Last weekend, 40 of my closest friends and colleagues gathered within my living room for the first of a new WealthyWellthy event series: the WealthyWellthy Mastermind.
It was a transformative weekend filled to the brim with cutting-edge education in purpose driven-wealth and functional health. Speakers included legends and experts from all over: Fernando Flores, Kelly Kidwell, Jason Giorgio, Dr. Anna Cabeca, Dr. Ann Shippy, and Dr. Eleanor Womack.
It would be impossible for me to share all that was taught! But I’d like to share some of the most golden “nuggets” with those of you who were unable to join us this time around.
And so, here are the top health highlights from the #WWMastermind:
Eating Keto makes us acidic.
Ketogenic diets, which use fat (instead of glucose) are becoming all the rage as we are learning more and more about the dangers of consuming sugar. Strangely, however, no one seems to be talking about one alarming consequence: acidity. Dr. Anna Cabeca taught us that a fat-metabolizing diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates throws off our alkalinity. This is an issue because, just like gluten and sugar, high levels of acidity can cause inflammation and disease. Based on her research, Dr. Cabeca encourages us to keep eating Keto, but to work on keeping our acidity at bay by consuming a lot of neutralizing foods like veggies, some fruits, and her Mighty Maca powder. (She also passed out her Keto-Alkaline Urinalysis sticks as a simple way to keep tabs on alkalinity!)
Supplements, not pharmaceuticals, possess the power to heal.
Incredible human invention has led us to believe that we can out-wit Mother Nature. Although there are times where intervention has been necessary to end the outbreak of deadly illness, science has proven time and again that the human body is an intelligent machine designed to fight disease. All it needs is some TLC, and it’s fully prepared to do its thing. Supplements — in addition to diet, sleep and exercise — count as that TLC. When the body is sick, supplements provide the nutrients necessary to reboot the body’s immune-defense and detoxing systems, without disrupting other systems.
…But not all supplements are safe.
Like any readily-available health product, most drugstore supplements are harmful and deficient. In order for supplements to be truly effective, they must be of the utmost quality: totally organic and nutrient-dense. Unfortunately, this means that the best ones aren’t cheap, but it’s better to pay now for preventative health now than to pay for disease treatments down the road. The first (and best) way to find high-quality supplements is to consult the advice of your functional medicine doctor. Check out those produced by some of our trusted favorites: Dr. Ann Shippy and Dr. Anna Cabeca.
(Wanna learn more about the supplement industry? Check out my conversation with Paleo f(x) founders Michelle & Keith Norris!)
“Going with your gut” goes beyond feeling.
The gut biome (or flora) is a really big deal, and if you haven’t heard of it, it’s time to start paying attention! The belly is full of (trillions of!) microorganisms that are responsible for aiding in digestion, vitamin-production, and immune-defense. Put super simply, the gut biome is a bunch of good bacteria that powers the body like a second brain. And its strength is reliant upon the foods that we ingest. While not all functional medicine doctors agree on one ultimate diet, all agree that it is important to avoid foods that flush out the good bacteria: gluten and sugar.
Yes, gluten and sugar really are Satan incarnate.
I know. It’s like finding out the Tooth Fairy isn’t real. But it’s official: gluten and sugar are THE foods to avoid if you want to live long and without disease. Gluten causes gut inflammation and prevents nutrients from getting into your bloodstream (basically defeating the whole point of eating), and makes you susceptible to a lot of autoimmune diseases. Sugar wrecks your liver, makes you gain weight, and messes with your mental health (just like any other addictive substance). These examples barely scratch the surface as to how they are both destructive, but they should be enough to inspire you to start eating differently (and if not, well, good luck…!). For some scrumptious gluten-free, sugar-free recipes, try the Micronutrient Miracle by Mira & Jayson Calton.
Almost every ailment can be cured by a really good detox program, a really good multivitamin, a really good omega, and a really good probiotic.
Key word: really good. While some variation is expected, this seemed to be the consensus at our holistic health panel. The way to recover from almost any affliction is to target the three intelligences: the brain, the gut, and the heart. Proper detoxification and supplementation are proven to reboot these systems and get them working in tandem, the way they are supposed to.
And of course, with the wealth of wellth knowledge being explored, I had to make sure we ate well, too! Thanks to Thomas of Hi Hat Public House and Tanner of Kor180, we enjoyed some incredible gourmet paleo dishes that proved a gluten-and-sugar-free diet can be downright delicious.
We were also fortunate to receive several donations from a few of our favorite holistic snack and lifestyle brands, including Bulletproof, Primal Kitchen, Wild Foods, Prima Bar, and more! For those of you who are curious or craving more, here’s a clickable guide to all of our favorites with discount codes for percentages off of purchases. Enjoy!
Be sure to check in soon for part two: all of the wealth highlights from the weekend!
