Follow Genes, Not Trends! Creating Exercise Plans with Genomics and Self-Compassion

In this episode, Dr. Mary Louder discusses the integration of genomics with exercise plans, and how with a genomic plan in hand to show a patient's recovery time, inflammation tendencies, and more, she can design a plan for both activity and supportive activities, like meditation or stretching, that will help that patient take part in activity in a way that is healthy and sustainable for them. In Gadgets, Gimmicks, and Gotchas, she takes a look at a very old home remedy: castor oil packs! Find out more when you listen in to this excellent episode.

Transcript

Mary Louder: 0:56

Hi and welcome to another episode of The Dr Mary Louder Podcast. I am your faithful host, Dr Mary Louder, welcome, welcome, welcome. You know, I want to talk today about exercise. We've got a little bit of a theme going. We had a recent podcast with Todd Buckingham, who's an exercise scientist, and if folks want, they can get a consult with him and really put a nice exercise program together. And he trains elite athletes, and he trains the average athletes, right? And so he'll do anything in that way, in that regard. And I think his science, his reasoning and everything is good. So make sure you listen to that podcast, and I think that you'll really enjoy it. I want to tag along on that podcast and talk about the genomics with exercise and how we really put that together in my practice, in my office, and in my philosophy. I use a couple different genomic reports for my patients, but one that I use kind of frequently, and that we're going to look at the genomics today of exercise, activity, energy and response as well as recovery. So I think that those things are really, really important. And when we take things from a genomic perspective, what we know is that we're following your blueprint. We're following what you need, versus just saying, well, that's a good idea at the time. Or maybe I need to go do the high intensity. No, no, no. I need to be doing the Iron Man, or I need to be doing half marathons, or I need to be, I need to be. Well, let's see who you are by using your blueprint and then apply that training schedule to how you are. So that's the beauty of the, of the blueprint, and that's the beauty of the Genomic Test. I'm going to share my window here, because sharing is caring. All right, here we go. This is going to be part of the genomic report. And on this person, we're going to look at the energy overview. And this is the mid portion of the report. And this part of the report, relative to exercise and relative to our activity level, is going to tell us, as people, as patients, how we consume, absorb, distribute and burn calories. These could be calories we gain from food and drinks, beverages, things like that, and this varies between individuals, primarily because of our genetic variation as well as the environment that we're in. So knowing what way you're hardwired and how you manage food can be a very powerful way to enable you to work with your body and not against it. You don't have to do what the trend is of the day, what seems like a good idea. And hey, my friends are doing this. I want to do that, but when I do it, I just die. I just want to crawl under a rock and go away. So find out who you are. Follow the blueprint, and that's where you're going to have your most success. So with this individual, as we look at this report, it reports in that, according to the genes, that individual may feel more hungry more often or take longer to feel full, and that's depicted here by this plate that looks more full. Then this individual also has inflammatory fat or adipose and they're prone to that. That's a genetic distribution. That's a genetic tendency. And there's a number of genes associated with this, not just one. And the ability to store fat is elevated, you know, I mean, being a little cheeky, we could say this person would be good in a famine, right? And a flood, because they would float and they would hold things in, and so you'd want them around, because they would most likely endure,right? Now the other thing about this is their energy arresting metabolism. Here is where they are marked at. Mid range is here a little bit to the right. They're down a little bit. So their resting metabolism isn't as optimum, isn't as fast, and so if you combine that with an ability to more readily store fat, and that the fat becomes inflamed, which then it begins to act like a endoc-- an endocrine organ, and giving signals back and forth to other parts of the body, that can become problematic, especially at transitions in life: puberty, midlife, perimenopause, menopause. Pregnancy, if it's a female. And of course, you know, menopause, if you're a female, but in men, it seems to be, you know, prepubescent, this really kicks in, and then when testosterone kicks in, you know how some, some little boys are kind of pudgy or chunky, and then all of a sudden they become lean and tall and really strong. And we see that with women, where, you know, prepubescent, their hips are straight. They may have a little bit of a tummy. Their legs may be a little thicker. Then all of a sudden they get hips, and they begin to mature, and then begin to have their menses, and all of those--when the female organs and--hormones, rather, kick in, then that changes how they add and how they manage their adipose. And there's inflammation that occurs then, too, at that age. And so when we talk about our activity level, when we talk about, you know, our ability to be at our proper weight, it varies by our genes and how we get there can be a bit of a different story, also dependent upon our genes. So moving along, over to this individual's exercise response, they may, the fat cells may release less fuel efficiently when you exercise. So, you know, some people can run around the block. Some people say, Well, I'm just going to, you know, pick up my pace for 10 days by adding a couple miles a day, a walk, and I should be where I need to go. I should be able to drop five, seven pounds. Not this individual. It's more work. It's more structure. And that's then depicted here by the person struggling here with an imbalance with weight loss and weight gain and the resistance there. So I would coach this individual to one find deep self-compassion, because this is your wiring. You can't run from it. Literally, you can't run from it. And then I would, I would counsel them to put a program together that takes into consideration, that it's going to take longer time to hit the goals that they want to hit. Instead of eight months, it could take 14, 16, or 18. And we just kind of keep going. And what we know for sure, if you don't quit, you will get there, okay? And so, but that's also based upon their genes versus you know, what's wrong with you? How come you're not exercising enough? How come you're not getting the benefit from your exercise? I'm sure you're not doing what you're meant to be doing. And how many times have people gone to their doctor and felt that message, they maybe even heard that message? You know, I would honestly say I was always careful not to give that message, and then when I got into genomics, for sure, I never gave that message, because we really worked in line with who the individual is genetically. So then looking at this individual's activity overview, their training response--they will have a modest, moderate, good training response. It's going to take some effort, though, because these graphs here depict the one on the left is very quick fitness level achievement, you know, then a little bit more, and this is really it's going to take moderate amount of time. And then this sometimes people are way over here on the right, and so it can take months to really change your lungs' ability to uptake oxygen, to utilize it, and get it delivered to the cells. And that's really what this, what this is depicting in the training response. And then injury. If you're prone to injury, you have to what? Be a little more careful. And this person is a little bit likely prone to soft tissue injuries. So then we'd say, what? Okay, lots of stretches, yin yoga, bringing and ramping down that cortisol response, that exercise response, maybe that fight or flight that you worked out in, right? Or if the person stays in fight or flight a lot because of stress, then what we want to do is say, Okay, you're going to, you know, it would be beneficial to do a 10 minute meditation a day where you're just lying still breathing. It'd be very beneficial to stimulate the vagal nerve so you can begin to get more into relaxation, and then do your stretching right? So you're not stretched all wrapped up then continuing on this person, it will take longer to respond to endurance training. So--because their response level is way back here. The complexities of that involve the uptake of oxygen, which is this part, some of the injury, but also this has to do with beta oxidation, which is using fat stores for energy. And that's one of the things that endurance can do. Well, then if you slide back here and say, well, wait a minute, they make a lot of fat. Yes. They make it quickly. Yes. But because of this inflammation, they don't release it quickly. And so it's really important to understand that, that no matter with all the good effort, it's just going to take more time, and it's just going to take an individual to be very patient with themselves to be able to achieve their goals. And we can find supplemental support, because the supplemental support is going to come here in the recovery. How can we create a reactive or active recovery for an individual? Now, having more rest after workout is good, but there's protein, there's creatine, those l-carnitine, there's vitamin C, there is methylation support, there is proper hydration and good rest. And all of those, those are seven things that we can look at for recovery in or after your activity and your workout. And those all have results and reports within your genomic findings. And so because you have those and you can understand those, you can best design a recovery program for this individual so they can have supported recovery, they can have supportive rest. They can have active recovery that supports their body's ability to get ready again. And then we get into the nutrients. And these are the nutrients that are

needed for this individual: 12:50

essential fatty acids, choline, because that supports methylation, folate, gluten is not an issue. Vitamin D is a, has a higher requirement, vitamin B12, and vitamin C. So using those things then in active support of the body while recovering will help with the energy prescription by itself, and it will help that recovery phase so when the workout is put together, you have more success, and then you can avoid injury. You can achieve your fitness goals in a timely manner according to your genes. So that's the way that that goes. Now. And that's the genomic way, the Hero's Genome. When we come back from a break here, we're going to have a momentary break, I'm going to talk to you about something else, but when we come back, we're going to have our section on Gadgets, Gimmicks, and Gotchas, and this one's going to be a fun one, so stay tuned. I'll be right here for when you come back. Hi. Dr. Louder here. Thank you for listening to the podcast. I want to talk to you about, if I can get this into the camera, I'm not sure that I can, because it's nice and shiny. Boom, boom, ba-doom, boom, boom. This is called, let me turn the light off. There we go. This is called mycoVIM. Do not try this at home. This is dangerous. Do not try this at home. No, try this at home, but don't try putting it into the camera at home. MycoVIM is the signature formula that I made for core support of adaptogen mushrooms, and it's got five mushrooms in there. So how do you know which one's doing the work? They all do the work. How do you know which one you need? You need them all. Why? Well, I did the research. Figured it out. We do have individual bottles of the five different mushrooms, but then we found that really, just combining them all together gave us some of the best results and the easiest way to take it. So we've got in here, reishi, cordyceps, Lion's Mane, Turkey Tail, Chaga. Great mushrooms. And this is or--an organic formula. It's made, the mushrooms are grown in America. They are reduced and processed, and it's the fruiting body of the mushroom. And then also it's made into a tincture with glycerin. And so because of that, it's easy to take. Kids can take it. There's no alcohol in it, doesn't burn when it goes down. Tastes like mushrooms, you know, which sometimes people say taste like the earth, which is great, but this adaptogen formula helps with energy, focus, calm, sleep. Well, how can I do all of that? Well, the mushrooms have this innate ability to understand what your body needs. It helps create short chain fatty acids and beta glucans. Those are great buzzwords for me as a doctor to say that helps your cells go round, that helps your energy pick up, that helps your antioxidizing, that helps your body recover. So, this formula is something you want to try, and you can find it on our website, at drmarylouder.com, and it's called MycoVIM, five mushroom blend. Alright. Stay with us now. Back to the podcast. Welcome back to our segment now of Gadgets, Gimmicks and Gotchas, where we are going to separate tools that support your soul and your journey from the wellness woo. So today, in our gadgets, gimmicks and gotcha corner, we're going to cozy up to something that's oily, old and been around for a while. It's called the castor oil pack. Now if you've never heard of a

castor oil pack, picture this: 16:48

a flannel cloth soaked gently in golden oil, warmed and placed over your belly or low back, just kind of like a loving hug. No blinking lights, no Bluetooth, no monthly subscription, just a practice has been passed down through the ages, and dare say, it has stuck around for a good reason. So let's unpack this. What is a castor oil pack, and why are people using it, right? Castor oil comes from the racinus Communis plant, and it contains a uniquely fatty acid called racinolinic acid, which has a known anti inflammatory properties. The scientific research in terms of clinic--scientific studies is limited, but clinical studies do support Castor oils, used for skin hydration, pain relief, and even a natural laxative, and it's recognized in traditional medicine and integrated practices for its gentle support of the liver, the digestion, lymphatic flow and even some gynecological symptoms like painful periods or low back pain with menstruation. So how do you use one the basic recipe, take a clean piece of unbleached cotton or wool flannel, soak it in the cold pressed castor oil until it's saturated but not dripping, place it on the area you want. I'm going over my liver and cover it with a plastic wrap or old towels to protect your clothes. You add a heating pad or hot water bottle on top. Lie back. Here's the fun part. Relax for 45 to 60 minutes, and some say this really get a lovely parasympathetic response and relaxation. So you're not just applying oil in that time, you're creating a space for your body to rest, digest and restore. So let's run through a few of its common uses to see what these castor oil packs are good for: digestive relief, constipation, bloating and sluggish belly, menstrual cramps or endometriosis--Endometriosis pain. Liver support, especially if you're doing a detox. Joint aches, inflammation, knees, back pain, hip pain, lymphatic drainage and gentle nudge for our immune and detox systems and then skin hydration. And this can even help with healing some minor wounds, bruises, things like that. Deep bruises. Now is there a randomized, controlled study proving that castor oil detoxes your liver? Nope, but what we know--and does the, and does the castor oil, does it pull toxins out of through your skin? Nope, not that we know of. But by supporting the circulation, the lymphatic flow, the movement, the heat and reducing inflammation, that physiological basis, many patients report that they feel better when they use this. And I have seen where if a person goes through a detoxification with their liver, and we use castor oil packs to support in support of that, it tends to be a little easier to go through the detox, it tends to have a greater effect, and people are able to just gently receive a detox response. And so that means liver enzymes might change. That could mean the sluggishness of digestion, brain fog that goes along with that, and fatigue, sometimes hot flashes as well, because sometimes hot flashes are from congested or kind of a sluggish liver. The ritual itself, by lying down, applying the warmth and being still for an hour, might be part of the medicine too, just because in our, you know, hustle bustle world, the healing sometimes is even just in the slowing down. So if you're using the packs regularly, store your cloth in a glass container in the fridge and swap it out every few weeks because you don't want it to discolor or to get a funky smell to it. And there are some cautions in using this, because this does work. You don't want to use castor oil packs if you are pregnant or want to get pregnant, because it can stimulate uterine contractions. And in fact, we used to talk about this when I delivered babies earlier in my career, we'd say, okay, so you're ready to deliver. You're at 40 weeks. You don't have any contractions. Let's give you castor oil and send you on a bumpy road, because we knew that that would start contractions. Now we didn't ever do that truly, but that was always something we did say to our patients. And also, don't use it on broken skin. Try a patch test if you have sensitive skin, just to make sure you're okay with it, don't microwave the pack. Pro tip there. Kaboom comes to mind. So let's do a drum roll. Is this a gadget, a gimmick, or a gotcha? This one, my friends, is a gadget. And it's not just any gadget. It's an old soul type of gadget cause it's been around for a long time. And I'd invite you to to use the the caster oil packs as a wise elder, respectfully, slowly in consistency, and enjoy your ritual around that. So while the research is catching up to this, the lived experience of many of my patients say that castor oil packs are a healing ritual that are worth keeping in your toolbox. Well, folks, that ends another episode. I'm glad that you were with us today in the Dr Mary Louder Podcast, talking about energy, activity, recovery and our gadgets, gimmicks and gotchas. Don't forget to look up mycoVIM, it's a great remedy for you as well. See you next time and have a great day. Thanks for being with us.