Lecture on Health and Metabolic Journey

Biological Needs vs. Psychological Desires

• Importance of differentiating between biological need for food (energy) and psychological desire (pleasure/comfort).
• Recognizing "ghrelin," the hunger hormone, to understand hunger's origin.
• Training oneself to witness and delineate between true hunger and psychological craving.

Personal Health Journey

• Blaming genetics for poor metabolism is common, but can be misleading.
• Experience with chronic fatigue, brain fog, and severe COVID-19 prompted a deeper health evaluation.
• Journey involved shifting focus from chronological age to healthspan/bioage.

Discovering Insulin Resistance

• Utilized a Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) and discovered pre-diabetes.
• Observed high fasting glucose levels and spikes post meals.
• Embracing the "era of agency," where personal health data is more accessible.

Health Protocols Adopted

1. Ketotarian Diet
   • Low glycemic, high fiber, plant-focused keto diet.
   • Inclusion of salads, sprouts, nuts, high-quality fish and occasional eggs.
   • Avoidance of refined sugars, grains, ultra-processed foods.
2. Intermittent Fasting
   • 16/8 fasting protocol to enhance insulin sensitivity.
   • Consistent eating window between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
3. Cold Water Therapy
   • Cold showers to boost mitochondrial function and promote fat burning.

Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of Fasting

• Fasting not only physical but spiritual, aligning with historical religious practices.
• Craving not to crave: observing and understanding the difference between biological and psychological hunger.
• Developing a practice of witnessing and not identifying with temporary cravings.

Meditation and Mindfulness

• Aligning thoughts with actions increases self-reported well-being.
• Techniques include focused concentration and observing phenomena without attachment.
• Importance of presence for gratitude and reducing anxiety.

Gratitude and Food

• Emphasizes deep gratitude for food, recognizing its complex journey from nature to table.
• Encourages mindfulness and reverence during meals.

Metabolic Flexibility

• Achieved through diet, fasting, and exercise, allowing for occasional dietary flexibility.
• Strategies include maintaining fasting routines and post-meal activity, even when traveling.

Social and Cultural Observations

• Balance in nature and society mirrors healthy systems; imbalance leads to dysfunction.
• Importance of sustainable practices like regenerative farming.

Personal Insights and Learning

• Synthesis of knowledge from conversations with health experts and thought leaders.
• Recognizing patterns in natural and physiological systems that reflect balance and health.

Conclusion

• Healthy life as a process, not a product, seeking balance and adaptability in all realms.

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Resources and Contact

• Commune Platform: OneCommune.com
• Podcast: "The Commune Podcast"
• Instagram: @jeffkrasnow