Wholly Empowered

10. All About Nutrition, Glucose Tracking, and Biomarkers - with Derrick Lytle

• Kristen Russell • Season 1 • Episode 10

Share episode

We get to sit down with Derrick Lytle who is a photographer/videographer, podcaster, runner, cyclist, and nutrition enthusiast, among other things. We discuss ways to switch to a cleaner, healthier lifestyle and the impact of nutrition on our bodies and lives. At about the 40 minute mark we switch our discussion to Derrick's experience with continuous glucose monitors (CGM), mine and his experience with Viome gut health, and what he is currently doing with a company that tests your biomarkers. We discuss what all of this means and how you can make these biotech tests part of your wellness routine.  Keep an eye out for a follow up on his results.

Find Derrick Lytle on IG at:
https://www.instagram.com/derricklytle/
and 
https://www.instagram.com/thejuniperlab/

Levels continuous glucose monitors: 
https://www.levels.com/

Viome gut health tests: (always buy when they are having a sale ;)
https://www.viome.com/

Function Health Biomarker Tests:
https://www.functionhealth.com/

Follow along with the latest episodes of Wholly Empowered by following our IG account below:
https://www.instagram.com/whollyempoweredpod/

Massage Fundamentals Course:
https://courses.massagefundamentals.com/


I'm Kristen Russell, and this is The Wholly Empowered Podcast, where we dive into all things holistic healing and open our minds, hearts, and paradigms to new ideas so we can live our most empowered, healthy, joyful lives.

Kristen:

Derek Lytle. I'm so happy you're on the podcast. Welcome to Wholly Empowered. so today we have Derek Lytle who is he's known him, we go way back.

Derrick:

Way back.

Kristen:

Way, way back. We're, we're actually cousins and Derek is a, You're a runner, you're a videographer slash photographer, you do really cool what are they called? I always forget what they're called. Timelapses.

Audio Only - All Participants:

Yeah.

Kristen:

Like, I love them, I just can't remember what they're called. Really cool timelapses you have a podcast, am I missing anything? I feel like you do so many things.

Derrick:

Yeah, I wear a lot of different hats. I think people mainly know me as like a runner and a filmmaker, but I'm interested in diet, nutrition, and like photography, just stories and people in general. Like, I think I'm probably a lot like you where a lot of things are interesting to me and it's kind of hard to focus sometimes because it's like, I'm not ADHD by any means, but just like, Oh, that's so cool. Like health is interesting or spirituality is interesting, or this story is interesting. Like random things are just so fascinating all the time. But sometimes it's kind of hard to focus on one thing. So like I do wear a lot of different hats. So I am trying to like consolidate these things and be like, okay, I wanted to only do this, but it's kind of hard when everything in the world is so interesting.

Kristen:

That's a struggle. It is. It's

Derrick:

a struggle. Struggle is real. It

Kristen:

is. Yeah. well, and that's kind of what I wanted to, the reason I have you on is you've tried a lot of different, you're, you're a big runner, which is interesting cause we're going to talk more physical health today, I guess, and like we'll tie it in to all the other kinds, but that's kind of more the focus and big into running like biking. You've gotten some opportunities to do some really cool tests and different things with your physical health. So we're going to talk a little bit about that. But let's start at the beginning. So, when did you actually start running? Because this has been a big thing for you, I feel like, for a long time, kind of a base. Yes,

Derrick:

it's definitely become like a huge part of my life and something where I never thought it would, to be honest. Like growing up, moved around a lot and my brothers and I, we just played soccer and I was like the big thing that we did all the time, like live in Northern California and it was a big thing there. And then we moved to Nevada, a little small town and no one really played soccer, but we continued to play. And it was just kind of like, it's kind of became like a fun thing at best. Like no one cared. We, we, we took it seriously, but it was just kind of like, yeah, what's the point almost. Our team wasn't very good. It was like a small, like three day school, but it was still super fun and taught me a lot about life. And, and it was funny. I remember one time our soccer team on a trip, we all. We got into like a food fight on the bus. I just throw them like Cheetos and chips at each other because we're dumb like high schoolers. And the next day at practice, we all got reprimanded for it. And I think like four or five of us actually admitted to doing it, even though everyone did it. And so we all had to run 12 laps around the track, which is like three miles. I remember thinking like, wow, this is absolute torture and punishment. Like, I can't believe our coach would make us do that. And that was like, kind of like my introduction to running, if you want to call it that. And then years later when I was at BYU in college, like everyone there runs, it's like active in some sense, whether that's like rock climbing or biking or whatever, but. Being a poor college kid, like I didn't have money for a bike and people were running I had a roommate that didn't...like he moved in with us kind of randomly and he ran a Ragnar. I'm like, Oh, what's that? And I realized that like, Oh, Ragnar is like sound kind of fun. Even though like he couldn't walk after he ran his Ragnar. Then my, my buddy and I were like, Oh, we should do a Ragnar. And so we started doing events like this. And I think my first race was the snow cannon half marathon in St. George. And, and I, it was super fun. It was just fun to like, hang out with people and like kind of push myself. And. I was definitely not a runner by any means at the time, but living like right at the base of the Wasatch mountains was just kind of like, Oh, cool. Like we can go and explore and like, go like quote unquote run. It was like mostly just hiking and, but it was just kind of exploring and checking things out. And like, at that point, just kind of got this bug and I realized like, wow, people can run really far. Like, that's really cool. Like I want to do that. And so then I ran my first trail race on I think it's Antelope Island up by Salt Lake. And it was awesome. Like I had a really good time, enjoyed the community and definitely changed my life in a million different ways where. I never thought I'd be like working, creating, like, running content for brands and people and telling stories that way. Like, I was a journalism major in college, so I was like, oh, I'm just gonna go, like, work at whatever, NBC or something. But now it's like, okay, now I'm going to make stories about people running and filming them with a camera. I think it's, it's crazy. It's taken me all over the world and it's been super fun to kind of combine like this fitness level with a storytelling camera. So it's been pretty cool.

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah. And I, I feel like like trail running is kind of your thing.

Derrick:

Yeah. It's kind of funny because All my running friends think now that I just ride bikes and my biking friends think I just run because I like to do both and they're just both fun ways to explore and like, so I think in some ways, I'm kind of like this enigma to some people, they can't kind of figure out like what I like to do, but it goes back to like things being interesting to me, like, like, I love hiking. It's just so fun to like, hike and look at things. I love running because I can just get this cool feeling from that. I love biking because you can just go super far and it doesn't hurt as bad, but like all these things are just so fun. It's this cool way to explore the outdoors, but I say primarily though I am a trail runner and I shoot mainly like trail running stuff, just like being outside for the most part.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah. So I know we talked a little bit about the, the difference between the trail running community is like it's own thing. And I feel like it kind of like, once you're into that, it's just like, oh, these are my people, you know? Yeah, definitely. The like one trail race I've done, I'm like, yeah, I know.

Derrick:

No, that definitely is like, it's something that I didn't even really think about until recently, where I was at a an aunt's house in Phoenix and I don't remember why I had to go there, but we were just talking and I had just ran a race or I was going to run a race. And she was like, Oh, it sounds like you just like to run for the social aspect. And I'd never really thought about that before. But it's true though, like all of my good friends are runners and it's, we all met through running. And it's just kind of weird to think about this community of people that I have, like we're all like have different beliefs and so many different things with very different lifestyles. But like the most simple thing you can possibly do is brought us all together as friends. And it's, it's kind of interesting how like those things intersect that way, I guess. Cause in so many ways it's like, well, I'd never be friends with this person or that person, but we can go out and run and just talk about nonsense for three hours. And it's awesome. And it's like, and you're good friends. And like, maybe we disagree on politics or religion or other things, but we can kind of come together through running, which is pretty cool.

Kristen:

Yeah, it's like a whole lifestyle. I feel like once you get into running, then you kind of naturally get into nutrition.

Derrick:

Yeah, and

Kristen:

it all comes together.

Derrick:

No, that is true. It's like you become a lot more in tune with your physical body because you realize if I eat this, I'm gonna have a bad run the next day. If I eat this, I'm gonna feel better after my run or something. So you kind of start not even like it's almost like inadvertently figuring nutrition out because I want to perform better on my run because I don't want to go out and run. Say 15 miles, but not feel terrible. So like, how can I do that? And you just figure things out along the way. So it's, it's kind of cool. It's kind of like figuring out this puzzle.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah, because I know you've done a lot of keto and I don't know, listening to your podcast you talk a lot about keto and carnivore and just like all these different, I feel like you've done all these kind of, I don't know, like, I want to say like micro, like they're just barely different, but kind of a high protein is sort of, seems to be the theme. I don't know, did you ever tried being vegan?

Derrick:

No, so never officially. I, I, I have like dated a girl who was

Audio Only - All Participants:

vegan

Derrick:

and it's like whenever I was at her house, it was like, Oh, you need to eat vegan. I'm just like, okay, I guess. It was like eating this massive bowl of salad and like hungry 10 minutes later type thing. And, and so I honestly, like, it just, there's no way I could live that way because for a lot of different reasons. And like scientifically, I just. I don't think the data support it, honestly, but then like from a everyday perspective, it's like you're just eating a lot of just fiber. It's like, you're not really eating. It's like eating rabbit food all day.

Kristen:

Yeah.

Derrick:

Oh, go ahead.

Kristen:

Oh, just especially when you're using so many calories. It's just, that's hard.

Derrick:

Yeah, and like, I have friends that, like, have ran professionally being vegan and stuff. I actually did a podcast earlier with a guy who's mostly vegan. He eats eggs. And he's like, oh, I just feel better, so I do this and these. But he's also if it comes down to it I'm not 100 percent like, till I die, vegan. He's like, if I need meat, I'm gonna eat meat. And he's not very like dogmatic about it's kind of like kind of just rolling with the flow, I guess, or going with the flow and which I think is a good perspective on those things, but I do think it's fun to experiment with diet though, because it's like, okay, how can I maximize my health? And it's not just and say Oh, I'm healthy or healthier than you. It's just so I can do more during the day and think more clearly and have a better quality of life. And maybe like my idea of high quality of life is being able to go out and run, ride my bike every day. And maybe for someone else, it's just so they can pick up their grandkids. But either way, it's like, if you can maximize the amount of years you're having a life, it's like, why not do that? If it's something as simple as nutrition, you're going to eat every day. So why not eat good foods that make you feel good? So you can have a better life versus just slamming a bunch of pills every day and suffering all those side effects.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah, and like you were saying, like your friend who eats vegan mostly, I feel like everybody's, every body is so different, and you have to kind of figure out what works for you, and seems like you've spent a lot of time figuring out what works for you, right?

Derrick:

Yeah, yeah, definitely, and that's, that is something that I find it's crazy how how cultish the diet community has become, where people are like, I'm vegan, or I'm keto, I'm carnivore, I'm paleo, like, X and X there's a billion different ways that people eat for whatever reason and people get very dogmatic about it It's like if you disagree with them on one thing or point out a potential flaw in their diet They like get offended and it's it's so crazy to me because like why wouldn't you want to hear a con? Like not a controversial but a an opposing opinion or view or data So that way you can maximize your quality of life because maybe you're vegan But you're suffering from like anemia because you don't eat enough iron from you Okay, maybe you should introduce some iron to your diet, whether that's through a supplement or something, there's something you can glean from everybody, I feel like, whether you like that person or dislike that person, there's so much you can take from them. And so, like, over the years I've experimented with all these things, and it's not like I, because I don't have a nutritional degree of any kind. But it's more so just learning and being interested in these things and talking to friends. Like I have friends that are like hardcore keto. I have a friend who's doing carnivore right now. I have vegan friends and just talking to them about how they eat is just like, oh, it's really interesting. And, but it, it really does kind of come back to that. Everyone's a little bit different and our goals are all slightly different. Like how I, as like a trail runner or like a cyclist or something may not be the same way that you eat for. Whatever you're doing or like my parents or something, cause that's going to change as we age and based off things that we do, but at the same time, it's still fun just to look at data and research, like, Oh, like maybe if I eat this, I can, I don't have, I don't know, better focus or something or, or stay awake if I need to stay awake or maybe I'm staying awake too much and like, how can I fix my quality of sleep or something?

Kristen:

Yeah. So many solutions like food is medicine, right?

Derrick:

Yeah, no, no, exactly. It wasn't like Socrates that said that or something like let food be like medicine. I don't remember, but

Kristen:

someone really smart.

Derrick:

There's definitely one of us that said that.

Kristen:

yeah.

Derrick:

But it is true though. Like, you know, when I was on this podcast earlier with my guy, my friend Scotty, we were talking about that, how like, How like eating better, you just feel better. So it can be your medicine in a lot of ways. It's like, okay, like if you have this deficiency, it's like, maybe we should add this into your diet or something. And so it is true that like food is medicine and people in recent American culture, it's like, we just kind of want this quick fix to everything like for better or for worse. And it's like, well, I'll just go. My, my, my blood sugar is too high. I'll go get metformin or something. It's like, well, or you could cut back on like all the soda you drink every day and go for a walk, like little things you can do that are free and or cheap and it can improve your quality of life. And.

Kristen:

Improved so many things. Yeah. Yeah. Totally. Have you ever had I, it seems like you you just like to kind of fine tune things. And I don't know, have you ever had anything like major happen where you were like, Oh, I have to eat this way to recover from this or to help my body function better? Or was, or has it just kind of been like kind of fine tuning and tuning in?

Derrick:

Yes and no. There wasn't like some acute thing where I'm like, okay, I Whatever, like I, I don't know, stomach cancer or that's just an example. Something extreme,

Kristen:

yeah.

Derrick:

Yeah, something extreme, But just like growing up though, it was always kind of like, oh, my stomach just feels a little bit off. And I just follow whatever the doctors told me to do. It's like, oh, eat more fiber or eat more of this or don't eat that. And it's like. Okay, so you're just kind of like repeating this like generic information. I never got better. And then when I was on my mission so I went on a mission for the church, went to Mexico, whatever, and it's like, things didn't get any better, but a lot of times things got worse. We're just eating a lot of crap, like just bad food. And it's nothing against like Mexican culture, but it's like, when you have to eat out of like a convenience store or something because of where you are, it's like, you know, gummy bears and chips and Coke is like. It's probably not gonna make anybody feel good, but that's when I started realizing, like, okay I can kind of tweak my diet and feel better or worse depending on what I eat. So then when I was in college, I started thinking about a lot more too, and it just kind of started the general thing okay, well, the government says, don't eat red meat, but eat these things. It's like, okay like, I didn't know anything. And so I was like, well, I'm gonna go buy turkey, and I'm gonna eat peanut butter, and crackers, and bread, and whatever. Again, it's all low quality food because I'm a poor college student. But like, from there, I was like, okay, well, if I eat, I eat a whole sleeve of saltine crackers with peanut butter, I might feel full, and they taste good, but I don't feel good after. I eat like, like, whatever, Top Ramen, or like, whatever stuff, I'm going to feel terrible after. So how can I eat something to make me feel good? So it's kind of like experimenting with things. And that's how I, or one of the reasons why I just kind of experimented over the years. Like one is for general health, but then once I started running, it was like, okay, how can I recover better? And so it's probably what a lot of people do. It's like, just Google stuff and just try things. It's like, how can I recover better as an athlete? Then you, maybe you hear the generic stuff initially, but then, you know, on YouTube, it's like, oh, well, here's so and so who's a medical professional as well, talking about this. Like, why don't I try that? Like, what do you have to lose? Like, try something for a week. It doesn't work. It's like, you're probably not going to die from just eating only meat for a week or something, or. Or like, not eating carrots for a week, right?

Kristen:

Yeah, whatever it is, right?

Derrick:

Yeah, and like, and it just became kind of fun because then at certain points it kind of reached a baseline of like, hey, I feel good, most of the time but then like, hey, like, if I eat or drink this, I don't feel as good or I feel like, maybe if I have like too much caffeine, I feel very like, antsy and like, just not right. Okay, so I shouldn't have that much caffeine or I shouldn't drink this or shouldn't eat that or something and you just kind of start fine tuning things and it kind of becomes like this game of like, how good can I feel? Which is kind of funny, like, it sounds funny like, I don't want to use the term like biohack, but it's kind of that way of like, kind of quote unquote biohacking with like whole food nutrition. And it's kind of fun. It kind of becomes addicting and you talk to other people and like, we should try that. Or I tried this and I tried that and then you get involved in the running and cycling world and it's like everybody has their views on like what is healthy and you can kind of see things like play out in real time. You're like, okay, well, this guy was whatever diet for two years, but now we can't walk anymore. Oh, maybe I shouldn't do that. There's just like one equals one, but it is still like data and you can use that to learn for yourself. It's pretty interesting.

Kristen:

Yeah. And it is kind of like you were saying, it's kind of a game. It's kind of fun when you get to that point. I feel like you get more sensitive to how your body's feeling. And then it is kind of fun to just play around with it and be like, Oh, I ate this. Now I feel like this. Probably won't do that again, or, or whatever, or this is really working for me, like if I eat this before a run, or if I, you know, whatever, whatever it is.

Derrick:

Yeah, and I think that's like a really way, like a good way to fast track how you're going to feel, because if you eat, like, if you're on a run, you're like, okay, I want to eat, this bar, this gel, you're going to feel it almost immediately whether you feel good or not. And then the consequence to that is like, I'm throwing up on the side of the trail or my stomach hurts or something. And like, you learn immediately, like what works for you and what doesn't. And then you can on your next run, try something else and figure things out. And like, like at this point, I've kind of figured out what works for me. But that said though, I'm still open to new ideas and new science. Cause I think it's super fascinating.

Kristen:

Do you have anything you'd want to share? Like, what are some of your favorite things for like pre or post run nutrition?

Derrick:

Oh man, kind of controversial. Pre run, like it kind of depends on what I'm doing. I mean, like, and I feel like it's a cop out for a lot of people in the answer your question, but it does depend though. Like I'm going to go for like an easy 30 minute run in the morning. I might just wake up and like just drink some electrolytes and go for a run. Like if there's zero intensity to that run, but if I'm going to go do a workout. I always have a little bit of something before and that could be like yogurt with fruit and honey or something just something but like not a lot because you don't want something sitting in your stomach. You want to make sure your body has some fuel and a lot of times, or yes, every time that applies to the night before like we have a solid dinner, you know is going to sit well with you. And you can use that the next day for your fuel and like the kind of having a morning breakfast is like just add a little bit something more, and then like post run like personally like I'm a fan of raw milk and whey protein like it sits really well with me and I think it's delicious. And but if you're not a fan of milk, you can just. Try milk, but just try to buy, buy the best quality you can afford and it's always what I tell people is like buy the best quality food you can afford because it goes back to like food is medicine, right? Yeah.

Kristen:

I was gonna say The whole like using your meal from the night before to fuel a little bit. I feel like often we emphasize breakfast so much. Yeah. And maybe I'm biased because I don't, I'm not really a breakfast person. Like I wake up and I'm like, I don't want to eat anything. And like working out fasted is actually really, especially if it's a light run like that is like, it just feels really good. And so I feel like breaking out of the norm a little bit and really like experimenting is so. Useful, because maybe breakfast doesn't work for you. Or like, maybe like, you know, eating something, going for a little run, and then eating something, and then doing a workout, or whatever. But, just being flexible.

Derrick:

Yeah, if you think about it from a historical perspective, it's like, Okay, like, would you have, like, a bowl of Cheerios and a glass of orange juice and, like, two eggs before you go out and hunt? Probably not. Like, you may or may not have, like, options for food before you go, so, like, the body can adapt. And especially in, like, a non stressful situation, like, a 30 minute run at low intensity is not gonna, like, add a lot of stress to your life. It's just good for you. And it teaches your body like to burn fat and work that way, like work that way. But if you're gonna go do something intense, like say you have like a two hour run with like intervals in it, or you're gonna run a marathon, you're probably, like speaking in generalities, gonna have a better run if you eat something prior to that. And depending on like what you want to eat, it's gonna be like maybe some eggs. Like I like a couple eggs before a run, like I feel great generally. But some people just like eating like pure carbs. It's like, okay, if that's what works for you and you think that works, like great. Like, and who am I to say that's not working if it's working for you, right?

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah. Well, and like, and another point is sometimes it feels like not very accessible to eat healthy because people are like, it's expensive, but like two eggs, you know, like when you, when you break it down, it can be really simple. Especially if it's like, like, I feel like you're always like eating a steak and then you're like, I had a steak. And that was it. And I went on with my life. Like, I don't know, like there, there are ways to just make it affordable and Easy. And even if I feel like even if you're spending a little bit more, it's just, it's so much better for your health that it's so it, it evens out or it like is cheaper in the long run to spend like 20 percent more or something.

Derrick:

Yeah. And like, and that's the crazy thing is like, and I see these comments all the time. It's like, Oh, well, I can't afford to eat. It's like, okay, well, like when I eat meat, generally, I'm not buying like A ribeye or something like the tomahawk steak. It's like for the past three days, all the meat I've eaten has just been like ground beef. I had ground beef and ground lamb or something. And it's like, those are relatively cheap. Even the higher quality version, like the grass had finished or still like half the price is steak for whatever reason. Like I, I honestly don't know why, but like you can get like quality ground beef and you just have to cook it up. And like, I love like burger patties with eggs on top. It's like, it's so cheap and delicious. And like even buying quality eggs, like if you buy like, say like middle tier eggs, like the cheapest ones at Walmart are kind of like kind of iffy, then the really expensive like 12 bucks a dozen eggs is kind of like, well, it's pretty intense, but you can get like kind of like middle tier that it's like, okay, those are good eggs, good quality, what do they cost like 50 cents a piece? If you think of like, okay, how much do like two Pop Tarts cost? Like it's going to be either the same or more like cost wise. So you might as well eat something that's actually once a whole food has way more vitamins and minerals and it doesn't have a bunch of hyper processed junk and you're going to feel better, more satiated through the day. And like, that's not even thinking about how like these extra things are adding to pop tarts or like cereals have been linked to like ADHD and like hyperactivity with kids. So it's like give your kids like, or yourself, something that's going to actually feel you through the day and like be nutrient dense versus something that's just going to give you a huge sugar rush and you're going to spike. And then like Or fall off after that and just be tired again and have to have more Pop Tarts.

Kristen:

I was gonna say, and then you want more.

Derrick:

Yeah, and don't get me wrong, like, Pop Tarts, at least last time I had them, like, they're delicious. Like, they're, they're engineered that way though, to like,

Audio Only - All Participants:

they're like

Derrick:

a bag of Doritos. If I had a bag of Doritos, like, I can't just eat one of them. I'll eat the entire bag. If I have a bag of Sour Patch Kids, I will eat the entire bag of Sour Patch Kids and probably want more. It's like food's engineered to be addicting, but like, when you're eating real nutrient dense food, you just feel better and your body's going to naturally know, like, okay, well, I ate a pound of ground beef. It sounds like a lot to a lot of people, but like, you're going to feel so satiated after and just good because you ate real food. Maybe not a whole pound for some people, maybe like a half pound of some eggs and whatever, some, whatever salad you want to have or something, just like whole foods are going to be exponentially better for you. And probably the same price, honestly. I don't know. A lot of the stuff is, it sounds expensive because like, you'll see like some of these like nutrition influencers and they go, you have to buy the best quality ground beef. It has to be grass fed and finished from Whole Foods, or you're going to die tomorrow. It's like, okay, well, not everybody is making 500, 000 a year. And if you have three or four kids, it's like, You can't give your kid like a T bone steak in the morning for breakfast every day, like it wasn't gonna cost like 200 a day just to like send your kids to school, doesn't make any sense, but like

Kristen:

if

Derrick:

you could do like a couple eggs cooked in coconut oil or like tallow or something and give them something nutrient dense, like they're one gonna perform better and they're gonna have a higher quality of life, so it's like, why not? And they're not eating junk food.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah, and lately I've been doing a lot of like the steak with the stew meats. Oh, yeah. It's like the cheapest. I mean, it's, it's much, it's a lot cheaper than a lot of things. It's easy. It's already cut up for you and I'll make stew, but I've also used it as like a roast where I just like throw it in, throw some spices in, some vegetables and it's just, and then it's like meal prep for a week or whatever and it's so easy and, and it's pretty cheap.

Derrick:

Yeah, exactly. Like, like I remember growing up, my mom would make a roast every Sunday. Like I love this because I can get that big roast and have like potatoes and carrots and we had a pretty big family so it's like and my mom didn't work so like we're always like okay like what's like the best food we can eat and not gonna just break the bank right and so we'd come home from church on Sunday and we'd have pot roast with potatoes and carrots and she'd make a salad or something it's like those are like whole foods that are super good for you and cheap I remember we would then she would reuse that to like okay now I'm gonna make This thing with it and this thing with it, because you make a giant pot roast. One is easy. Like you're saying, like a crock pot, you just like basically turned on and leave. And then you have food for at least a few days, like for a family. Like that's, that's so crazy. And it's so cost effective. And I think we just kind of get stuck in this mindset that like, okay. Everything that's cheap or it's going to be cost effective is like prepackaged. But like, in reality, that stuff is more expensive at the store, like cost per calorie or cost per gram of protein is like way higher than, and it's not even like quality. I guess it's kind of junk. Like you look at like a box of cereal, for example, like I, that's the only thing I could eat an entire box of. Like my family was in front of me for that growing up, like where I could have like a box of Captain Crunch. I'd eat the entire thing. It's like 2000 calories or 1500 calories. But eat the entire thing and still be hungry because that stuff is not satiating or nutrient dense. But if we would have like, instead of buying that 4 or 5 box of Captain Crunch, just gave me like six eggs, I probably would have just ate that and been done for a while. Just something I was thinking of, like, as we're talking here is like, I think a lot of people get wrapped up and like, I think it's interesting to talk about diet and like different styles of diet, but really what it comes down to health. And this is coming from just observational things that I've seen. It's just that eating basically a whole food diet as best you can is going to make the greatest impact in your life. It's not like you have to go keto or carnivore or vegan or whatever. It's like just focusing on eating real food and what your budget allows. And if that's four eggs in the morning with a potato or whatever, like that's a great breakfast. Like if you cook it in like not a seed oil, like just real food. Like, it's gonna go so much, your day's gonna go so much better eating that, and it's not like, oh, well, this is vegan, or whatever, whatever, it's like, you're eating real food that our bodies have eaten forever, essentially, and like, that's gonna be what your body's craving, it's not, you don't, you're never gonna have, like, a deficiency in, like, cottonseed oil, or yellow number five, or something, you're gonna have a deficiency in, like, real protein, or vitamin A, or B, or whatever.

Kristen:

Yeah, just cutting out the processed food, and, like all the sugar and just cutting that out and just focusing on whole foods is such a game changer, like between just craving stuff. Like, I feel like when you're eating sugars and carbs that are processed, you just, they're, they're engineered to make you just want more, like we've been saying, but, but yeah, it's, it just, I feel like people start doing that and they, all these health problems just go away. And it's like, oh,

Derrick:

yeah, it's like if you stop drinking Coca Cola every day, it's like, okay, one, you're going to cut, probably going to lose weight, but also you avoid all these symptoms that come with it. Just high fructose corn syrup and just wanting to eat more and more sugar because like I, in general, I tried to avoid eating like just. white sugar, processed sugar, whatever, unless I'm like running or riding or doing something active. Like that is like my, I don't know, maybe that's debatable with some people, but like, I feel like I perform better when I'm having that sort of stuff. But I do notice that like after a race, for example, if I go out and run for like, like 12 hours, the next day I'm just like, oh my gosh, like I want sugar so bad because I've kind of become accustomed and really addicted to just eating mass amounts of sugar. And so you're just doing that on a daily, just like, like a whatever monster for breakfast. And then you have Coca Cola at lunch, and then you have like a Sprite at dinner. It's like, you're just, your body just wants sugar, becomes used to having all that sugar, and it's It's really not good for you, obviously. I know it's not really debatable, but like maybe we're just stating

Kristen:

the obvious here.

Derrick:

We kind of are, but it's like, it's good to hear it though. But

Kristen:

it is, I know, I need reminders even when I'm, you know. Really on track, but yeah, but like the little, all the little bacteria in your gut, like they feed off of the sugar and then they want more and you have to feed the little sugar monsters,

Derrick:

you know, like And like people talk about sugar withdrawal and really like that's what it comes down to is like your microbiome is like, oh crap, we, it influences your brain, like your gut, your gut microbiome and your brain are connected in a lot of ways. And so like when your gut microbiome is craving sugar, you feel like withdrawal symptoms because your gut microbiome wants that sugar and you want that like endorphin release and it's, it's crazy, but once you stop for like a few days, it doesn't become an issue anymore. And you can just be like, Oh, well, it doesn't really attempt to you, but like it. Man, I used to eat so much sugar all the time and like when I just like, I had to like wean myself off like, okay, like I'm gonna start drinking La Croix and then I started feeling a little bit better and like, okay, well now what other sugars can I get out of my life because like, this is so prevalent and everything but like. When you're just drinking sugar, it's like, it's crazy how much you can drink. And like, I'm not saying that perfect by any means my diet, but like, I don't know if anybody is, and it's like, whatever, but like, we should try as much as we can to cut out all this stuff. Because like, we were just saying that engineered to be addicting. And when we see all the negative health consequences for it, that one are physical, but then two, they impact your brain so much and like. Which impacts so many other parts of your life. And it's, this is crazy. Like how some, something so simple as like bothered or affected so many people in our country and across the world, it's really sad because it's like food. It should be an enjoyable thing, a social thing, because it's a big part of culture. But it shouldn't become like this drug and shouldn't be, I don't know, like an addicting thing that's actually hurting us versus helping us. Like, we should look at food as fuel and not as like a drug or something that makes us feel like crap.

Kristen:

Yeah. Well, it's kind of like, all our food is just dead. It's a lot of dead food. And it's not, nutritious or helpful. And like you said, you want to enjoy your food and it should be there's so many rituals around food and there's so many like good things and you should like I feel like eating comfort food is like okay like it's a good thing to in moderation you know like we should have our things they're like oh this is like a This is lovely, but

Audio Only - All Participants:

yeah,

Kristen:

but our food is so messed up that it makes it like dysfunctional.

Derrick:

Yeah, definitely. And I think like within social media and this is kind of one of the negatives of social media is like, there's a reductionist views of okay, if you just eat healthy, you're going to live forever. Or if you are just meditating for an hour a day, you're going to live forever. If you just do this one thing. Everything else doesn't matter. It's so reductionist because it doesn't make any sense. Our bodies are so complicated and it's crazy that when you look at all the data, it's like, okay, the spiritual side of things matters, your mental health matters, your physical health matters, and all these things go together. And like, there are studies showing that people who like are actively like social with people and more involved with people, they tend to live longer. And people that are more positive, have positive outlooks on life generally will live longer. Like it's, it's so crazy to me. Cause they could be a smoker. Doing these things that we know are bad for you. When you have this positive outlook on life, you're spending time with friends, people you care about, and you have purpose in life, it almost like kind of like overshadows all that and like puts you ahead. I'm not saying you should start smoking and drinking and doing all these like bad things, but it's like, you can improve your quality of life just by like finding purpose. Like how many people do you know that are just like, they're just so depressed all the time because they go work their job that they hate? And they come home, just watch Netflix or stare at their phone, and rinse and repeat day after day. And they're like, the energy around them is like, so, like, bad. Like, it sounds so, like, woo woo to say that, but like, people do put off energy. And it matters. Like, you can tell, like, when someone's like a positive, good person, you want to be around them. Because like, they have this infectious personality, but like, it's kind of like their energy that they put off, like this spiritual energy. And like, I don't know, like, does that make sense or am I just kind of like I feel like you're

Kristen:

just me talking right now, like this is something I would say. I'm like, yeah, it makes perfect sense. No, I totally agree. Like, well, they've There was some study. I wish I had it available, but Where they studied like these, basically they found that when people don't have community, like they get heart disease, there's like a direct correlation, you know, it, it really does like all of our mental emotional stuff really affects us physically. It like manifests physically and yeah, it is hard, like, as you were saying with the, just the daily grind and not, connecting. It's so easy to fall into that in our society right now. Like I find myself looking for purpose, you know, some days it just doesn't, even though I like, I love my life. I have great stuff going on. I'm social, but you just kind of wash, rinse, repeat. Like it's just, you know, and I feel like we used to live in these communities that were very, you had a lot of purpose and now it's kind of hard to find it.

Derrick:

Yeah, definitely. And like, even more so, like, like, we're talking remotely right now, like, obviously, we're, we live in different states, so it's really cool that we have this technology to be able to do that. But like, it's like with social media, where people feel like they have all these friends, all these connections, but in reality, it's like, that doesn't give you the same feeling as like, walk, going for a walk with somebody, or like, giving somebody a hug. Like, there's data showing that, like, having hugs is helpful for you. Just being with people that like, and actually having a real community and like, I don't know if you've, if you've seen anything about this, but like, you know, like when, like, say, like, there's a couple of married for 50 years, and then like, whatever the one of the spouses dies, the other one almost immediately after will die as well. And it's because of a broken heart. But really, it's just like, okay, you lost something so important to you. And it's kind of like, what's my purpose in life now? Or like people like when their children die? It's like, okay, well, my kids has died. Now I'm just depressed. And like, Things that go downhill super fast, it's like all this stuff is related and people want to act like, oh, it's like, just, it's all spiritual, like nonsense and whatever, like religion's fake, but it's like, there's a reason why, like, people have been so, like, into religion for all these years, because it matters, like health matters, the community matters, and I don't know, like, it's just crazy now how, like, like, I don't know, like, from, like, I guess a work perspective or point of view or something, like, I know a lot of talented photographers, And they're younger, they're like, what would you call it, like Gen, I don't know, like the 20 year old? Gen Z? I think it's Gen Z. I don't know. Is it Gen Z? I was just discussing

Kristen:

this earlier with somebody, like, what's the age? So I think we're still in Gen Z if they're in their 20s.

Derrick:

Okay, so say they're Gen Z, just for the sake of like, the discussion, because I honestly don't know like where these lines start and end. No, it doesn't really matter. Because it's just in general, where it's like, people want to be like, look at a text like, hey, I want to like work with you. It's like, Who are you? Like, I've never seen you at a race before. I've never seen you at an expo before. We've never ran together before. It's like, like texting somebody is not a real connection. You could just text an AI bot all day and it's the same thing as just texting an anonymous person essentially. But like, like for example, like when I hire people that I want to work with, almost 100 percent of the time it's because I know them personally and I know they're going to work hard and do a good job. And maybe it's just because we've quote unquote networked by like going for a run together going for a walk together or something, but it's like that matters like those connections matter like it sounds kind of crazy to say, but like the face time you make with people is really, really important. And that's just from like a business perspective. So then you can kind of like, I don't know what the word would be like, amplify that or extrapolate that to just social connections in general, where it's like, if you have a group of people, like, you're more willing to help somebody, you know, than a complete stranger, right? And then vice versa. And so like having these like face to face connections with people and not to just like use people but like people want to help people that they know like, like if I break down in the middle of nowhere like I have friends I know are gonna come and get me because we're friends and that's what your friends do but like if I just called some random person they're gonna be like What, what, like, what, like, what is going on and it's like, and like, maybe like strangers will help you on the side of the road or whatever, but like, that's less and less common these days because so many crazy things happen or we're told crazy things happen. So like, having a solid community is super important and like, whether that's a community you make through like, I don't know, like going to a yoga class or something or whatever class you want to go to just like having some sort of social connection really matters and it gives you purpose to like, like I like I'm not a professional athlete by any means, but I have friends who are pro runners and like, I love going to help them see them accomplish things. It's so cool and it gives me purpose and I feel good by helping them because I could care about that person, right?

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah, those in person connections are, it's, it's kind of becoming a lost art to be able to make those connections and especially with, I feel like the younger generations, but I was just listening to a podcast about communication and she was saying how these like, she called it like, I can't remember what she called it, like weak connections or just like these little, like when you just say hi to someone, like, it's just like when you pass by them every day or you just make these little, Oh. Baby connections. They're, that's like what things are built off of. That's like, it's so important and we don't do it anymore because we wear iPod, whatever they're called.

Derrick:

AirPods. Yeah,

Kristen:

AirPods. Because we wear AirPods. We wear iPods in our ears. So, yeah, we just really don't do that anymore at all. And it's, it's not good. And I was thinking when you were talking about just, just in person, like, feeling someone else's, like, a hug, or, you know, when you're around an actual human being, it feels so different than, like, a digital connection, and it, it made me think of, like, Like when I, when I done like online dating, like back in the day when I was really, I do like, I remember like Skyping with this guy forever who lived like in New Hampshire or something. And I was like, wow, I really like him. And, and then I, he came over, he came into town and I met him and I was like. This is not it. You know, it's just, and that happens so much with, especially, like, if you've done any online dating, you notice that, like, there's a missing component. There's an in person factor that just doesn't, you have to have that to get the full experience of someone's personality and just, like, really actually connect with them. And it's, it's interesting. So.

Derrick:

Yeah, definitely. Like, I've had those experiences where, like, just chatting with somebody, not even, like, on video, but just, like, they're like messengers they have, like, in dating apps. Yeah. Like, oh, this person's super cool. They sound fun. Like, they're funny. Like, whatever. You kind of feel like you have like this connection with them and you meet them in real life. And just like, oh, there's nothing here. And it's, it's so weird. And like, I don't know the like the psychology behind that, but I think it does show that like our bodies are designed to like actually be next to somebody and not just communicating digitally because you just can't, you can't make a full connection that way. And it's. And nor is it like a lasting connection either, because like, I don't know about you, but like, people I've met in dating apps where we've just chatted, and if we meet one time, it's like, after that, I never think about them again. But if it's somebody I've actually met in person and gone on like, say, four or five dates with and didn't work out, I might think about them, like, oh, hey, like, that was a good time we had together, or they said this or did that, and it's not like, yeah, it didn't, like, it didn't work out, obviously, but it's like, Oh, at least I have like some sort of feeling to come from it and not just like, like again, like texting an AI bot or something.

Kristen:

Totally. Totally. Something I wanted to talk about was you did a you did a glucose. Continuous glucose monitor, and we were just, we were just talking about all the, the way food impacts you, and I think it's so interesting because normally you get a continuous glucose monitor, it sticks on your arm if you have diabetes, and that tracks your glucose levels, so you know. Where you're at and which is great because then that's like the replacement for sticking yourself in the finger like constantly, right? But they're, they've found like correlations between if you can keep your glucose levels level and avoid spikes or dips, you avoid pretty much every single major disease like heart disease, diabetes, obviously cancer. Dementia. Like, everything. Like, it's so important. And so, you had the opportunity to try it. Cause it's kinda, it's not super accessible right now, I feel like. I'm hoping it'll be more accessible, coming, like, in the coming years. But In the past, you had to have a prescription for it, I think, and I think they're finally making it available. So anyway, I'd love to, I want to hear about your experience with that, and yeah.

Derrick:

Yeah, yeah, I guess like, just real quick, like, love or hate the American healthcare system, it is cool that we have access to these things, like, with or without insurance, because there's a guy I've listened to who's Canadian, and he started, like, a blood work company. And he's Canadian, but he had to start it in the States because it basically wasn't allowed in Canada because of their health care system. So the fact that we have access to these things in the States, and like, yeah, costs are still relatively high, but they have come down a lot, like you were saying. Initially, like a CGM was just prescription, and now there's a few companies selling them, and I got an ad on Instagram the other day for one that was like 50. It was like, it's crazy. It was super cheap. Like I read some reviews and it was kind of like hit or miss, but like, I think that just kind of goes to show though, that like people are interested in this stuff and having this market where we can buy these things is super cool. Cause you can really take health into your own hands. Cause like, for example, so like I, I guess I should backtrack a bit. So like I got a CGM to the company called levels. It's like, I think her name is Callie means is the owner or something. She's kind of like a big deal right now, but like. She sent me one or the company sent me one just to try out and whatever, like no obligation, basically. But this is really interesting because like my, my RF family that was like pre diabetic and like my family doesn't necessarily eat super healthy, like, okay, well, this would be interesting to see like what my levels are. And like, I went into it honestly, like a little arrogant, like, Oh, like I run all the time. So like, I'm sure my blood sugars are great. Like, I don't have any issues with it. And when I got my fasting blood sugar, like day one, I was like, this thing has to be broken because it was way higher than I thought it would be. You know, I was like, Oh man, like this is something I need to think about a lot. And then I started experimenting with foods. I'm like, okay, well, this is a healthy food. How does it impact my blood sugar? And one specifically was mangoes. Where I'm like, mangoes are, they're delicious. They're so good. But then when I had one, it was just like a rapid spike in my blood sugar. And it was crazy. And then other foods didn't do the same. So I was like, okay, like maybe mangoes aren't something I should be eating every day because of all like the things you mentioned, like, like associated with high blood sugar levels. Like, okay. And like, well, let's see how this reacts in the run. And CGMs are cool because instead of pricking your finger and having like, maybe like four or five tests throughout the day, you get an update, like essentially continuously, like every 15 minutes it'll like tell you, which is super cool because you can really see like the curves of like how things affect them. Like, okay, if I have white rice, where's brown rice? Or if I just have, if I'm fasting, if I have meat or if I have butter or a high fat meal or a high protein meal, like. Like, how do these things affect my blood sugar? And it's super fascinating, especially when I'm out like on a run or something. It's like, well, I had this dip in energy. Like, is that because of low blood sugar? Or am I just like, I don't know, I'm not feeling it today or something. Like for whatever reason, I'm sure there's some psychological reason why like that's a thing, but like, there is a super interesting way to like take health into your own hands and like, not just listen to somebody says like, Oh, this is healthy. You should eat this because maybe that impacts me a lot more than impacts you. Like all of our genes are relatively similar, but like, like somebody from like, I don't know, Sudan or something is going to have different genetics than mine that are more Scandinavian European. And so it's like, well, maybe my diet should differ from them, or maybe they're more sensitive to this thing. Maybe they can handle like a higher, like, or a higher sugar, higher carbohydrate diet than me because ancestrally my family wasn't eating those foods. And it was crazy. I remember one time, like I went for a run and I was just like, I just want to see this. And like, I used to love donuts growing up. They're so good, like, it's like that, that fried sugar, like, grain, like, oh, it's so good. And I went for a run on the way back home, there was a donut shop, like, here in Arizona, there's like a whole bunch of donut shops for, I don't know why, like, I swear there's a donut shop in every corner. And I stopped and got like two cake donuts. And as I was sitting there, like I, I ate them slow on purpose so I could sit there and like just watch the app and like see my blood sugar change. And it was like insanely high, like not diabetic levels, but just crazy high, just like super spike. And then like, then I left and it was just like, bam, crash super fast. And it was interesting to see that because you feel that, but then when you see it, it's just like, oh yeah, like it just verifies what you're feeling. And then. Like same thing like I was on a shoot in Silverton, Colorado in the winter and the only place open was this pizza place. It's like a really small town. It's like full time residence is like 200. So it's super small. It's like up in the Alpine. It's like at 92 or 300 feet or something. It's like Arctic up there in the winter. And we went to go get pizza. And I was really curious to see like what would happen with my blood sugar. And I had like a sourdough pizza with like, whatever, pepperoni and cheese on it. And like, my blood sugar went crazy eating that. And I was really surprised because I was like, well, it's It's carbs, but there's like some protein and fat. I was like, oh, maybe I shouldn't be eating this stuff regularly because it's, it's not good, obviously. It's just crazy to see that in real life.

Kristen:

Yeah, well, I know, like, it's super, super individual. Like what sets your blood sugar off and what doesn't. And so there's no, like, this is what I love about it. Cause it, often people act like there's, they can be so prescriptive about diet. And it's like, no, everybody's so different. And so it gives you this view into, what your specific things are. And then I feel like you can really tailor your diet around that, right? Yeah,

Derrick:

that's the cool thing is because you could say, like, I'm going to follow the USDA guidelines, for example, which that's a whole wide topic we can get into about corruption and lobbying and everything. But in reality, though, it's like, you were able to access, like, say, your own blood work and then use a CGM to see, like, your blood levels. That is a little bit reductionist as well, because it's like, well, whatever, say like eating coconut oil doesn't spike my blood sugar, but it's only a fat. It doesn't have any protein or any other like micronutrients in it. So like, obviously you just don't need coconut oil for the rest of your life, but you can use it as a gauge though. It's like, okay, like I can eat this T bone steak and does this for me. Or if I do this, she'll do that for me. And like, you can really take health into your own hands, which is super cool. It's going to cost a few dollars, but like that. Those, those dollars are going to pay off in the long run. Your ROI is huge. It's like, I'd rather spend like a few hundred dollars a year on like blood work and a CGM versus like thousands of dollars down the road dealing with insurance and getting whatever disease that you mentioned previously, like heart disease or dementia or something like you can really like, like tailor your quality of life, which is, is pretty cool that we can do that nowadays. Honestly, like it's, it's kind of inspiring. Like love or hate the tech world. That's pretty awesome. Like, it's cool.

Kristen:

Well, I feel like you only, you don't even have to do it very long, right? Like, how long did you do it for?

Derrick:

I'm trying to remember. I think we had him for three months.

Kristen:

Which

Derrick:

seems,

Kristen:

like, long enough to kind of figure out what works for you and what doesn't, at least, I don't know if it changes, but, like,

Derrick:

Yeah, because, obviously, like, your, your lifestyle patterns and your dietary patterns will change that stuff, and I was actually looking at levels the other day, and not just to plug them, they're just one that I've used, but, like, I want to get another, like, CGM again, just, you can do, like, a monthly thing, just, like, one month of the year, you can do, kind of, just buy it by the month, and I want to do that just to see how my levels have changed over time. And like, I don't necessarily need to have it like every day for the rest of my life. Maybe some people do, but it's cool. You have that access. I think most people can like use it as like a baseline, like use it for a month. Be like, okay. Like this fruit really jacks up, my blood sugar, or you see it like that, whatever that red bull I had for breakfast with the donuts, crazy spike in my blood sugar. It's like, okay, I shouldn't do that. This kind of validates things that you know, are already true. And it gives you that data in your face. And you're like, Oh yeah, like, I need to not be doing this because otherwise I'm gonna be diabetic or something. So, so it's pretty cool. Yeah. So you can do it like, and it is. Like you were saying, it is kind of like pricey still, like I, if I had like a family of like five kids or something, it's like a thousand dollars a month to like buy CGMs, like that's crazy. But if you could just like for yourself personally use it one time, like, okay, use it for a month, you pay the 200 or whatever, you have this 200 up front, but that saves you from like being on Metformin the rest of your life. Like that's a huge win. And that's really cool that you can do that. Or even just like in general to see your fasting blood sugar levels. Cause I, like when I had mine, I realized it was high. Like, okay, like, this is something I need to think about, like, maybe I need to, maybe that's why I feel better on a higher protein, high fat diet is because like my body responds better to that. And like, maybe other people are different and like, that's fine, but you can at least kind of visually see like what you should be changing and like fine tuning, even if it's just for a month and you can do it again a year later, another year later, you save 10 a month or whatever, 15 a month, you buy it again in January again, give it a shot. And I don't, it's an easy way. 15 a month is like for most people, pretty doable. So, like, just cancel your netflix and get a CGM once a month, once a year.

Kristen:

Yeah, easy!

Derrick:

Yeah, easy! It's so simple. So easy! So

Kristen:

simple. But, yeah, I know even, like, exercise, like, for most people, they recommend, like, exercising, like, going for a walk, doing something after you eat, and that will kind of lower your, or, like, level out, at least, your blood sugar, but that's another thing you can play around with, too, right? Like, it's like, oh, I ate this. My blood sugar was here. I did this, like these exercises or this time, like the timing. I feel like it's something you can kind of play around with.

Derrick:

Yeah, definitely. Like, there's a lot of data showing that doing like, just going for a walk, like a 20 to 30 minute walk after a meal really dampens that spike. Which is really cool because you can eat like, and I'm not saying you should eat like garbage food, but if you do like a Chick fil a or whatever. Whatever it is. Whatever it is. Whatever the meal is, you can go for a walk and it'll at least like kind of curb that blood sugar spike. And I was reading something the other day that like just doing, I think it was like 10 air squats, like 10 body weight squats every hour.

Audio Only - All Participants:

Yeah. It's almost as

Derrick:

effective as Metformin, which is crazy that like something that's free. It's good for you. And I think, like, personally, for me, like, I'm a pretty thin person just in general. I think part of the reason why my blood sugar is higher than what I want it to be is because of the lack of, like, huge muscle mass. Where, like, your muscles can become like a glycogen sink or a sugar sink. So, like, if you go to the gym and work out It's way better than cardio, for example, so you can go lift some weights and that can really drop your blood sugar levels, like, to become, like, a healthy, or in a healthy range. So it's, like, really cool because it's, like, they're simple things, like, and it's not even, like, you have to go and, like, be, like, a gym bro and whatever, you can just go and, like, do some squats, do some basic things, and you can do it at home, do push ups, do squats, go for a walk. That's going to exponentially change, like, how your blood sugar is, and then you can see that in real time on your CGM, you don't just feel like you're Yelling into the wind or something you can actually see the results and then you just feel more motivated at least I do like when I see the results. I'm like, Oh, I want to keep doing this because I feel better when I can actually see the data and it's like, yeah, I need to be doing this and things in our modern lives are just so sedentary all the time. And like, even though I'm fairly active, I still have days where I drive a lot or I sit a lot on my computer and it's like, okay, I should be walking around a bit more and doing something a bit more.

Kristen:

Yeah, well in the I was, I think I was listening to Calley Means talking about that, the, if you get up every, Every hour or every half hour or something and just do like a few just like two minutes. Just do something active It's like even better than for you then Doing like a hard workout for an hour once a day. It's like way better for you in the long run Yeah, and that's that's so doable. I think for most people

Derrick:

Say like like say you like you have an office job like kind of like I'm, I've put myself in a situation where I don't really have like a quote unquote office job. I still like stare at my computer a lot and I'm editing jobs where I edit a lot and sit at the computer. But if you get up every hour and just like go for like a five minute walk, like just walk to get a drink of water or like go do something, that just helps with everything. It helps with blood flow and your concentration. It kind of resets your mind. It can maybe like lower the blood sugar down a little bit. It's like these very basic things. I think we try to overcomplicate nutrition. It's like, Oh, you have to. Do a 20 minute HIIT workout, and then you have to lift weights, and you have to only eat meat, and you can only do this, and then you have to take like 10, 000 supplements, and make sure it's all like, the most expensive ones, it's like, no, like, go for a walk, eat real food, go play with your dog, like, I don't know, do something just for a few minutes every day, and like, it all adds up, like, it's all like, compounding and adds on top of each other, and, but I think like, maybe it's just the marketing from like, and this is, It kind of theorized in here, like maybe conspiracy theory a bit, but like, just like big pharma companies have told us, they're like, no, like, if you want to be healthy, you have to take a stat, you have to take this diabetes drug, or you have to do this, and it's like, not necessarily, like, do all these, do the Hadza in Africa, like, take metformin and stuff, or like, do these, like, native tribes that are just eating real food and walking around every day and doing stuff, are they taking pharmaceutical? No, like, they're just living how humans are supposed to live, and And we, we don't have to like live in the jungle like or whatever, but like we can apply some of those principles to our everyday lives and still take advantage of like the stuff that we have here.

Kristen:

Yeah, well we're so separate from nature now that we think we're not part of it. And it's like, you, we were living like we did like even 100 years ago I feel like we'd just be a lot more, a lot more in tune and a lot more like trusting our bodies. You know, and not that we could trust our bodies because they're working the way that they're supposed to as well, you know.

Derrick:

Yeah, and like, honestly, like, it sounds funny, but like when, man, this is maybe going to get like hate comments, but like, and I didn't think this was real for years. I thought it was just all like kind of crazy talk, but like grounding, like walking barefoot on the ground. One, it feels really good, but then it's like our bodies and everything like in the world is like, has like some sort of electromagnetic field. I don't, I'm not an expert by any means on this. I'm not going to act like I am, but like just walking barefoot, like out on the grass or in the sand, doing little things like that. Like, you don't have to go walk like down the street in a city barefoot, but like just going to a park and walking around barefoot or like, it feels so good. And it kind of makes you feel connected to the planet, which I know sounds like hippie ish or whatever. But, like, it also kind of makes sense that, like, these people that are walking around without shoes on, like, they're connected to nature, and, like, this is one little thing that we can do as well, like, you know, and plus it just feels good, like, just flat out, like, from a very, like, top level perspective, it just feels good, so, like, why not do it?

Kristen:

Totally. Yeah. Well, in our bodies, like, our hearts and our brains are very electromagnetic, you know, and so it makes sense, because there are, like, there's electromagnetic fields in the earth, and it's, like, That's a thing. And yeah, I think it's becoming a little more well known, I guess, but when you, when you think about it, it's like, Oh, that actually makes a lot of sense that we would like feel better and feel like polarized and grounded when we connect with the earth. So, yeah, podcast for you to talk about that. So it's fine.

Derrick:

Well, I don't want to make it sound like, Oh, like you just walk around barefoot. You're going to like cure cancer or something. But like,

Kristen:

yeah,

Derrick:

your mood's going to change a hundred percent. You're going to cure your depression. Like that's not, maybe not true, but it could maybe when there's like small little things we can do that just makes us feel better. And like, if it just, if you just walk outside barefoot and you just feel a little happier, it's like. That's a net positive. Like, why not do that? So it doesn't cost

Kristen:

anything.

Derrick:

Yeah.

Kristen:

Yeah. Totally. Going back to like the glucose monitor and the, all that me and you did Viome. We did Viome tests a while back. Well, you did it. And then you told me about it. I think that's what happened.

Audio Only - All Participants:

I was like, that

Kristen:

sounds cool. But That was like another cool thing where it's like personalized and I was just thinking about when you were talking about the glucose monitor and like all these little things that are so personalized and all these you can test all these different kind of techniques with what your body needs as far as like how to live how to live and how to operate and like uh how to eat and what's optimal and not that like Not that you have to be boxed into this stuff all the time or anything, but it's just good to know. It's just good information. It's like, how would we have ever even, I had never heard of this stuff until you told me, I think, or something. I don't know. So I listened to a podcast probably. But yeah, it's just like one more thing. That was a, that was a cool test. Cause they, they do the, they take a, you send them a blood sample. I think We both did, I don't know what you did, I did a blood sample and a stool sample. You just like, they send you a little kit, a finger prick,

Audio Only - All Participants:

and

Kristen:

stuff you need. And then you like, do your, do your thing and they send it back to them and they test everything. And like, granted it's probably just like a snapshot of your body that day. You know, so it's kind of like. I don't know. But it was cool because they give you foods, like, they label it super foods I can't remember what the other one is, like, foods that are going to be really good. Yeah. Foods to avoid. And like, never, like, don't, really try not to eat this. It's not going to be good for you. And it's all based on, like, your gut health. And your blood. But that was a cool one. Cause it gives you some basis. It gives you like something to experiment with and try where you're like, okay, this is what my body's telling me, telling them, whatever. And it just gives you something to start with where it's like, okay, now I know, but also I don't feel like the test was like bulletproof, you know, like some of the things on it, I was like. I know that doesn't agree with me. That should not be on my good foods list, you know? But like, it was, it was cool, and I felt really good when I, like, followed that diet. So, I don't know what your thoughts were with that, but.

Derrick:

I think it's really interesting because I think, like, at least right now, like, gut health is kind of having like this renaissance, where people are like really focused on it because they realize like how much that affects everything. And it, and it does because like, say like, whatever you're, you eat a bunch of food, but if your body can't digest it, What's the point of eating healthy food if you're not absorbing any of it? So you kind of have to have a healthy gut to be able to absorb these things, which would be reflected probably in your blood work or something. And I think right now, at least in my opinion, it's still fairly rudimentary because it's kind of new technology in a lot of ways, but it's still really cool that we're doing this, that you can kind of take this snapshot. Maybe it's not going to, I don't know, I don't know, I guess it can be very useful, I guess, and beneficial to your life, and affect a lot of things, and then you can compare and contrast these things, so like, okay, then I wore a CGM, and it said to avoid, like, mine says avoid kombucha. It's like, okay, but then I noticed that when I was wearing my CGM, if I drank a kombucha, it spiked my blood sugar just as much as like drinking a Coke. So it's like, oh, maybe I shouldn't be drinking kombucha, because I've been kind of validated twice right now. So, I don't know, like, I guess, in the end, I think all these, like, companies, like, I guess you'd call them like biotech companies that are starting up are really cool. Because it's really bringing like nutrition, like when it's personalized, this is going to ramp up more and more over the years, but it's very personalized. And we're not just kind of stuck with like blanket statements because like, that has not helped people obviously, like the recommendations from like the government have been a total failure. You see like every chronic disease is like amplified over the years. So it's like, okay, like now we have these companies that are trying to solve the problem. That's really cool. And like, maybe a volume, like, I think it was great. It was really cool to see the data. Super interesting. And maybe it's not perfect, but it can help put you in at least the right direction. And I think that's like where people will try to like, I don't know, like They're like, Oh, it's not perfect. So it's a waste of money or it's all voodoo crap. Like don't use it because it's a waste of time. It's like, no, like these things are important because they're pushing us in the right direction. It's like, like just doing a study essentially on yourself. But when you can kind of compile all these data and like the super set of data, like that's really cool. And if we can use that to like help people, like, and like, say, then you can apply that to like, Your specific genetics, like say like Scandinavians, as an example, it's not data or accurate at all, but it's like, let's just say, for example, like that Scandinavians do better, like 90 percent of them do better on a high fat, high protein diet. Great. That's how most Scandinavians should, that should give you like a baseline. But then like, for example, like someone who lives in like the equator, maybe they should be having a more high carb diet because that's what they're used to genetically. It's like, that'd be really cool to know all this data and like. You just have to help people versus just like, Oh, blanket guideline, eat vegan. It's like, that's clearly not helping people. And like, it doesn't take a genius to realize that. Like, I'm not going to say I'm a genius by any means, but like, you just look at trends and data and it's like, Oh yeah, we've been kind of screwing things up over the years. It's like, how can we fix that? And it seems like it's just kind of going back to basics, like eat real food, go spend time outside, go for a walk, lower your chronic stress levels. You do all these things. And you're just gonna, it's like very basic, like health wise, and there's like, there are like differences between like men and women and whatever, like genetic differences and variances in people, but like, generally it's like they're all kind of similar, which is, I think all these like data are proving that, it's, it's, it's just really cool.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah, and I think it can feel a little bit intimidating when there's all these tests and they're kind of, they're not like cheap. They are, Viome if you don't buy it on sale. Yeah, I don't even know what it costs. You're a sucker, like, don't, like, don't get their stuff if it's not on sale.

Audio Only - All Participants:

Yeah.

Kristen:

Buy, they're always having some kind of big sale. But knowing things like that helps. But often though, you can do it just once. And it's it gives you I only took the test once I could have done it again, but I was like, it's probably gonna be similar.

Audio Only - All Participants:

And like

Kristen:

that can be helpful if you have the means to do that. But you know, I feel like just doing it once gives you a good baseline where you're like, okay, and then if you want to do it again, like you were saying in a year or whatever, then do it again. If you want to do it all the time, fine, but like, There are ways to make it like you can make it work for you. I feel like, well, yeah, most people can, I think,

Derrick:

to some degree, yeah, most people can. And if you can't, like, it's like, no shame on you. It's like, okay, well, maybe you can use someone else's data to like, try to apply that to your life. Or maybe you just You put away a few dollars every month, so you can do that test once a year, and it might be a sacrifice, but that sacrifice will pay off, because like, I'm not rich by any means, but I do think it's important to like, focus on health, and like, maybe this is like my mindset about things, but, it's like, you can, if you really want something, you can find a way to make it happen, it's like, hey, well, where can you cut out that money from your budget? Like, is that like, I don't know, every morning you stop and get a soda or coffee somewhere. Cool. Like, don't do that. For just only do it two days a week or something and pocket that money and put in a little savings and then use that to buy a CGM and then you're going to see like, okay, like, well, now I have some data to show me like what I should improve upon in my life. And it's interesting too, because I, I'm a big believer in like voting with your dollar, where like, instead of having like, oh, some sort of like government regulation or the law or whatever, it's like, okay, like, I think that like CGMs are cool. So I should like support these companies by buying their product. Same with anything. If it's a good brand, like support them by paying for it. And like, if you can, like, whatever, like, financially, as much as you can afford to do it, that's awesome, because it's going to help more people. And, but if you can't, like, yeah, same thing, like, no shame, like, not everybody has, like, million dollar homes and can afford, or million dollar paychecks all the time, they can afford these things, but, like, just kind of do what you can, and then, like, if you can't at all, it's like, okay, like, start cutting out processed foods. Kind of hyper processed stuff to see real food. Like, you're gonna feel a lot better. Like, it's like, almost not even debatable. Like, it's gonna feel better by eating real food.

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah. And I feel like there's a, there's another, like, there's kind of a learning curve when you're getting into that, when you're switching over. Like, I started doing food prep with a friend a few years back. And I, I already, I've always been pretty into healthy eating, but there was still, like, a curve of, like, figuring out. recipes and meals and how to, and like the best places to shop to get the cheapest stuff and the best quality. But at the, you know, figuring out that whole thing is kind of a, it's a lot of mental work in the beginning, but once you figure it out, then it's like really easy. And so there's like, it's not always easy to like jump into the stuff, but then once you figure it out, it's like, Oh, okay. Now this is more like just part of my routine and. Lifestyle, I guess.

Derrick:

Exactly, like if you, if you go to like, say you're going to go to the grocery store and you know all the work you're going to get, like one, you just start saving time. Say you're going to meal prep for the week. It's like, okay, well, I'm going to need this much ground beef. I'm going to need these many potatoes. You just go in and it's like, bam, bam, bam. The first time it might take you a moment to kind of like figure out the layout of the store for those specific things. But like, in that grocery shop now, it's just like, just go and do it and it's done. In and out. Yeah. It's just so simple and like I don't spend as much money because I'm not buying like, I'm not affected by like all these potato chips over here. It's like buy, buy three, get one free or something. I'm like, Oh, that's a great deal. It's like you just don't even think about that and it just becomes habit after a while. And like, like once again, like I'm not perfect with my diet. I want to just clarify that, but like, for the most part though, it's like, it's just so simple to be like, go in and buy these things and like, not be tempted every time to like, I'm going to spend 10 on just like junk that I don't need. I can just go buy what I need. Yeah.

Kristen:

Then it just becomes

Derrick:

habit. It's just such a normal thing. Like meal prepping. So you just spend Sunday evening meal prepping. Cool. That's what you do. It's easy. If you have like breakfast ideas in your head already. Yeah. I'm going to have my eggs and this and this and that. I'm good to go. You don't even think about buying like tricks or whatever cereal people buy. I don't know.

Kristen:

Yeah. I'm like, well we just solved everyone's problems. You're welcome. World problems are solved. All you gotta do,

Audio Only - All Participants:

all you gotta do is listen to us.

Derrick:

Yeah. And to be totally honest though, it's like, it was hard. Like when I was cutting out things, like, I think baby stepping was a really good way to get like, To just eat better. It's not like day, like you've been eating like garbage your entire life and like suddenly I'm carnivores, like that's going to be really hard. Like what you could do is just like, okay, like I'm still going to eat my normal diet for lunch and dinner, but I'm going to start by having a good breakfast. I'm going to have like Greek yogurt with honey and some blueberry and a few eggs or something like that's an example. That's a start your day off right. And you're like, okay, well, now I can apply that to my lunch. What can I make for lunch that's going to be also, is equally going to make me feel good and healthy. You can just kind of baby step into things. Or if you have a soda addiction, like, like I was saying earlier, like I drink so much soda and like energy drinks, it's like, okay, now I'm just going to do carbonated water. And I put like a flavored ones. It's like, yeah, it's not the same, but eventually it becomes your normal. And then you want that versus wanting like a orange soda or a Coke or something. And so I guess it's kind of baby stepping through things and not beating yourself up because it's like, oh, I failed today because I had my, my Swig or whatever. It's like, no, like you, okay. You made a mistake. That's fine. Like. Whatever. It is what it is. Enjoy it and then move on and then just start eating good again. Like it's not a big deal.

Kristen:

Or maybe you're keeping your swig for a little while and you're switching out this other, you know, like it's, it's fine. Like everything, everything is, it counts. It's fine. I've done that with ingredients too, where I'm like, Oh, I'm just going to get avocado oil. And that is now what lives in my cupboard, you know, or just slowly switching out ingredients you have.

Derrick:

Yeah. Cause it is hard, like from a financial perspective, like, okay, I'm going to clean out all my cabinets. It's like, and then restocks, like that's expensive, but like, okay, like, say you wanted to buy better quality salt, it's an easy, simple one, right? So you can, you finish out your table salt, then you start buying like, like sea salt or Redmond sea salt or whatever, pink Himalayan salt, something like that. It's like, yeah, it's one small change that like, maybe it's like an incremental difference in like how you're going to feel, but it's just another positive step. And it's like, okay, well now I'm going to, instead of having, I don't know. Whatever pop tarts again, you feel you made your own. I guess that took forever. Make your own pop tarts Like you could do something like that. Like just making food at home. Yeah No other time really desire, I'm sure they'd be delicious So like or just like making meals at home instead of eating out for dinner I know a lot of people do that every night cuz it's easy and whatever It's like the same amount of time to like go drive somewhere and buy food And then whatever, throw it away, it's like, you could just make an easy meal at home. Like, or if you're meal prepping, it's like, it's just there and ready to go, just do it.

Kristen:

Yeah, emphasis on easy, right? Like, few ingredients or something, yeah. Yeah.

Derrick:

Yeah, cause honestly, like, I, I hate cooking, I hate the clean up. I guess I, I shouldn't say I hate cooking, I just hate the clean up. Doing all that, but like, I found ways that work for me that are really simple to make a healthy meal that I enjoy. And so like, that might not be the same for you, but you can find these ways that are easy. Like, like I have a meat smoker, and so I can put like burger patties on there, and like they taste super good. And I can just kind of throw them on there, and I can be editing and working. And like, oh, well dinner's ready. And it's like, it's so simple and that works for me may not work for you, but it works for me and that's what I found out works and or like, I don't know, like, I guess it'd be more expensive. You can buy like boiled eggs. You can buy them pre boiled. Like, not that it's hard to boil eggs, but like you can do that. And if that's going to be the one step to improve your breakfast every morning, cause you hate cleaning eggs off a pan. Do that. It's super simple. Like And if it's going to put you on the right track, give it a shot. Yeah.

Kristen:

Do what works for you, right?

Derrick:

Exactly.

Kristen:

Yeah. Okay. You're doing, you're getting, you're in the middle of getting tested for, this is the new, the latest sponsor thing you're doing. You're getting your biomarkers tested. With some company, I don't remember, is it Forum or Forum?

Derrick:

Function Health.

Kristen:

Function. Function Health. And they offer like a ton of biomarker tests. And, tell us about that. What's a biomarker? How do they do this? What does it mean?

Derrick:

So yeah, so Function Health is kind of one of these like, companies where they essentially contract out to different like, like, whatever like, blood draw people, whatever, so they draw a bunch of blood. And then they analyze all of it and they put all your data like in this app and you can use the app and the membership to kind of view your results over time. So I went in, it was just yesterday I think it was, and went in the morning and this woman, I don't know what you would call them like that. It's a lab. Yeah, I think it's a quest, quest or something. I don't know what it's called. We don't, we don't know the doctor. We don't

Kristen:

know. I don't know.

Derrick:

I honestly, like, when I walked in, I was just like, oh, I don't like hospitals and stuff because it's like a hospital, like medical setting. That's what kind of like weirds me out, which sounds funny because I'm interested in it. But so this woman, like she drew a bunch of vials. It was like eight to 10 vials or something. It was a lot of blood and I was like, well, this is a lot. But then what they do is then they analyze it and then your biomarkers would be things like, They say your vitamin D levels or your testosterone levels or your pre testosterone like all these different things that are associated with different health outcomes. And like, so they sent me an email and it's just like this thing where it was just like with no obligation, we're just trying to like figure things out. I'm like, oh, cool. It sounds interesting. And like, so I'm gonna do a YouTube video about it. Cause I'm just like curious. Cause it's like, Yeah, like what are my results going to be? And like my main one, thinking about it from like my lifestyles, my testosterone levels as a male, because like traditionally like people who are in endurance sports, like specifically running and cycling, like their testosterone kind of drops a lot. You're not doing a lot of strength trainings, more endurance work. And so I'm like, Oh, like, I wonder what my levels are like, because I do eat what should be considered like a high or a testosterone raising diet. But at the same time though, it's like, well, I'm doing these other things that could kind of conflict with that. So that's what I'm really curious about. But then there's all these other things too. It's like they test your electrolyte levels and like other things that could potentially like detect cancer. And like, I can't name all the top of my head. There's a lot. 100 plus just in the basic test, but then they also offer like allergen testing and different things as well. So it's like, it's like really interesting because it's like you can get blood work done. And I think if you were to pay for it, it's like, like two or 300 or something. And you could do that like once or twice a year, but the same thing, like it sets you in the right direction. It's like, okay, like, like for me personally, it's like when it's not sunny out, I don't feel as happy and energetic. So it's like, I wonder if that has something to do with my vitamin D levels, because vitamin D is like, it's a hormone, it's like a link to like, your attitude and like, stress and all these different things, so I'm like, oh, maybe that's related. So like, if I have low vitamin D, it's like, I either need to be in the sun more, which I'm already in the sun a lot, but in the winter. You know, it's, it's pretty variable or I can supplement with vitamin D and like that might be something that can improve my quality of life and like vitamin D supplements are cheap going out in the sun is cheap. So like, that could be interesting. Or if my testosterone levels are low, it's like, Oh, well, maybe I should maximize that because as a male, that's really important. And like women have testosterone as well. And that's also important for, for females, but just a little different for women or for men and women. So like, I think with women, they do like estrogen testing as well, like all these different things. So that way you can Once again, kind of like optimize your life. And it took like, I think 10 or 15 minutes to draw the blood and like. I didn't try not to look at it because I was like, Oh, man, this is gonna suck, but it was kind of interesting. So I'll get the results back in a couple weeks, I think is what it is. So I'll have another test in a couple days and they use those and they compare and contrast them all the time. So yeah, it's really interesting because it's like, okay, I'm taking my health into my own hands and not just being like, oh, well, his doctor said this, so this must be true. It's like, no, you can do it without insurance is the cool thing too. Like they actually like negotiate rates. So it's cheaper without having to have insurance. And so you don't have to deal with the whole hassle of like, I got to deal with my insurance provider and all these different things. You can just go out and do it, which is super cool. It's like another thing of like, Okay, like, like free market, essentially economies and healthcare, like, it's kind of cool that these people can like start a company. And this is what they're doing. It's like you're analyzing blood and like trying to improve people's lives. And it's really cool. I'm spacing the guy's name is the founder of it. But he's kind of like a big like tech entrepreneur, like biohacker type guy. And so I'm just honestly really curious about it. And I'm just trying to see like, okay, what I can do to not that in my life is bad by any means help wise, but it's like, Oh, well, Maybe I can improve something or maybe like my cholesterol levels are terrible or my blood lipids or something like these things that I don't know could lead to other health outcomes. So it's gonna be cool. I'm excited to see the results.

Kristen:

Yeah, and sometimes you get, you don't know until you know, like you don't realize you feel crappy until you fix something you're like, Whoa, so that's kind of a fun like There could be something that's way off that you'd never realize, but now you know, maybe, but

Derrick:

Yeah, and it could be something super simple, like say it's just like vitamin C deficient. It's like, well, it's super easy to fix your vitamin C levels. Like, whatever, it's like the easiest thing on the planet, but if you were having like, just not feeling well for years and it was that simple, it's like a few dollars to fix it, it's like That's cool. It's way better than going to the doctor a million times and having them put you on drugs and stuff like I'm not saying getting your blood drawn is fun, but it's definitely better than like being stuck at a doctor's office and having health problems.

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah. Did they help you like interpret or did they like interpret like what is going on?

Derrick:

So like the woman or the, I guess it would be male or female that does like the blood draw. They're just like, you're just kind of in and out. They're just like a person whatever, but when they send all this stuff off and then They load the results onto their app and then you're able to see that and then I think after a couple weeks they like kind of give like their recommendations, you don't necessarily have to follow them this is kind of you can see like what your levels are at. And then from there, make changes yourself if you want, or you can have like doctor recommendations. And I think there's like different tiers as well. Like mine's like the most basic one and I'm not paying for it and I'm, I'm okay with it. But like, I'm sure you can go a lot more involved and in depth with it. And then you can even use that if you really needed to. It's like, well, okay. Say like, Hey, like my I don't know, like cancer, like potentially like these factors are like indicating that I might have like. Might have cancer in the future. Then I can go to a real doctor and be like, how can I fix this? So you can use it as a baseline and preemptively fix a problem. That's going to come about, which is just, this is really freaking cool because it's better than just showing up to the doctor. And then they go, you have cancer and you're going to die. Like you can, you can fix it. It's like, this is so cool. Like, I don't know, like I'm, I'm really excited about stuff like this because it's just going to help so many people's lives and the more companies that started doing this, it's going to drive the cost down and become so accessible to people. And we've seen that with technology, like how cheap computers, like I guess iPhones and stuff are still relatively expensive, but like, you can get like a cheap Android phone for almost nothing now. Like, that's so cool. You have like a supercomputer in your hand. And so, like, think about that with like medical technology. You can get, maybe in the future, get a blood draw for like 20 or get a CGM for nothing. Just buy it, like a CVS. Like, that'd be so cool if you could do that. Not the deal with insurance and all these different, like, regulations.

Kristen:

Yeah, yeah, I'm really hoping, really hoping things are just gonna, I don't know, improve in that way. That'd be great. I hope so too. I'm pretty optimistic

Derrick:

about it right now, honestly. Yeah,

Kristen:

yeah, I'm hoping.

Derrick:

Yeah.

Kristen:

So, maybe this will just be like, no big deal in the future, we'll see. But, yeah, and that takes like a few weeks for you to get results. Is that right?

Derrick:

Yeah. I think they say two weeks. Well, the email said two weeks for full results, but then I got an email today or a text or something from them and they said the results will trickle in. So I don't know what that really means, but I don't know. So hopefully by mid February, I have all my results back.

Kristen:

Okay. Okay. Yeah. Well, we'll have to, we'll have to chat about it when you get your results.

Derrick:

Oh, yeah, definitely. Or you

Kristen:

can just send the YouTube video, I guess. But I don't want to

Derrick:

talk to you. Watch the video. Give me a view.

Kristen:

Okay.

Audio Only - All Participants:

Perfect.

Derrick:

But I'm really excited for it, though. And like, one, for like, just personally, like, I'm excited for it, but then also, like, okay, like, if it is really helpful to me, then it's like, well, I can tell other people about it. And if it's beneficial to somebody else, like, that's super cool. Just thinking about that, like And once again, like not a doctor by any means, but it's like, I can tell somebody about like, oh, the CGM or this function health test that improves their quality of life. Like that's really cool. That's awesome.

Kristen:

That's what we're here for. It's what we want.

Derrick:

Exactly.

Kristen:

Yeah. Oh man. So do you have kind of like wrapping it up? Do you have like a, a resource or a book that you really love that's helped you that you'd recommend to people? Is there a kind of. Yeah,

Derrick:

so there's a when I first started getting into like nutrition stuff or even when I first started to be like when I was getting more wrapped up in it. There's a journalist, her name is Nina Teicholz, and she wrote a book called The Big Fat Surprise, and she started doing research on like seed oils and fats and like just dietary guidelines. And, like, back at the time when I heard about the book, it was like, oh, buy canola oil, it's heart healthy, and these seed oils are so good for you, like, avoid tallow, avoid whatever fats, because they're going to clog your arteries and you're going to die. Then when she started doing research on it, she was like, like, this data doesn't add up, like, none of this makes sense, and, like, these big companies are, like, shutting me down, and they won't talk to me, and I'm a journalist, and it's really weird. Because we started doing more and more research about it, and then she wrote a book, and it's just basically all about how, like, How seed oils are bad for our health, and it's all data backed as well. And so that was really interesting to me, and I really, like, I don't know what you'd say, like, kind of catapulted or sparked my interest more into, like, doing my own research into nutrition. And not to be, like, okay, like, conspiracy theories to help things or whatever, but, like, I think doing your own research is very valid. Because, like, you can hear what you hear on TV or from, like, the government or whatever, but then it's, like, well, is that actually true? And there's nothing wrong with having an inquisitive mind. It could be true or not. You can validate it for yourself. And so the fact that she did that just on a larger scale is really interesting. And so the book is, it's all about like fats and like how fats aren't necessarily bad for you. And like the research that she did for that. And it's a really cool book. It's really interesting. And like, whether you agree with it or not, I think it's important to, to question things. And then you're like, Oh, these are the data and this is what's being shown. What can I do with this for my own life? And that's essentially what she did. And so, yeah, it's a cool book, it's really interesting, and it just makes you think.

Kristen:

Yeah, sounds like like there's research, and there's, you know. So that's kinda, that's cool.

Derrick:

Yeah, it's really interesting, like just, cause like she wasn't like a quote unquote expert in nutrition, but she was a journalist and just very inquisitive about things. And so that's, yeah, she just compiles all this information, and it's like, yeah, kind of what journalism is. Like, then you can analyze it for yourself. And I think that's what we all should be doing, and like, I think that's what we've all learned in the past few years, is that, like, you're gonna hear a lot of things, but it's like, what's actually true, and you need to question things for yourself. And that's with everything in life, I feel like. Whether it's nutrition, or, like, whatever, like, spiritual things, like, question it, talk about it, and like, just because you question something doesn't mean you disagree with it, you just want to know the truth, right?

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah, and like, trusting yourself enough to know that you can kind of look into things. And

Derrick:

yeah, exactly. Find

Kristen:

good resources.

Derrick:

Yeah. And I think just blindly trusting anybody is like, yeah, it's kind of a weird way to go about life. And I don't know. It might just having discussions about things like opens up your eyes and your point of views to different things. And it should be something that we're all doing all the time.

Kristen:

Totally. Agreed.

Derrick:

Cool. All right.

Kristen:

Well, Derek, where, where can people find you if they want to look out?

Derrick:

Instagram is my main thing. Cause I just post a lot of like. Photo stuff, obviously, it's like my job. So just Derek Lytle on Instagram, and I post my podcast stuff on there as well. So that's the best way to connect, is just on Instagram.

Kristen:

Yeah. Yeah, and your podcast is The Juniper Lab?

Derrick:

Yeah. Correct. So that's on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and yeah, all those things.

Kristen:

Perfect. Well, thanks so much. I'm so glad you could come and chat.

Derrick:

Yeah, me too. I'm glad we could chat remotely.

Kristen:

In person would be better,

Derrick:

obviously, for the social connection, but remotely works too.

Kristen:

This'll do. This'll do.

Thank you so much for listening. If you are enjoying Wholly Empowered, share it with that friend or on your socials. You can also hit the follow button if you want to keep up with the latest episodes. Until next time, stay empowered.