L&L Insider - June 9th

Hi friend,

Welcome to your Longevity & Lifestyle Insider with the latest insights for your optimization journey!

1. A Topic I’m Researching - Managing Dopamine To Improve Focus, Drive & Motivation

I recently deep-dived into Stanford Professor Andrew Huberman’s research on how dopamine affects focus, drive, and motivation, where he offers some tips for managing dopamine levels in order to improve these cognitive functions.

“Dopamine is about wanting, not about having,” according to Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatry and behavioral sciences professor and the chief of the Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic at Stanford on the Huberman Lab Podcast. Contrast this with serotonin which, simplified, “is associated not so much with “wanting” but with feelings of well-being about what we already have.”

By understanding dopamine regulation, we can enhance our motivation and productivity. One key to this is establishing a healthy baseline of dopamine and then ensuring to maintain healthy dopamine levels without excessive dopamine spikes from stimulants like caffeine and sugar.

The chemical messenger dopamine is used in planning and thinking and also helps us stay focused and interested.

Dopamine can determine how we feel pleasure and even affect our behavior and physical functions such as pain processing, movement, learning, attention, sleep, lactation, and more.

Here are some recommended ways from Andrew Huberman to maintain and manage healthy dopamine levels:?

• Early Sunlight - 10-30 minutes daily of early morning sunlight causes a dopamine release, and if done consistently, levels of gene expression for certain dopamine receptors will increase as well. Make sure to avoid sunglasses and don’t look directly at the sun.?
• Cold Showers/Exposure - A 1-3 minute cold shower can increase dopamine concentrations by 250 percent - ADHDers take note!
• Eat Foods Rich in Tyrosine - Tyrosine is an amino acid and a dopamine building block that helps to sustain your dopamine production. Tryrosine-rich foods include red meat, nuts, and hard fermented cheese (such as Parmesan, Gruyère (my fav!), and Cheddar).
• Caffeine - has the benefit of increasing dopamine receptor availability while mildly increasing dopamine levels. Caffeine (approx. 100-400mg) taken as coffee or tea will do the job. Just make sure to avoid caffeine after 2 pm to not interfere with your sleep.?
• What To Avoid - melatonin supplements (which can decrease dopamine levels) and blue light aka Junk Light after sunset as this reduces (drastically!) the amount of circulating dopamine due to the activation of the habenula region of your brain.?

2. Why You Should Probably Avoid Oat Milk?

Oat milk has experienced a tremendous surge in popularity as a dairy alternative in recent years, primarily owing to its perceived health benefits and its comparatively positive environmental impact. According to a study, in the United States alone oat milk retail sales witnessed a remarkable growth of over 50% to over $520 million in 2022.

While oat milk may appear to be a smart choice, many oat milk products on the market contain glyphosate - an herbicide linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization, as well as containing inflammatory seed oils, additives, and even added sugars.?

Even brands that boast a simple three-ingredient list of water, oats, and salt may still contain phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that can hinder the absorption of essential nutrients. A study found that “popular oat cereals, oatmeal, granola, and snack bars come with a hefty dose of the weed-killing poison in Roundup” and glyphosate, linked to cancer.

So what to do? I use organic almond or coconut milk which is a great plant-based alternative with lower calories and glycemic load and less likely to contain glyphosate.?

If you don’t want to give up your oats completely, you can reduce the phytic acid by soaking your oats overnight and rinsing them off before consuming them or making your own oat milk.?

3. Latest Podcast Episode -? Dr. Dominik Nischwitz aka Dr. Dome On Healing Chronic Inflammation Through Biological Dentistry

“Any chronic health issue you can come up with is usually connected to something in your mouth.” - Dr. Dominik Nischwitz aka Dr. Dome, Specialist for Biological Dentistry

My guest Dr. Dominik Nischwitz is the world’s leading biological dentist and author of “It's All in Your Mouth: Biological Dentistry and the Surprising Impact of Oral Health on Whole Body Wellness.”

He is considered a pioneer in the field and his goal is to establish biological dentistry as the new standard of health optimization.?

In this episode, he reveals the truth about root canals, wisdom teeth extractions, toxic dental materials, and other common dental practices, and explains what biological dentistry is and how it can be used to heal the mouth and the whole body.

Check out the episode with Dr. Dominik Nischwitz aka Dr. Dome on the Longevity & Longevity website where you can find the Show Notes, great quotes from the episode, the transcript, links to products and people mentioned, and more!!

Remember to also share your favorite podcast episode with your friends to help share how they too can be living at their best!

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As always, thank you for reading, and choose to live well!

Warmest,

Claudia