Optimizing Health Through Nutrition and Sleep

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High Iron Levels

Garrett writes

Robb and Nicki,

I just listened to episode 202, Robb mentioned as an aside that he has high iron levels. I have the same issue, because I lived in Sweden during X years I am not able to donate blood here in the USA. What are some other means to remedy this? I’ll add my values below from InsideTracker testing. 128 to 275 ug/dl range over 5 tests from the last 3 years. 34 year old fit male, diet is paleo + rice + whiskey. Protein sources are whey casein powder, chicken and red meat.

Thank you!

Garrett

Optimal Glucose level

Tracie writes:

Greetings from Spokane, WA! I reread the Paleo solution after Thanksgiving and have been pretty convinced I’ll be sticking with the changes I made for life. I feel fantastic. Most of my digestive issues are gone, mood has improved, and I’m lifting more weight for more sets! I do have some anxiety/IBS that runs on my mom’s side and I often feel pretty turned up, so I decided to give one of the Dexcom Stelo continuous glucose monitors a try. I was particularly stressed at work in December hiking around the woods in the snow as a forester. I noticed I’d wake up like clockwork at 11 pm and 1:30-2 am having trouble getting back to sleep, which seemed like a blood sugar low issue. Turns out I do dip down to 71 mg/dL but I’m very much in their recommended target range 99% of the time (with a little dip below 70 and so far not above 129 mg/dL post breakfast when there are tubers involved. When I wake up I’m just under 100. My question is what would you guys recommend is a more optimal glucose range? I feel like my fasted glucose in the morning should be in the 70s, and that having my blood sugar be more like 110 max after a meal would be more ideal. However, if you look/perform/feel great does it really matter? I know from your previous guests that bio individuality makes a difference and we shouldn’t try to always be an A+ student. A “B” in OCHEM gets you the credit! My glucose level throughout the day is very steady around 100, I eat every 4 hours max. Breakfast at 6, a venison epic bar and satsuma tangerine at 10, chicken soup at 11:30-12:30, another venison bar and tangerine at 2:30, and dinner at 5. Breakfast and dinner is 4 ounces lean animal protein, 1/4 cup each color of fruit/vegetable, a little fat and salt for flavor.

For some reference: I am a 34.5 year old female, 153 lbs, my sister is on an SSRI inhibitor/we have a family history of anxiety on moms side, familial hypercholesterolemia on dad side (so glucose control is important for avoiding heart disease) I eat 125-145 grams of protein from flank steak/smoked salmon/chicken/epic venison bars, 75-110 grams carbs from fruits/tubers/veggies, and 50-70 grams fat from animal proteins, some nuts, olive/avocado oil…and then a few times a month I stress eat some mostly paleo compliant junk snacks at work like eat a whole bag of coconut chocolate chip gluten free hippie cookies, or eat a whole Hu chocolate bar and a small bag of kettle sea salt and vinegar chips. I’m not a perfect angel, but I am 85% there. I sleep 11 hours on the weekend (cortisol induced likely), but mostly 8-8.5 with the occasional 7.8 hours. I have a lot of things going on: day job, trying to start a business, chasing moose through the woods, some of its great fun and the excitement seems to get me going too. So I have some dietary and personality factors that might drive my glucose a little higher than ideal.

Lead Testing

Mari writes:

Hello from North Idaho, I’m a long time listener and long time enjoyer of LMNT. I’ve recently become more concerned about heavy metals in what I’m consuming. I wanted to not pay attention to the chocolate situation a couple years ago because my HU bar addiction is not something I want to part with, but more keeps coming out. Recent testing done by “Clean Label Project” found a bunch of lead and cadmium in protein powders, with organic and chocolate flavored protein powders testing particularly high. I get that its a soil the chocolate in grown in thing (right?), and maybe also where/how its stored during processing?

Anyways, to my point- I have an all winter long, morning LMNT hot chocolate routine. I’m also currently trying to get pregnant, so I thought I’d try to look into testing and I saw this immediately:

LMNT Raw Unflavored Electrolyte Drink Mix Tests Positive for Lead: November 2024 Laboratory Report

Trustworthy? No idea, which is why I was hoping you could speak to it.

Thanks always for your courage and wisdom,

Mari

Lead Testing

Hazel writes: 

Hi Robb and Nicki, 

I've been meaning to write to you on this topic for quite some time. I remember a few years ago there was a big to-do about heavy metals in chocolate - specifically lead and cadmium. The assertion was made, by whom I don't remember, that virtually all chocolate contained dangerous amounts of lead and we were all destined for lead poisoning if we kept eating our daily dark chocolate square. Much internet ink was spilled on the subject. Robb, you mentioned at that point that you were planning to write a piece about the bioavailabilty of that lead and whether we were really in danger. Did that ever get written? If so, please share the link!

This question has come up for me again, but this time in a much broader context: there is a person on the internet who goes by the name Lead Safe Mama whose website contains pages and pages of highly alarming claims about the lead content of virtually any consumer good you can imagine - from children's and prenatal vitamins to pantry staples and cookware. She gathers this information by sending the products to a third-party lab for testing (related question: how reliable is your average third-party lab for this kind of stuff?). I don't doubt that we do have a lead contamination issue with any number of our consumer products, the same way we have a serious microplastics issue. And indeed, the LSM has been responsible for several recalls of glass products over the years based on her testing, so she's on to something. But I'm hoping you can provide more nuance to the claim that such a vast array of our products contain dangerous quantities of lead that our bodies are unable to detoxify. Do I need to add this to my ever-growing list of things to worry about? Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this. 

Unrelated stuff that is too rambling to read on the pod: I REALLY value the work that you do and view you as an important voice of reason on many issues. I've been a regular listener of the show since the summer of 2020. Came for the health Q&A. Stayed for the commentary on Covid lunacy, public health, food systems, politics, and homeschooling. And who doesn't love a dog-meets-cadaverine anecdote from time to time? (Remind me the upside of pet ownership??!) Finally, the episode you did on vaccines was chilling but necessary and I thank you for sticking your neck out on that. I too deeply regret vaccinating my older child, despite pursuing a selective schedule, delaying as long as possible, only doing one dose at a time, etc. Still wish I hadn't fucking done it at all.

Anyway. Keep fighting the good fight. We need you. Oh and my favorite LMNT is Citrus Salt!  

All the Best, 

Hazel