Dr. Lekkos is a functional medicine doctor and the founder of Bios Functional Medicine in Santa Monica. He earned his doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the University of North Texas Health Science Center, has a master’s degree in metabolic and nutritional medicine from the University of South Florida Medical College, and is board-certified in anti-aging, regenerative, and functional medicine. Since our previous episode with him was such a hit, we decided to bring him back on to answer some of your questions. This is a hard time, getting medical help is hard in general, and my sincere hope is that something in this episode might make you feel just a little bit better. Dr. Lekkos has two huge pieces of advice if you’d like to live forever, and that is to sleep well and exercise 5x a week. Poor sleep hygiene can result in diabetes, hypertension, dementia, depression, and increased weight loss resistance. The magic sleep number is 7 hours, less than can promote higher risks of cancer. For 10% off most of the suggested supplements below, click HERE, set up an account, click “catalog” then “favorites” then go to the “Everything is the Best” category. Below, please find the recap:
On Sleep:
REM sleep is where your brain repairs itself, to help your body reach REM, you’ll want to make sure you go to sleep and wake up at the same time everyday, try not to drink 2 hours before sleeping. Stay away from THC as it affects REM (CBD does not), sleep in a cold room (65-68 degrees), and avoid blue light before bed.
Suggested night time routine: put phone away, take sleep supplement, hot shower, journal or meditate to clear the mind.
Sleep Supplements:
Melatonin .5-5MG
Magnesium
CBD oil
L-theanine - helps calm down thoughts - 400mg at bedtime
SEX
On Alcohol - The “Healthiest” Way to Drink:
Clear liquor
Women are advised no more than 7 drinks a week, men 15.
If women consume too much alcohol it can increase estrogen levels, which can increase chances of breast cancer, and can disrupt ovulation
Wine - stick to natural. Dry Farm Wines is a great option.
On Mental Health:
Diet to help the brain: gluten free, dairy free, omegas, lots of colorful foods - think from the earth, avoid sugars, avoid processed foods (cans/boxes)
Connect with nature
Working out
Healthy sleep hygiene
On Candida Overgrowth:
You need good bacteria to fight off the bad
Yeast in our body live in a biofilm in order to cure you need to disrupt this film (Interface plus by Klaire Labs is an amazing supplement for this)
Gut bacteria influences other bacteria in the body i.e. sinus, urinary tract
Womens Formula by Klaire Labs HERE, open the capsule and with a wet finger rub it in the probiotic, then you will rub on vagina/urethra (10 days). This helps to repopulate the good bacteria
Healthy Gut on a Budget:
Find out if you have sibo if possible.
If bloating consistency, strip diet down and see what your body feels, try low fodmap!
Remove gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy
Take a probiotic/ digestive enzyme (digestive enzyme- digest gold) with every meal
Try not to drink too much water with your meal
Eat slow! Chew 20-30 times
Get an IGG food sensitivity test, 3 day window for reaction
Curcumin (NOTE: it’s blood thinner) 2-4 grams a day to get immune system to calm down. It’s an antifungal, anticancer, antibacterial, anti inflammatory, and keeps cholesterol down
Leaky gut is usually the root of most issues
Leaky Gut Supplements:
Hydrolyzed collagen protein powder- helps keep gut healthy and seals leaky gut ( Hydrolyzed - already broken down to its most basic form, its highly digestible and consumable)
Eczema (if you’ve eliminated the usual suspects) Psoriasis, acne, rosacea are causes of leaky gut.
On Stress - How to Reduce Stress and Manage Cortisol
Ask yourself - will this matter in 1 month?
Stress and increased cortisol can cause dementia, memory probs, anxiety, depression, thyroid to slow down, infertility, low hormones, diabetes, cancer, obesity - could be managed if learned to keep your cortisol in check
Meditate - loves synctuition, binaural beats data shows that 20 minutes on the app is equivalent to 4 hours of meditation on your brain
Take breaks in the day to walk
Box breathe (4-7-8) breathe in for 4, hold for 7 exhale for 8 **Navy seals have used this technique to lower cortisol in stressful situations (by the third round you'll feel your shoulders drop)
Waking up and grounding yourself + journaling
Supplements to help lower cortisol: Ashwagandha (Twice a day by Daily Nutrients), Maca powder, Cbd oil, DHH-B (Taylor Made Pharmacy, chill pill, protein, hits the same receptor that xanax or valium hits turns it on but not hardocre - two pills 20 min to feel relaxed, great peptide for the brain +good sleep)
Healing Gut + body after a round of antibiotics:
If taken with Lekkos he would have his patience take probiotics with antibiotics, space them out as much as possible (take one in the am one in the pm), double dose of probiotic for a month - 60 days to keep you from eliminating the good bacteria
Lets say you meet Lekkos after your antibiotics, start taking probiotics for 90 days to build the gut up + get it healthy, then you can add prebiotics (food for probiotics)
Kombucha, fermented food, inulin - overdone can do damage
Rebuild gut- acacia fibers, resistant starches (cooked and cooled green bananas, potatoes, and rice gluten free oats
After 90 days of taking probiotics, throw this into your diet here and there to manage probiotics and repair
Everyday Supplements Recommendations:
A good multivitamin - 2 per day caps by Life Extensions (multis should be taken in capsule, easier to digest)
Curcumin
Probiotics
Some sort of cortisol manager
Liposomal Glutathione - master antioxidant, glutathione helps against life stresses to the body, promotes longevity
NAD Nasal Spray - Alive by Science - supports mitochondrial function, promotes anti aging
VitaminD - 5000mg a day