV Masterclass here.
We're here to help you!
Connect with Dr. Doni:
Facebook HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/DRDONIWILSON
Instagram HTTPS://INSTAGRAM.COM/DRDONIWILSON
YouTube HTTPS://YOUTUBE.COM/USER/DONIWILSONND
Weekly Wellness Wisdom Newsletter: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/WWW
-
Books and Resources:
Order My New Book: https://www.amazon.com/Master-Your-Stress-Reset-Health/dp/1953295576
Stress Warrior Book (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESSWARRIOR
Stress Warrior Stress Resiliency Facebook Group (FREE)
HTTPS://FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/STRESSWARRIOR
7-day Stress Reset (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/STRESS-RESET
HPV & Cervical Dysplasia Guide (FREE)
HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/HPV-AND-CERVICAL-DYSPLASIA-GUIDE/
-
Personalized Solutions:
If you’d like to meet with Dr. Doni one-on-one for your health, request a Health Breakthrough Session: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/BREAKTHROUGH
To get an idea of more comprehensive options, read about Dr. Doni’s Signature Consultation Programs: HTTPS://DOCTORDONI.COM/SERVICES
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are product links and affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission at no cost to you. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
In today’s episode I am going to be talking about something called autophagy. Autophagy is how our bodies, and our cells do a clean out process and natural detoxification. It is an example of a process in our bodies that is responsive to our stress and toxin exposure. Optimizing autophagy has the potential to prevent health issues and increase longevity. However, too much of a good thing can also slow autophagy, so it is a matter of learning to choose just the right amount.
Let’s dig in to understanding what supports autophagy, how it influences health, and what you can do to optimize your autophagy to work with you, and not against you.
What is Autophagy?
Autophagy is amazing to understand because it has such power and influence on our health, and it's happening all the time in our bodies without us even realizing it. And there are actually things you can do to help your body out with autophagy, but I want to make sure you know how to do them in a way that's going to optimize autophagy the most and not overdo it.
Our bodies do better when we give them just enough change and support to create a beneficial outcome, and not too much of a change that works against us.
Our bodies are made-up of 100 trillion cells and those cells aren't just sitting around. They are actively making energy for us to function. They're making all of our processes work for us without us having to think about it. Our nerves cells, our muscle cells, our organs, our hormone glands, our brain, etc. Everything in our bodies is made of cells that are working for us constantly.
So, how do our cells clean out? As we know, our bodies need to get rid of old cells and produce new healthy cells to keep us alive. So how is all this happening?
When I was getting my pre-med degree back in the early 90s, I came across this researcher who discovered autophagy and how this process works. His name is Yoshinori Ohsumi and he won the Nobel Prize for his research. He found out that our cells can identify which substances need to be recycled or taken out of the cell. Our cells break down and destroy old, damaged, or abnormal proteins and other substances in their cytoplasm (the fluid inside a cell). The breakdown products are then recycled for important cell functions, especially during periods of stress or starvation.
How Can We Support an Optimal Autophagy?
A lot of processes in our bodies are signaled by our exposure to stress. So, if we're under a large amount of stress, if we have an infection, if we have an injury, anytime our body gets a stress signal it shifts the signaling for autophagy. This is why I always emphasize that it's not about having zero stress – we need some stress to signal healthy autophagy.
Our bodies also don’t do well with too much stress. So, how do we find just the right amount of stress to signal appropriate and healthy amounts of cell turnover in a cell cleanout and detoxification? How can we give our bodies the right state and setting to create the optimal signaling for autophagy?
When autophagy is working well it's helping to prevent aging. And aging is directly related to our bodies having more damaged cells than they need, or not being able to clean the substances that are not needed in our cells anymore. One example of this is Alzheimer's disease. When the cells are not able to clean out the debris, this debris gets stuck in the cells, and it makes the nerves not work well, and so then we it affects our memory. Another example is cancer. When our bodies are not able to clean out damaged cells, then those cells can perpetuate and that's when cancer progresses.
We need our bodies to be able to identify constantly what should be taken out or recycled and it’s our responsibility to support our bodies to keep this autophagy process running as efficiently and smoothly as possible.
What affects this process? Our stress exposure, our diet and nutrient absorption, our sleep patterns, substance abuse, etc. If we're pushing ourselves to the max and we’re not taking good care of our bodies, then this autophagy process and many others (like oxidative stress which I talk about in Episode #153 of How Humans Heal) will not work correctly, and then health issues start.
There is an optimal amount of stress exposure that our bodies need in order to have a favorable biological response, including autophagy. Take exercise for example, when we exercise our bodies trigger a stress response so we can endure the physical effort. Oxidative stress and antioxidant production like glutathione get a boost, it also signals autophagy. This is why exercise is good for us. It signals for our body to do a normal clean out process and reset all of these systems, dropping inflammation and increasing anti-aging effects. But if we overdo it, we will have too much autophagy, too much oxidative stress, inflammation, too much cortisol and we actually work against ourselves.
I think as humans this is one of the hardest things: to learn what's enough and what's too much. It requires us to be mindful and aware and to listen to our bodies and how we feel. There's not a great test for autophagy that exists now, but some good ways to support optimal autophagy are moderate exercise and fasting.
One way to get a sense of your status is with heart rate variability, which can be measured with an Apple watch or other device. If you are exercising in a way that reflects as an optimal heart rate variability, this translates to positive autophagy and hormesis. You’re likely to recover faster and feel better after the experience.
In the case of fasting (or a period of time when you’re not eating) there’s research that shows that going for 10-12 hours without eating can stimulate autophagy. Again, it's important to know your body because if you overdo it and go, let's say, longer than 15 or 16 without eating, it may cause poor autophagy, and end up damaging to cells and it could also raise cortisol levels and oxidative stress.
Another way to support optimal autophagy is cold water therapy. Doing short cold or ice baths can stimulate autophagy. This kind of therapy tells our cells that there's a need to clean things out and either recycle substances or get rid of them. This is why it can be so invigorating, boost energy and focus, and even support weight loss because it resets metabolic processes in the body. Likewise, overdoing it can cause harm instead of good. There could be a risk of increased heart rate, blood pressure, arrhythmia and even heart issues.
It’s always about balance, knowing your body and introducing changes in a gentle and safe way.
How is Stress Related to Autophagy?
When it comes to these kinds of health optimization tools, which I think are very important to know about, I always want to use them based on what I call your stress type. Your stress type is related to your cortisol and adrenaline levels. Different kinds of stress types need different things to support optimal autophagy. They need different intensity in exercise, different intensity of fasting and different intensity in cold water therapy, different supplements, and different nutrients.
Adrenaline and cortisol are our stress messengers. Cortisol is a stress hormone and adrenaline a neurotransmitter. We need a certain amount of cortisol and adrenaline to be healthy, the key here is to get them both to optimal levels. When cortisol and adrenaline are optimal, we're going to get the most out your exercise, sleep, diet, etc. and therefore your systems will be running smoothly, autophagy included.
Knowing your stress type means knowing your cortisol and adrenaline level throughout the day. If you're not aware of your cortisol and adrenaline levels, you might be trying things that could actually make you feel worse and do more harm than good to your body. If your cortisol and adrenaline are too high for example, we're going to use completely different herbs and nutrients to get it back to optimal than if your cortisol and adrenaline are too low. This is why it's so important to know where you're starting from.
When your cortisol and adrenaline are optimal, you're going to improve your health you will get more out of everything you do.
To be able to improve autophagy first you must first make sure you've optimized your cortisol and adrenaline levels, so you know which methods to use to optimize it.
You can find which stress type you are here. There is also a test to measure your cortisol adrenaline levels throughout the day. You can order it here and learn how to optimize your cortisol and adrenaline levels.
Once you know your stress type you will be able to know what to do to master it and recover from it and then improve autophagy.
How You Can Start Mastering Stress
We have to start by having compassion for ourselves. To realize we live in a human body that we need to listen to and take time to become more aware of its signals. We have to realize it’s not about perfection and it doesn't help to put too much pressure on ourselves. We have to learn how to get into stress recovery and healing mode. We are human not machines. We have to try and learn and practice. This is the human experience. This is mastery of being human.
We have to learn how our body works and then try new things each day in different routines. This is why I in my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health I really emphasize the need to fine tune your SelfC.A.R.E. routine. C for clean eating, A for adequate sleep, R for recovery activities and E for exercise. And this self-care is all based on your stress type which is your body's responsiveness to stress. By understanding how your body responds and what it needs to recover you will have the information you need to support your body better.
Stress is going to happen. We can't escape it, so we're going to be in a better position if we learn how to master it and have it work in our favor and to have it stimulate autophagy.
We also have to make sure we are getting the right nutrients and antioxidants for our cells to function correctly and to support autophagy. It's a matter of pacing yourself and start to walk down this path, or healing journey, and human mastery, and all of a sudden it starts to make sense and you start feeling better and better.
Another important aspect of mastering your stress and improving autophagy is to help your body get rid of toxins. When your body is not detoxifying correctly or has toxins that have accumulated over the years it makes it more difficult for your cells to run an optimal autophagy. Our cells need antioxidants; they need B vitamins; they need minerals; they need amino acids; and they need to be free of toxins to be able to process these nutrients and help your liver and your whole body to process the toxins.
This is why I have created a detoxification program called the 14-Day Detox Program. You can find more about it here. This program includes this Detox Kit which has in it the macro nutrients you need for optimal detoxification and autophagy. It also includes a designed meal plan with clean meals and all the guidance needed to follow this process to support your autophagy.
A detoxification process is also something that needs guidance in order for it to be safe and effective and make you feel better and not worse. There's a lot of different detox programs out there but what I find is that they don't offer the support needed to get the most benefit. With this program you don't have to turn off your regular life. It is intended for you to be able to do while still following your daily routine.
I can't wait for you to experience the changes in your health. People who have participated in the detox program are reporting improved blood sugar levels, weight loss, improvement in energy, mood, focus, sleep, skin, hair, nails, digestion, and more.
This program is perfect if you have extreme stress and trauma exposure, mold toxicity, post COVID symptoms or other kinds of neurological conditions like anxiety, depression, autoimmunity, fertility issues or even chronic viruses like HPV.
This type of autophagy optimization through detox has the ability to reprogram all those processes in your body so autoimmunity can turn off, your immune system can fend off viruses that it wasn't fending off before, your body can fend off cancer cells, and your nerves can heal and your neurotransmitters can rebalance. These things that maybe you never thought were possible, are actually possible when we give our bodies the right signals and tools. Your body knows how to correct itself. It's just a matter of supporting it in the right way.
If you want to learn more about my approach on how you can start taking better care of yourself and apply my SelfC.A.R.E. protocol so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to start by reading my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.
In my book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online.
For the most comprehensive support to recover from stress and trauma, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here.
We're here to help you!
In today’s episode I interview Michelle Burke. Michelle is a bestselling author of Hot Mess Magic, podcaster, speaker and Hot Mess Alchemist. She specializes in helping women reclaim their power, regain their confidence, and transform their life.
Today we talk about what it means to be a hot mess alchemist and how Michelle helps people by guiding them through their transformational journey.
Michelle lives by this philosophy that every one of us is a hot mess whether we want to admit it or not, and it's through those low points in our lives that we grow, we transform and we learn the most.
Change Starts from Within
We focus so much on the outside, like bringing more abundance, prosperity, and money but we forget that change need to start on the inside. It doesn’t matter if we are doing all the things that everyone says to do - such as working with a coach, or reading all the right books, or doing the meditations and affirmations and mantras - if we don’t change from the inside out, things are not going to shift for us.
Michelle was a middle school science teacher for many years. She woke up one day and realized she could not do it for one more day. She realized that what she was doing was crushing her soul. So, she quit her job, moved with nothing lined up, and started a business in network marketing.
She realized she needed to grow, to expand, to transform, because she was not happy anymore with the life she was living. That big change started from within, and in the process she outgrew the life she had, and realized she needed more.
If you are growing emotionally and becoming more aware of yourself and your passion and purpose, then you could start to realize your life doesn't match you anymore. You’re stepping into a new and improved version of yourself.
There’s Magic in Your Mess
There are times in your life when you might feel like everything is a mess. Nothing is working in your favor, and everything seems to be upside down. It’s like if you're in a snow globe that someone just shook and all you want is for that dust to settle. You may be glad that things are changing but you don’t know where you’re going to land.
It’s within this mess that the transformation process happens. And you will see later that you will start to connect the dots and start to gain clarity, you will see your life coming together and will realize the shifts that had to take place within you to achieve this new life.
A lot of times this can be scary, because even when you could be unhappy with your job or where you live or your day to day life, it’s what is familiar to you and the unfamiliar is always scary. We are used to be in our comfort zone, but change doesn't happen in your comfort zone.
This fear comes from our egos, it’s our egos job to protect us and keep us away from the danger of the unfamiliar. But we must reach that point where we get honest with ourselves and have that conversation with our ego, we thank it for keeping us safe but let it know we are doing this new thing anyway. For some people this means taking a big leap and for others it could feel more comfortable to pace it and introduce one change at a time.
What Tools can We Use to Change?
Meditation is a good way to start. Another option is something Michelle calls “body set” where instead of focusing on the mind-body connection, we approach it the other way around and focus on the body-mind connection by diving deeper into our bodies and our nervous systems and what feelings are coming up. We can also utilize traditional Chinese medicine, like acupressure points, and the concept of letting go - letting go of what no longer serves us and our purpose.
We are so used to living in our minds, constantly thinking, worrying, planning, and organizing that sometimes we forget that we're even living in a human body and that connecting with our bodies can also help heal our minds.
Being aware of our bodies and listening to them is also a way to be more present and realize the change that we need. A simple thing, such as taking a minute in the morning when we wake up to say good morning to ourselves and ask how do we feel, or making that French toast breakfast we are craving and eating it slowly, can help us connect more with our bodies.
We need to listen to what our body is telling us and analyze why is it telling us these things. If you're resisting doing something, if it doesn't feel safe in your body, ask yourself why. Why don't I want to e-mail this person? Why don't I want to make this phone call? Why do I have this anxiety that's coming up when I talk about a certain individual? This will help you be conscious about what is it that you want to change.
From my experience (Dr. Doni speaking), I see this situation come up very often for women that I help with addressing/resolving HPV (human papilloma virus) and abnormal pap results. The women who are most successful at getting HPV to negative are the most willing to really listen to their bodies and undergo a body-mind transformation. This virus is more likely to thrive in our bodies when we are out of balance. So, when they listen to their bodies, they are able to transform and get back to alignment with themselves and their purpose, and get the virus to stop causing abnormal cells.
Connecting With Our Bodies and Getting to The Heart of the Matter
By really connecting with our bodies and just taking the time to analyze things from a different perspective and opening our hearts, we can get to the heart of the matter, to the real root of our pain, either physical or emotional.
When we're feeling pain it's an indicator that something's wrong. A headache is an indicator that something is wrong. Pain in your knee is an indicator that something is wrong, but we live in a society that pushes us to the quick fix, instead of really opening up and thinking about what the real root of the problem is.
We need to allow ourselves to ride the waves of emotions. By riding those waves and truly honoring what it is that we’re feeling and express those feelings in some way, shape or form.
Normalizing Being a Mess
A lot of times we're judgmental about mess. Society tells us we are not supposed to be a mess. We are supposed to have everything sorted out and under control, and we're not even supposed to feel some of these feelings.
We should let ourselves be a mess because there’s magic in our mess. It’s when everything is a mess when we start our transformation. So, we need to accept it and be unconditional and forgiving and gentle with ourselves, and if that means you might be breaking rules, then break the rules!
We must normalize the fact that we're human and that nobody has it all figured out. Since the start of social media we've been living in this facade of perfect. Well, nobody is prefect, and nobody has it all sorted out. Nobody has a perfect life, and everybody needs help.
It's not about trying to be perfect. It's about allowing yourself to be human. To be flawed. Let's normalize being a mess. Let's take the stigma off things that are going on in your life, whether it’s a divorce, financial struggles, or family issues. These things are perfectly normal and happen to everybody.
We have to teach ourselves to let go of trying to control everything. We can’t control anything really. With the illusion of control, we are actually getting further from ourselves and we’re putting ourselves in a “tunnel vision” that will not let us grow because we will miss the opportunities that may come our way.
Each and every one of us has a gift. We're all here for a reason. We all have a purpose. It’s up to us to connect with ourselves and realize what it is and reach our full potential.
If you want to reach out to Michelle and learn how she can help you, please check out her website or her Instagram @magickshell. You can also check out her book: Hot Mess Magic.
I love this topic of emotional and spiritual transformation so much! It has made all the difference in my health, and I see if help my patients every day, so I’ve included it in my Holistic Detoxification Protocol and 14-day Detox Program. In the program, you’ll be guided to detox your body, mind, and spirit! Check it out and join in today.
If you want to learn more about my approach on how you can start taking better care of yourself and apply my SelfC.A.R.E. protocol so that you can get back to feeling your best, you may want to start by reading my book Master Your Stress Reset Your Health.
In my book, I also share the quiz I developed to help you identify how stress has affected you specifically by knowing your Stress Type. You can also take this Stress Type Quiz online.
For the most comprehensive support to recover from stress and trauma, even with the most difficult health issues (physical or mental), it is best to meet with me one-on-one, which is available to you no matter where you are in the world (via phone or zoom). You can set up a one-on-one appointment with me here.
And if you have tested positive for HPV and you’re ready to transform your health and life, please start by watching my HPV Masterclass here.
We're here to help you!
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