Smart Supplementation

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Hey, it's JJ Virgin. And welcome to the JJ Virgin Lifestyle show where I talk nutrition, exercise and mindset with some of the coolest people in the world. Plus I give you tips that you can put into fast action to up level your health so that you can go out there and live that big life you're meant to live. Now, today's show is all about supplements and I have one of my supplement mentors, gurus with me to talk through this. And the reason I'm doing this is I did a Facebook live recently and we decided to do it about supplements. And I was just bombarded with questions and so I said okay, clearly this is a topic we want to dive deeper into. So I went and got my buddy, Dr. Michael Murray and he is one of the leading authorities on natural medicine. He's published over 30 books featuring natural pros to health. I've been having, I mean he's been in my success library for years and last year I actually got to meet him in person. It was so awesome. And we've been doing things together ever since. So it's like, it's so humbling when like someone that you've thought so highly of actually becomes a friend. It's like it still blows my mind. And he is a faculty member and formal faculty member graduate and then serves now on the board of regents of Bastyr University. And in my next life I will go to Bastyr University. That's my secret thing. Or maybe later on in this life. That's one of my longtime bucket list goals is that and he's just brilliant. He creates products for natural factors. He is a best selling line there and he's the director of product science and innovation there. But you know, the Coolest thing about Dr. Michael Murray is that he is the real deal. He really walks his talk. So when I met him, I mean here's a guy, I think he's around my age Maybe he's probably five years older or so. Totally fit, totally healthy, like, just radiates health. I mean, he is just fantastic. And just a wealth of knowledge, as you will see here, because he's going to share with you his favorite supplements. You're going to see a little cross over there and then some really cool new things that I was taking notes on that I'm adding into my supplement packets. So I am super excited to share Dr. Michael Murray with you today. All right, so let's do it. Dr. Michael Murray, welcome to the show. I am so glad you're here with me today.

It's my pleasure. I'm excited.

Yeah. I've got one of my gurus on the phone here now. What I love is I just did a Facebook live and I did it on supplements and I got bombarded. And now that I have you here, I was like, oh, my gosh, I would love to drill down a bit on supplements because you've been someone who I've always had as my go to person in the supplement world. So let's dive into that. And what I'd love to dive into is, you know, what are your go to supplements? Like, if I was going to say, okay, Michael, you can only take three, what would they be?

Yeah, I think everybody should be taking a high potency, multiple vitamin and mineral formula that just serves as kind of nutritional insurance to make sure that all of our basic needs, vitamins and minerals, they're essential, they're critical, they're absolutely necessary to bodily function. So we want to make sure that we have all that covered. Next, I think everybody stop for one second.

I'm just going to interrupt you because when I hear that, I want to make sure people know is that's not a one a day, right?

No, very good point. Yeah, I said a high potency. And by that I mean one that's going to provide at least the recommended dietary intake level for all the vitamins and minerals. That's the big mistake that many people make in supplementation. They might get an adequate amount of vitamins, but vitamins and minerals, they work in our bodies as components of enzymes. Enzymes are molecules that build other molecules or break other molecules down. And we need vitamins and minerals in that enzyme function because vitamins and minerals act as the two arms in an enzyme that perform that building or breaking down process. So minerals are just as critical, and most Americans are deficient in one or more minerals. So you got to look at the labels and make sure you're getting at least the recommended Dietary intake for both vitamins and minerals from the multiple vitamin and mineral that you take. And you can't get all the minerals that you need in a one a day type pill because all the minerals take up space and you're going to need to take multiple pills.

There you go. I know it's always the least sexy thing is take your good high quality multivitamin mineral formula, but it always has to start there. That's what I tell everybody. So I just loved. I didn't just so everyone listening. I did not cue him on that. See, that came from him. I learned it from him. Okay, so after that, what's next?

Well, I think everybody needs to be on a high quality fish oil supplement. Fish oils contain those long chain omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. And there are over 60 different health conditions that have been linked to low levels of these important fatty acids. So look at your fish oil and make sure you're Getting at least 1000mg of combined EPA and DHA each day because that's the level that's going to provide the protection against developing Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, many forms of cancer. If you have high triglycerides, if you're depressed, if you have an inflammatory condition. The research is quite clear. You need about 3,000 milligrams combined of EPA and DHA. And this is another critical mistake many people make when supplementing. If they're taking something for a more therapeutic or supportive role, often they don't take the right doses and usually that means they're not taking enough. So we know that fish oils can lower triglycerides, they can relieve depression, they can reduce inflammation, they can help us deal with stress. They have all these benefits and when we're using them for therapeutic purposes, we need that 3,000 milligrams of EPA and DHA each day. It's not the total amount of fish oil that you take, it's the amount of those omega 3 fatty acids.

I love that you said that. That's my next one too. I don't know if you know that my son, when he was 16, was the victim of a hit and run, massive TBI. Yes. That's one of the things we did to bring him back was high dose fish oil. Of course he's still on, gosh, now he's down to I think 5 grams. So he was 20 grams for the first couple, you know, first year, then down to 10 grams and now he's sitting down about 5 grams. But it's, that's a lifer thing for him.

So yeah, I actually wrote a newsletter on a similar story where luckily the parents had the insight to realize that if you have damage to an area of the body, you give that area the building blocks it needs to repair. It's like if you have a brick wall and it gets knocked down, you need bricks. If you have damage to your brain, you need these long chain omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils. It's. We would say it's not brain surgery, but it kind of is brain.

I couldn't convince the doctors at that hospital I had to do it. They'd only let me go to 2 grams, so I had to do it behind their back. So not everyone is thinking the same way yet, but hopefully they will. Okay, so we've got the multi, we've got fish oil and what's your third?

Well, I think everybody should take advantage of these plant based antioxidants. And there's many to choose from. I'm talking about things like grapeseed extract or a high quality curcumin product or maybe a greens product or some sort of super fruit concentrate. What we know about these plant based antioxidants, they have very broad spectrum antioxidant activity and often we kind of lump all the antioxidants together and there are as many different antioxidants as there are musical instruments. We want to make sure that we have the full band playing the full symphony. Vitamins and minerals, they play critical roles as antioxidants in enzymes and some of them also have some direct antioxidant activity. But there are all sorts of compounds in plants and in various herbal extracts and highly concentrate fruit sources that exert a broader spectrum of antioxidant activity. So I really recommend that maybe a grapeseed extract, pine bark extract. I like curcumin, which is a yellow pigment from turmeric, has great anti inflammatory activity. Just make sure you pick a good one that has good clinical data behind it and is really well absorbed. A couple of brands that I like, I like Thera Curman and I like Mariva. I think those two are the real superstars in terms of the curcumin products that are currently out on the market and both have exceptional scientific portfolios and we know they work.

Yeah, I've been big on curcumin of course, and that was one of the first ones I brought Grant back together with too because I was sneaking all sorts of stuff into the hospital. Once he was awake, it was game on.

You bring up hospital, here's something else. I recommend anyone going into a hospital or having any sort of procedure or anytime they're around a lot of sick people, we'll throw another supplement to look to, and that is getting on a good probiotic supplement. Because hospital acquired infections are rampant, and I think that a good probiotic can go a long way in preventing some of those infections. And typically when people are going through a surgery or any sort of procedure or they're in a hospital, they're being administered a lot of antibiotics and should always be using a probiotic concurrently with any sort of antibiotic.

Yeah, that's fantastic. My son's getting ready for yet another surgery, so we've been dosing him already as part of his pre surgery on that. So glad you brought that up. Now, what about, like, what are some of the new cool stuff coming out? Because you always seem to have your finger on the pulse. What's out there that we should be knowing about that maybe people haven't heard about?

Yeah. Two that I think are really fun to look at are PQQ and berberine. Let me explain what each of these substances. PQQ is short for pyroquinoline quinone. That's why we called it pqq. And it's literally the stardust of life. It's found in intergalactic dust, and it may be the spark plug of life throughout the universe. It's utilized in our cells by the mitochondria. These are the energy producing compartments. And PQQ can increase the production of energy. It can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as a statin drug. Wow. It can activate an enzyme that's very important in weight loss and body composition. So it's really a superstar. Most of the research right now is focused on its ability to improve brain function. In that capacity, it's used in combination with coenzyme Q10. They work very closely together. I think PQQ is a lot like a dimmer switch on our brain. If we have low levels of pqq, our brain will be dim because it's not. The mitochondria just aren't able to produce enough energy to brighten our brains. We just turn up that PQQ content, and this is best achieved through supplementation. And I would recommend using it in combination for that application with coenzyme Q10. Typical dose is 20mg of PQQ with 300mg of coenzyme Q10. That combination has been shown to improve memory, improve cognition, the quickness in which we think it's really, I think, one of the best memory enhancing approaches out there.

Now I've got another thing I have to add to my supplement, Baggie. And I love berberine. I'm so glad you brought that one up. And it seems to have a lot of different applications, so let's jump into that one too.

Yeah. Bear Marine is really cool. And I know that's not a real scientific term, but I've got my fingers on the research and every once in a while I come across some research and I go, wow, that's really cool. And there's so many studies that are coming out on berberine that are really, really interesting. Berberine is the yellow alkaloid found in goldenseal, gold thread, Oregon grape and barberry. And these plants have long been used in various infectious conditions, but they've also been used in treating type 2 diabetes, or what we now would know as type 2 diabetes. Here's the shocker. There have been 27 double blind, placebo controlled studies, the highest level of clinical investigation on berberine, showing it to lower cholesterol levels as well as a statin drug. It's been shown to lower blood sugar levels as well as metformin, the most common drug prescribed for type 2 diabetes. And it lowers blood pressure as well as prescription antihypertensives. So here you got a natural compound that is able to hit this kind of. If it was a drug, it'd be the biggest drug in the history of the world because it can lower blood sugar, lower blood cholesterol levels, and it lowers blood pressure. These are very common conditions out there. And here's the rest that berberine can do. I mentioned the enzyme that PQQ could activate. Well, turns out berberine also activates this enzyme. It's called ampk. And this enzyme is very important in helping people lose weight and burn that visceral fat, that abdominal fat. So 500 milligrams of berberine before meals, two or three times a day can help people lose weight. So when you look at all the benefits of berberine, it's just really, I think, the perfect prescription for what ails many people in these modern times. Many people have high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, high cholesterol, they are overweight, they have a lot of visceral obesity, and they also have disruptions in their human microbiome. And that basically means a type of bacteria that they have in their intestinal tract. Berberine goes a long way in addressing these issues.

So is it necessary then for all of These conditions to take it before you eat, or is it just for weight loss to help with some blood sugar control or what? What's the best dosing?

Yes, it's the best dosing for blood sugar control and weight loss will probably be on an empty stomach for some of the other applications may not be as critical. That said, most of the research have utilized this dose of berberine on an empty stomach before meals, about 20 minutes. So I think it's best to kind of follow that guideline until we know more. But my assumption is that for those non weight loss goals or non blood sugar goals, it probably will turn out that it doesn't matter.

All right, now I'm going to throw you a curve ball. You ready?

Yeah.

I'm excited. So, Michael, what's the one thing you do every day that makes the biggest difference in your life?

Wow. Well, jj, I love that question. And it gives me an opportunity to say that there's nothing that we can do once or one time that really is going to make that big of a difference. Our health, our life is a complex interrelationship between many factors. We are a system. That said, I think the most important thing that we have to express on a daily basis is the feelings of awe and gratitude for being alive and recognizing the things in life and that we are truly grateful for. That is a powerful prescription for having a life worth living.

Love it. Awesome. Thank you so much for that. And for people who want to get more from you, where's the best place for them to go?

Well, I want to get them to my website, drmurray.com, it's either DoctorMurray or D O C T O R M U R r a y drmurray.com My website is full of a lot of free information. I have free webinars that they can look at that have been recorded. There's lots of free PDFs of books that I've written, free reports. I want to get people inspired and educated on how to use nature to improve their health and improve their life.

Thank you. You've done such a good job of it so far and anything I can do to get that message out. And plus, I love that you absolutely walk your talk. You know, it's like when I got to meet you in person. You are just absolutely a great, shining example of health and your message, which is great. I love it when people are congruent. So thank you for being that. So again, everybody, make sure you go to drmurie.com and Michael, thank you so much for joining me today. Now, after the break, I'm going to be answering a listener's question. So stay with me.

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Welcome back. This is the time where I answer a listener's question. And today's question comes from Beth in Syracuse. And Beth asks jj, I see you have both plant based and Paleo inspired shakes. How do I know which one is right for me? All right, excellent question. So here's the deal. If you are a vegan or a vegetarian, then you will want to use the plant based shake. If you are not, then I'm going to advise that use the Paleo inspired shake. Now, the plant based shake is primarily a pea based blend and then it's got a couple other plant based proteins in there along with fiber and vitamins and nutrients, minerals. Minerals and plant based antioxidants. The Paleo inspired is the same thing, but the protein comes from bone broth protein. I can say that bone broth protein. And because of that, not only does it have a great complete amino acid profile, but it also has specific collagen protein that's great for your hair, skin and nails, for your tendons and ligaments. It's great for workouts, it's great for surgery repair. It's great for anti aging. So I tell everyone that if you are, unless you're a vegan, I would definitely go with the Paleo inspired shake, the concentrated bone broth protein. Now here's a little secret. Here's what I do. I actually, my favorite thing to do is to do a scoop of the plant and a scoop of the Paleo. You're going to see that the plant based powder is actually bulkier because plant protein is bulkier and it's a little bit, it's not as smooth and whippy as the Paleo. But when I put the two together, I actually love the, the texture of it. So that's my little secret. I especially love doing chocolate Paleo inspired shake plus my chai plant based shake that is so yummy. It tastes like a little bit like a cappuccino. So try that as well. You know, I've been doing shakes for so long, I'm always looking for new ways to mix and match them. So give it a try. Let me know what you think. And be sure to grab my Shake Guide recipes because I have a ton of great ones there too. You can get those on my website@jjvirgin.com. now if you'd like to submit a question, you can go to jjvirgin.com ask and you can leave a voicemail for me. I can't wait to hear from you. And one more way, I'd love to hear from you. I would hugely appreciate it if you could jump on Stitcher or iTunes and leave a review for me. It helps a bunch and be sure to subscribe and share the show with your friends. This is JJ Virgin signing off and reminding you that you can worthy dare to live a life that matters.

Hello listeners, this is Anne Boeckle, author, blogger and creator of the podcast what Should I Read next? Since 2016, I've been helping readers bring more joy and delight into their reading lives. Every week I tag all things books and reading with a guest and guide them in discovering their next read. They share three books they love, one book they don't, and what they've been reading lately, and I recommend three titles they may enjoy reading next. Guests have said our conversations are like therapy, troubleshooting issues that have plagued their reading lives for years and possibly the rest of their lives as well. And of course, recommending books that meet the moment. Whether they are looking for deep introspection to spur or encourage a life change, or a frothy page turner to help them escape the stresses of work, school, everything, you'll learn something about yourself as a reader and you'll definitely walk away confident to choose your next read, with a whole list of new books and authors to try. So join us each Tuesday for what Should I Read Next? Subscribe now wherever you're listening to this podcast and visit our website what Should I read next podcast.com to find out more.