Health in Focus with Jacobus

005 - DHA and Related Nutritional Factors, with Edward Dratz, PhD

Dr. Edward Dratz, Ph.D. is a Professor in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. His research focuses primarily on Alzheimer's, Cognitive Function, and Type-2 Diabetes. Within that framework we discuss the omega-3 essential fat DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid).
Dr. Dratz enjoys teaching at any level, from toddlers to graduate students, and adults alike. You can hear his energy in this podcast.
 
Contact him at dratz@montana.edu  
(Please mention in the email subject you heard him on this podcast)
 
This interview took place on March 23, 2023
 
3:12 - What are the topics we talk about?
3:50 - What is DHA? And why is this fat so important?6:09 - Ocean fish is high in EPA/DHA.
8:04 - The two types of essential fatty acids; and their breakdown in the body.
11:09 - Many common foods are very high in Omega-6.
13:08 - DHA is an antidote to a peanut butter sandwich, and/or to a bad diet.
13:45 - Fructose is something we don't need in our diets. It affects us negatively. Rat experiments can be very helpful. Are all fish oils equal quality?
18:53 - How about vegans/vegetarians: What option do they have? The immune system can improve with more DHA.
20:49 - Experiment with school children giving them supplemental DHA for three month period: Reading skills improved dramatically, as well as children with behavioral issues.
24:47 - Dr. Dratz' dealings with the NIH (incl. the National Institute of Nursing Results, and the National Institute of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine).
29:00 - Similar success was found in a study at Oxford University, in England. Readers who were the poorest readers actually improved the most. Mentioning of a study from 2002 about the benefits of DHA on ADHD, and dopamine production.
32:05 - Recommended daily dosages for EPA and DHA, starting at moderate levels. DHA can also be beneficial for thoughts of suicide and postpartum depression. In a 20-year study of nurses about their diets: those with highest omega-3 levels in the blood had 50% less cancer and heart disease.
38:55 - Difference between grass-fed and grain-fed animals.
40:53 - Studies with Native American children, and what these students learned while working in the laboratory.
42:14 - EPA converting into DHA: depending on the presence of Omega-6s. Dr. Dratz' collaboration with universities in Australia. DHA studies with people suffering from anxiety.
47:55 - Contact information and closing.

004 - Autoimmune Disease and Adverse Childhood Experiences, with Marion Bachra

MARION R. BACHRA, MS, RD, LN, CECP
Specialties are Trauma-Informed:
Clinical Nutritionist, Traditional Chinese Herbalist, Certified Emotion Code Practitioner
Her Trauma-Informed approach is to help foster the Inner Healer that is within all of us and to help remove obstacles for the full manifestation of that Inner Healer within. She currently sees herself as a mediator and a guide to help her clients achieve their goals and reasons for their visits with her and whatever else unfolds.
As a Trauma-Informed Clinical Nutritionist:
Marion places an emphasis on metabolic imbalances, eating disorders, and weight loss which spans vast areas and includes the assessment of cardiovascular metabolism, blood sugar metabolism, digestive function & adequacy while considering the emotional and mental health challenges of each client, to help foster a healthy, balanced, and compassionate self-care while exploring what the potential obstacles are to this compassionate self-care.
As a Trauma-Informed Traditional Chinese herbalist:
Through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine she does an assessment that considers the client’s symptoms, signs, tongue and pulses, with the goal to help foster the Inner Healer and to help reestablish Inner Balance through the lens of different Chinese Organ Domain Patterns which are mostly functional and energetic and not so much structural and localized in one particular organ, but can include a particular organ, hence Organ Domain Patterns.
As a Trauma-Informed & Certified Emotion Code Practitioner:
The Emotion Code, developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, is a very efficient method for tracking down trapped emotions and helping the person to release these trapped emotions to help foster that Inner Healer.  Trapped Emotions are those emotions that you have previously experienced but were overwhelming to you and so you have these stowed away. These trapped emotions can come from many sources: preconception (trapped before birth), prenatal (trapped or absorbed during pregnancy), inherited (from mom/dad/both), absorbed, or shared. 
 
Program Notes:06:00… What is an Autoimmune Disease? What are some of the body’s responses? All diseases have an emotional component. Diseases being genetic versus epigenetic.11:35… Different “more obscure” autoimmune diseases. Amy Myers, MD, and Bruce Lipton, PhD about epigenetics. Environment can turn-on and turn-off our genes. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) can affect our negative genes. 17:45… Amy Myers writes about connection between autoimmune disease and leaky gut. Marion elaborates. She felt there was a huge piece missing; especially ACE’s. Explaining some of the work of Bessel van der Kolk, MD and his book The Body Keeps the Score. Somatic experiencing for many works better than talk therapy.27:10… Michael Platt, MD’s book Adrenaline Dominance, highlighting fibromyalgia disorder. How are leaky gut and ACE’s connected? Dis-regulation of the autonomic nervous system affects everything through the vagus nerve. Jacobus talks about the brain (coach) versus the body (athlete) and how these two communicate through symptoms and cravings. Different stages of symptoms that keep aggravating and can turn into chronic disease(s).38:54… Marion’s own story about autoimmune pancreatic disorder starting in 2014. As years have gone by she realized how complex the autonomic nervous system is to work with. Trying to figure things out intellectually instead of from the heart. You need to discover self-compassion for self-discovery and healing.47:15… Adverse Childhood Experiences. Why can they be overwhelming? What is mis-attunement? Losing your authentic self, and losing your connection with your parents can affect one’s direction in life; emotional scars can affect our immune system. Trauma(capital-T) versus trauma (lower-t): trauma is not the event itself, but the feelings afterwards. Trauma is held in our nervous system. If mis-attunement is never restored it can turn into Trauma (Capital-T). Pre-verbal trauma.57:35… Neglect and abuse: these are polar opposites. Poly-vagal perspective, Ventral vagal, or the Window of Tolerance (Hyper-Arousal, Hypo-Arousal, Optimal Window.) How is this affecting our digestion? Sympathetic: more risk of diarrhea; para-sympathetic: more risk for constipation.1:11:59… Quick recap. “Energy” is vibration, which can create shape; dis-regulated energy can cause vibration/shape deregulation. Not everyone with leaky gut has autoimmune disease; nor does everyone with autoimmune disease suffer with leaky gut. Functional medicine practice and limitations.1:16:35… Video from PolyVagal Institute about the Vagal System (1:26:02… end.)      J & M elaborate on the video1:28:25… Importance of parents to keep continuing to “work” on themselves. Stephen Porges, Ph.D., developer of the Poly-Vagal Theory, head of NICABM (National Institute of Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine.)1:33:20… Kaiser Permanente research study on Adverse Childhood Experiences (1995-1997, 17,000 participants). What makes this a hallmark study? Marion explains the possible effects of ACE’s on emotions, chronic diseases, and attempted suicides. www.AcesTooHigh.com.1:45:10… Is this type of research actually applied? Counselors should actually do more continuous education about somatic/body trauma. We have drug-based medicine; the complexity of trauma is not really being taught. And how about Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).1:51:07… Diagnosing an autoimmune disease is important, then we have to look for causes. Why can mis-attunement also be called invisible ACE? Classic form of mis-attunement is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) according to Gabor Maté. But it should better be called Authenticity Deficit Disorder.1:56:24… Where can people go for more information about these topics? www.NICABM.com, deep breathing, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)/Tapping; Somatic Therapy (Peter Levine, Ph.D.)/www.SomaticExperiencing.com. Book: “Parenting from the Inside Out” Dan Siegel, MD, www.DrDanSiegel.com

003 - An Introduction to Astrology, with Andi Jones

Andi attended the University of Central Arkansas, where she earned her first degree in the fields of Psychology and Philosophy, and later went back for a second time to study nutrition. She has always been intrigued by the way that different people think, perceive, and interact with the world around them. This curiosity eventually led her to the practice of astrology, which is the study of the alignment of the planets at the moment a person was born. Astrologers claim that the divine organization of the universe at any given moment in time can tell us something about the energetic nature of that moment, as well as give us insight into the minds and lives of the people who were born in that moment.
Contact info/email: karma.astrology11@gmail.com
 
Program Notes:01:35… Intro03:15… What is Astrology? 04:55… Why do people use astrology? Ephemeris? 09:10… Are there famous people who use astrology? 11:50… What do you need to know before you start practicing astrology? What different kinds do we have and what’s the difference? Western/Tropical astrology and Eastern/Vedic astrology. Why are these important to understand? 17:40… Why are people so interested in astrology? 24:45… Do people feel that the astrological “blueprint” is reductive, and puts people in a box? 27:40… What is the importance of your “rising sign?” What is a “house” in astrology? Andi explains all these houses. 38:20… Andi explains Jacobus’ chart.47:40… How does she use astrology in personal practice? It has become a second language for her. When was she introduced to it; and how did it become her interest?55:00… The Myers Briggs personality assessment tests. Astrology versus personality tests?1:00:25… The analogy of the Ship of Theseus. The Big Five personalities.1:04:50… Is astrology a subjective practice of self-understanding? Andi explains the Mercury placement, -energy, and -patterns.1:09:00… How does it work for twins, or triplets? There is always a male (Mars)/female (Venus) energy, which can actually adapt over time. How can the understanding of  astrology help in the field of health and healing?1:17:54… How can someone “become” a mass murderer or criminal in their life? Or how can someone change personality all of a sudden? Ted Bundy’s conjunction. Soldiers dying in war at the same time; or people dying during natural disaster. Saturn/Pluto conjunction in 1914.1:22:19… Was there a specific COVID conjunction? Again, Saturn/Pluto conjunction in early 2020. Will it happen again in the near future? Richard Tarnas’ book “Cosmos and Psyche - Intimations of a New World View.”1:25:47… What are the biggest mistakes people make when talking about astrology?1:30:01… Does Andi attract certain specific individuals and energies? Has astrology explained her relationships with others. 1:34:37… Explaining Saturn Return. What Saturn Return means to each of us.1:39:34… Can someone actually “believe” in astrology? Astrology is not a practice of how you should morally conduct yourself in the world. Astrology has taught her that the universe is neutral.1:47:50… How do you explain the practice of astrology? Why is astrology based on patterns? Correlation versus causation.1:54:45… Do you consider astrology to be a science? There is an observation which is followed by looking at synchronistic overlaps between planets. How can we check the scientific patterns of astrology?2:02:07… How can people benefit from practicing astrology? People are abandoning traditional organized religion.That is a problem. Astrology is a conceptional model that is based in a scientific discipline; and it is expansive. This may help people to, once again, make sense of the world around them.2:07:50… How can a planet correlate with certain behaviors, but not be the cause of certain emotions? Lunar (“Lunatic”) cycles and correlation with psychiatric emergency room visits. 2:12:00… Most people rather hear the good stuff, not the negative things. Tips of how NOT to practice astrology? What to focus on when just getting into the studies of astrology, or when seeing a professional astrologer? Allopathic medicine often makes fatalistic predictions without including the possibility of miracles.2:21:31… Do true Christians accept astrology? How often should people have their astrological chart done? And what chart-options are there? Try not to be closed-off in your approach to the information. The progressive chart: 90 days after being born represents 90 years in your life. Transit chart: what’s happening in your life right now today.2:31:20… Benefic Planets versus Malefic planets. Family dynamics are often great or challenging at times because of different individual charts. Stephen Forrest book “Inner Sky.”2:38:02… End

002 - Build Muscle, Strengthen Bones, Lose Fat, with Rick Brunner

Rick Brunner is an applied scientist and health coach with 35 years of experience educating many professional- and college coaches and athletes, as well as several thousand middle-aged and senior men and women. His passion is educating people over age 40 how to build strong muscles and bones while burning fat.
Email: rickfbrunner@yahoo.com 
 
Program Notes:5:07 … Not just people 40 and up, also young men are concerned about hormone drop.6:37 … The importance of the scientific data in the journals. Examples of how to exercise.11:21 … Functional stress on the body through exercise: burning fat and building muscle. Where and how to exercise.14:56 … Resistance exercise and stimulating brain activity through a protein called irisin, produced in muscle contractions.16:25 … Statistics (Johns Hopkins University) about warning for rise in central obesity by the year 2030. What can we do now? What part do we the people not understand about this prediction?19:57 … Weight Loss versus Fat loss. Understanding mitochondria. Brown fat cells - white fat cells - beige fat cells. Subcutaneous fat, fat cells in the belly, fat around the organs and muscles (fatty muscle). Glucose Transport-4 (Gluc-4), Insulin’s role.27:57 … High Blood Sugar is a muscle problem. What are the four pillars to work on this issue: Diet - Exercise - Intermittent Fasting - Supplements. 31:43 … Rick’s approach to Intermittent Fasting. What is “mTOR?” What is AMPK? What is “PGC-1alpha?” Anabolic/Catabolic. The problem with yo-yo diets. What does the term “glycemic” mean? 38:29 … Over-fat versus Over-weight. How to figure out fat loss? Look in the mirror and/or use tape measure. Now, what is your plan? 42:16 … Exercising later in the day, followed by eating late? How about making shakes? Rick’s eating plan is different than it will be for others. Perhaps it’s better to have a big lunch. What fats to use in a shake. 47:29 … More research studies. Mitochondria and ATP. Fat cells can turn into inflammatory cells, perhaps causing systemic pain. Autophagy or Mitophagy: cleaning out the trash. The difference between flow and stagnant pond. We want to make more new mitochondria.54:55 … Working on the neuromuscular system with the four pillars as well, especially as we get older. We have to create the environment for our own future. 56:37 … Diet and the importance of digestion. What do carbohydrates do to us? What’s the function of the digestive tract? Are probiotics the answer to our intestinal woes; or do we need to look higher up the tract? Jacobus explains his understanding of what happens during digestion, and why the stomach and duodenum are so important.1:12:29 … How does this affect the Gut-Brain axis? The dangers of proton pump inhibitors on the importance of stomach acid. Symptoms of gas, bloating, acid reflux, GERD, etc. and too much/too little stomach acid. 1:17:09 … How do we still get energy if we are not breaking-down and absorbing our food? Efficiency versus stagnation.1:21:15 … COVID has affected the older generation in their flow. It just depends on how we adapt to the viruses we are exposed to. This has caused stress; how we need to create functional stress. We need to have that “plan” in place. Rick explains his workout routine.1:28:35 … Confusion about taking supplements/pills with your food. Your “plan” will work with the right timing. Rick’s development of new supplements to support his four pillars. How many hours are considered fasting; and what is a fat-burning cycle?1:34:16 … How couples can avoid becoming complacent. The dynamic between them is important to have success. We all need to lose unnecessary weight. 1:39:29 … The body is very complex; science about it is ever-changing. Rick’s upcoming paperback book. Today 5% of people over 65 year old are healthy; the rest are not. In part because they don’t do it because they don’t know where to start and how to create a plan. If no change: by 2030: 80% of women will be centrally obese, 55% of men. Things have continued to get worse since 1995.1:42:40 … 7-8 year old study shows that the average American over the age of 65 years old takes between 8 and 9 prescription drugs daily! Supplements supplement our diet and lifestyle, NOT replace them. Making some positive changes can be noticed relatively quickly, like two months.

001 - Welcome to Health in Focus With Jacobus

This is a short introduction about Jacobus' nineteen years of experience doing radio shows about health, healing, and healthy lifestyles, as well as what you can expect from this new podcast.