Summary of ICC's Cracking the Wellness Code Health Summit

Today I attended the Health Summit, Cracking the Wellness Code organized by the India community center. The summit had an impressive line of speakers - 11 MDs and a health tech entrepreneur. This was a great event and helped answer many health related questions I had. I am presenting the summary of the talks here, so that this can benefit others and so that I can also come back to it later. You could also watch the recordings here.

It was interesting to see that there was fair amount of disagreement between the doctors at the summit itself, e.g. regarding ghee. I consider that a good sign as that shows that the organizers invited doctors from a diverse background. However, there were a lot of similarities also. If you are short on time, you could jump to the summary section in the end.

I tried my best to capture the notes, but it's highly likely I might have gotten something wrong. Please take the following with a pinch of salt.


Keynote: Food that gets us hooked and how to get unhooked - Dr Neal Barnard, MD

• Sugar triggers dopamine release.
• Cheese is bad. It's high fat, 70% saturated fat. 
• Milk related to infertility. Milk is rich in estrogen. Men who consumed more milk had lower sperm count. Women who consumed more cheese / butter had 49% more chances of breast cancer. 
• Dairies are to cruel to cows. They are forcibly impregnated every year. The calf and the cows are separated at birth. If you live near a farm, you can hear their cries at night. Dr Barnard, comes from a family of cattle farmers, so he has seen this firsthand.
• Animal protein can harm kidneys.
• How to get Calcium without milk? Only 30% calcium in milk is absorbed by our body. Green veggies (Broccoli, Kale, Brussel sprouts etc) have a much higher absorption ratio. Spinach has lots of calcium but doesn't have a high absorption ratio.
• Keto / Low carb diets - Every ~17 years low carb diets come back. You do lose weight but you end up with higher cholesterol in the end. Also it becomes much harder to come back to normal food afterwards. Mortality is also higher.
• Soy milk - Internet says soys have hormones that can cause cancer / hormonal imbalance. Soy doesn't cause infertility e.g. China, Japan consume a lot of Soy but don't really have any issues. Women who consumed Soy had less breast cancer.  Women who avoided soy have high Mortality. You don't necessarily need to have it. But consuming it doesn't hurt it either.
• Ghee - It's bad too. But there is always pain in going away from traditions.
• Is Veganism suitable for kids / in pregnancy - Always good.
• How to complete nutrition - veggies, legumes, fruits, whole grains
• Supplements : B12 supplement (used to comes from bacteria). How much? Lowest dose you can find, all have more than what we need. Sunlight for D. O/w take D supplement.
• Children with Asthama - Veganism is the way.

Talk 2: Prevent and Reverse Chronic Diseases (Diabetes, Obesity and Heart disease) by Treating the Cause - Dr Pankaj Vij, MD

• Obesity #1 cause of: Diabetes, high blood pressure (HBP), Cardio disease, Strokes, Cancer, Sleep apnea.
• Every other person will be obese in the US by 2030
• The bad news: No quick fix. Need long term, sustainable changes.
• All calories are not bad. A shot glass and banana have the same calories, but not the same effect.
• Causes of developing insulin resistance:
• Excessive refined carbs
• Fat overconsumption
• Lack of fiber and micronutrients
• Inflammation, oxidants, toxins
• Inactivty
• Stress, lack of sleep.
• We're hard wired to have an appetite, eat when food is available and hold onto fat.
• Today: Abundance of food, less movement and sleep, constant stress.
• Good news:Treating the root cause can prevent and reverse chronic diseases like : Type 2 Diabetes, Obesity and Heart disease.
• Every bite counts: 80% of health is food, food is medicine not entertainment, it is energy + intelligence.
• How to bring change:
1. Meal timing and frequency: We had a long history of eating 1-2 meals a day, periods of Meal timing and frequency: Long history of 1-2 meals a day, periods of intermittent fasting. We have higher Insulin sensitivity earlier in the day - so should eat more earlier in the day. Know your hunger - is it craving?
2. Resistance exercises / strength training: Positively affects weight loss. In Indian tradition, you had to squat even to go to the bathroom.
3. Sleep
4. Meditation, Pranayama, Nature - to activate parasympathetic nervous system.
5. Set the environment for success - change mindset of growth that you are bettering yourself and not feel miserable. Keep good food in house / office. Surround yourself with health heros.
• T1 diabetes: genetic (10% of all diabetes). Can still be improved. Rest 90% can be completely prevented.
• Soy: No risk of it raising estrogen.
• Intermittent fasting (IF) seems to one of most powerful element. East breakfast like a king, ..... Dinner early and smaller - this helps in sleeping better.
• Things to avoid - sat / trans fat, no meat, diary / cheese / chicken, processed carbs, alcohol, packaged food, namkeen, Sugar.
• Food for good sleep: light meal at night.
• Are supplements good: avoid as much as possible. If you are 100% vegan - omega 3: algae sources, if over 50 - cortisol
• Summary: How to make disease optional -- think like a bear!
• Nutrient dense plant rich colorful diet
• Whole unprocessed diet
• Fasting
• Move a lot
• Sleep
• Left heavy things
• Get outside
• Give bear hugs!

Talk 3: Finding Hidden Joy and Meaning - Dr Mark Moeller, MD

• Tools to be happy:
• Priming - think of a happy memory.
• Framing - state what you think is true in a more helpful and positive way.
• Habits - learning to prime, frame - repeatedly.

Talk 4: Panchakarma - Ancient Biohack to Reset the Gut for Optimal Energy, Immunity & Longevity - Dr Vignesh Devraj, MD, Ayurveda

• Quality of health is the quality of waste elimination. In Ayurveda, how are you is - how are your motions?
• Diseases of overnutrition are harder / more common than undernutrition.
• Ama (posion in ayurveda) - means not me. Niramaya is the state of optimal health.
• In Ayurveda, sweet is sticky. The sweeter it is, harder it is for the body to break is down, consume, eliminate. Sweet IS poison.
• Priority of cleaning: Gut, blood, then body.
• Panchakarma - gut cleaning: helps improves health.
• Alcohol is used as a medicine. Many herbs are mixed with it. That's it. It's a medicine, should be taken like that.
• Ghee: Has high level of omega 3. Anti adhesive. Improves intellect and brain. Ayurveda considers ghee good in moderation. Don't cook in oil.

Talk 5: The Paleovedic Diet: Integrating Early Human Diets and Ayurvedic Medicine - Dr Akhil Palaniswamy, MD

• Approach: 1. Food 2. Spices 3. _ 4. _
• Good diet:
• Fiber
• Variety: Target 20 different type of plant food per week.
• Micronutrients
• Choose the most nutrient foods and veggies.
• Avoid refined grains, vegetable oils, trans fats.
• "When diet is wrong, medicine is no use. When diet is right, medicine is of no need." -Ayurveda
• 3 dosah: Vata, Pitta, Kafa. Imbalance causes disease. Find your body type and eat according to it.
• Good fats: Avocado, Olive oil, ghee, sesame oils
• Spices: Most nutrient dense food, high antioxidants, reduce inflammation, support digestion
• Some veggies are better raw, some cooked. Cooked tomatoes are better.
• Cooked or raw veggies - Broccoli / carrots better raw or lightly cooked.
• Fats and obesity: Eating fat doesn't make you fat in general. For most people good fats are not bad. Moderation is the key.
• Opinion on ghee, coconut and sesame oils: All good.
• Turmeric and black pepper are good. Combine together with good fat and consume.
• Recommended spices: Ginger, cinnamon, methi, cumin, -- mainly 13 spices.
• Keto is extreme. Helps in certain medical condition. Not recommended long term.
• Veg fruit juicing: supplements the nutrition. Shouldn't be majority source. Whole nutrition is better. Use occasionally.

Talk 6: Escaping The Pleasure Trap - Dr Alan Goldhamer, MD

• The question is not how you are going to die, but how you will live?
• Actual causes of death: Tobacco, BP, alcohol, cholesterol, oversight, unsafe sex
• Chemicals that artificially increase Dopamine: Sugar. Increased 1000% since 1986.
• Ice cream - frozen tastes good, melted makes you sick. You can't sense sweetness in cold.
• Bad food: ice cream, bread, sugar, coke
• 25% of calories of teenagers comes from soda drinks.
• Dairy products commonly cause auto immune disease - thyroid, arthritis, etc

Lunch break: Talking to the two Ayurvedic doctors

• Milk / yogurt: Avoid if there is any problem - like inflammation, obesity, auto immune Diseases. Otherwise ok. Not losing out if you don't drink.
• Ghee: it is good. Don't cook it though. 1 or 2 teaspoons a day is recommended.
• In arthritis: Avoid milk, gluten, sugar. Ghee is ok. See Ayurveda doctor. Panchakarma is useful too.

Talk 7: Parenting Style and Obesity in Children -- Dr Seema Kumar, MD

• 1 in 4 child in US is overweight. Old age diseases (diabetes, BP, cholesterol) are becoming common in them.
• Asian Indians: Visceral fat - causes heart diseases.
• Unique factors in Indian household: traditional belief about health and nutrition. Overprotection and forced feeding by parents. We feed children when they are not hungry. Moms feeding 6-7 years old.
• Veg diet can be unhealthy. Fried. Indian hospitality means overfeeding. Over eating sweets.
• Increase pressure for academics. Reduced emphasis on free play and recreational sports.
• Excess weight problem come from lack of self control. Low demand and high reciprocal style parenting helps in developing self control in kids.
• Make kids eat in moderation. Green food can eat in any amount - e.g. salad. Red as less as possible. Yellow ok.
• Get kids involved in grocery shopping and cooking. Start as early as possible. Keep away from sugar.
• Parents need to learn the correct portion size.
• Be a +ve role model. Be proactive before child becomes obese. Family needs to be together in diet and exercise.
• 5210 method: 5 servings of veg and fruits,  < 2 hours of screen time, > 1 hr activity per day, 0 sugary beverage.
• The heavier you are, lower your Vitamin D are. Obesity leads to low D, which leads to high BP and sugar. Vitamin D doesn't affect cholesterol level. There is no good research available.
• Vitamin D vs D3: Vitamin D helps in calcium and phosphorous absorption. Plant derived D2, animal D3. On daily basis,it doesn't matter which. On monthly, take D3.

Talk 8: Diabetes Technology Update - Dr Archana Bindra MD

• Indians 3X most likely than the rest of the world. South India more than North India.
• At the time of diabetes diagnosis, you have already lost 50% of beta cells which manufacture insulin.
• Insulin is needed for glucose to enter cell wall. With insulin resistance, you need extra insulin to make the glucose enter the cells.
• Losing weight can help improve insulin activity.

Talk 9: Fasting Can Save Your Life - Dr  Alan Goldhamer DC

• healthpromoting.com
• Average american will spend their last 10 years in sickness.
• Types of fasting: IF: 8 hours of eating, 16 hours rest. Water only fasting.
• With fasting you need rest. O/w you need glucose for physical and mental activity. For that you will end up burning protein in muscles.
• Cured cancer - 21 day water fasting and plant based diet afterwards
• High BP : Medicines have side effects. How to fix: lose weight, diet, aggressive salt reduction.
• Is fasting safe: can be done safely in young and old people
• All things that go up with exercise, go up with fasting also. Both undo dietary excess
• Fast mechanism:

1. Weight loss
2. Lose excess sodium
3. Detoxification: removes both external and internal toxins
4. Combination of fasting and chemotherapy is more effective them chemo only
5. Restores enzyme functions
6. Cures insulin Resistance
7. Normalizes sympathetic tone
8. Spirituality
9. Enhances immune systems
10. Taste neuroadaption

Talk 10: Seven health hacks I bet you did not know! -  Munjal Shah, Founder Health IQ

1. Old breakfast, New: IF helps. Fasting 72 hrs, 100% WBC gets replaced, new immune system.
2. Old cardio, new: heavy lifting and sprints. Lift 85% of 1 rep max.
3. Old: Burn calories during workout. New: Maximixe after workout. During the last 5 min of exercise, do it as vigorously as possible.
4. Old way: Juicing is super healthy. New: No juicing. Cocunut is exception. Drink black tea.
50% Indians, are lactose intolerance.
5. Old: Diest soda, new: No soda. Artificial sweetners induce gluose intolerance.
6. Old; Switch to whole bread, brown rice. New: Don't eat bread or rice.
7: Old: Everything moderation, new: eliminate. Elimniation is easier to implement.
8: Old: Eat when you are hungry. New: Use glucose monitor.

Figs are not pure vegetarian.


Talk 11 : Diabetes, its complications, and why should you care - Dr Lida Faroqi, MD, Stanford

• Indians can be skinny and diabetic. Indian, above 30 --> get tested.
• Wear shoes that are comfortable. Reduces pressure. Prevents amputations.
• Feel your pulse on feet. First sign begins there.
• Why legs are affected: Furthest point from heart.
• Biggest complications: Kidneys, Eyes, Feet - get tested yearly.
• If you have diabetes / BP medicines once, do you have to take whole like? No, if you can maintain it for 6 months, gradually reduce and remove it.
• What kind of exercise is best: 30 mins a day / 5 days a week can reverse diabetes. Weights - building muscle.
• Stress increases sugar level.

Talk 12: Reversing heart disease and diabetes: When a doctor becomes a patient - Dr Rajiv Misquitta MD

• I couldn't attend most of it. 
• Follow Dean Ornish's diet
• Avoid avocado / nuts / Oils / ghee when you are at extreme danger of heart disease.
• Hummus is great - good for diabetics - have as much as you want
• Movies: Forks over Knife, What the health
• Someone solved 90% blockage -- aashram in Bangalore 45 days (yoga, diet) called vyasa.org
• His diet sample: 

• Breakfast: Oatmeal + berries / Tofu scramble
• Lunch: Bulgar + curry
• Dinner: whole wheat pasta
• Greens twice a day

Talk 13 : Understanding Food Allergies - Dr Sanjiv Jain, MD

• Prevalence of food allergy is going up
• Most common vegetarian food allergens: Peanuts, milk, wheat, soy
• Allergies are increasing because of the increase in hygiene. During childhood, we don't get affected by the bacteria that we used to. Healthy microbiom in gut is critical and plays important role. Highly processed food and antibiotics are responsible for their decay.

Summary:
Though there were quite a few disagreements between the doctors of Ayurvedic and Allopathic schools, here are the topics that were corroborate by both / multiple doctors throughout the day:

• Importance of fasting: Detoxifies the body. Intermittent fasting is good, once a while water fast is good too.
• Strength training: It's important to lift weights (can be body weight based exercises too).
• Milk: Worth experimenting giving up if you are having some problems - auto immune disease, allergies, obesity, bloating.
• Sleep / Be happy / Go out in sunlight / meditate (My addition: may be try Vipasssana?).
• Good fat is good (except when you are in high cardiac risk area).
• Sugar, packaged food, refined carbs are gonna kill you.
• Alcohol is bad. If you want the medicinal properties, may be have a teaspoon a day.
• Supplements: As less as possible. You likely just need to watch out for your D, B12 and omega 3 numbers.
• Eat less (quantity and frequency). We are likely overeating.
• Take care of gut and the bacteria there.

Misc: