403: Teeth Care Tactics, How To Time Your Protein For Muscle Gain, Biohacking Night Shift Work & Much More!

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Listener Q&A

My Recommended Teeth Care Tactics…37:20

Harrison from Australia asks: I was listening to your recent Vice Debunked podcast and was particularly interested in the topic of activated charcoal in toothpaste. I've recently taken a deep dive into holistic dental care, using only sea salts, sodium bicarbonate and essential oils to keep my mouth hygiene and health strong. I'd like to know what your oral care routine looks like, and what are your thoughts on fluoride, calcium carbonate, artificial sweeteners like Xylitol, and just toothpaste ingredients in general.

In my response, I recommend:

How To Biohack Night Shift Work…55:10

Melissa from Ontario asks: I work on call with very unpredictable and sometimes long hours. A few times a month, I work overnight. Because of the nature of my work, I can't predict which nights I'll be working overnight in advance. I've been devoting 5-6 days per week to crossfit training for the last 2+ years. While I'm trying to make progress with fat loss and muscle gain, I understand that lack of sleep and irregular sleep hinders these goals. I've also heard it can cause cancer in some people. I was wondering if you can provide some insight as to how I can minimize the damage of my chosen profession on my overall health.

In my response, I recommend:

Natural Remedies For Prolonged Periods…01:08

Mike in Graham, WA asks: My fiancé seems to suffer unusually long periods of menstruation. Her periods typically last for 7 days and longer, and they are often very painful. She is strong-willed and skeptical of doctors, thus she has resisted the urgings of myself and her close friends to see a doctor about this issue. Do you have any insight on natural ways to treat this issue, and how I can best support her in making the right decision for her long-term health?

In my response, I recommend:

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27 thoughts on “403: Teeth Care Tactics, How To Time Your Protein For Muscle Gain, Biohacking Night Shift Work & Much More!

  1. William says:

    This podcast hit a massive home run for me I work nights and the Mrs has horrible menstruation

  2. Alex says:

    Regarding that last question concerning heavy, painful periods, that sounds like it might be a case of endometriosis, so it’s probably worth looking into that possibility.

  3. Tent says:

    Hi Ben, which Joovv is better for testosterone ball shining – Red or NIR?

  4. Max says:

    The Daily Synbiotic from Seed – is it available now? There is only an option for pre-order

      1. James says:

        Can I swallow the probiotic after swishing with it for a two birds effect, as in reeping the same benefits as its intended useage of just popping said pill?

        1. I wouldn't recommend swallowing it.

  5. Meghan Hauser says:

    Hey Ben, you should know that fluoride, in addition to being a neurotoxin, is also bad for the bones, including teeth. While fluoride does make bones harder, it also makes bone more brittle, making them more likely to break (bones need to be pretty pliable). It’s the same for teeth: you will see people who consume fluoride have a greater likelihood of chipping their teeth as opposed to people with fluoride-free drinking water and dental care. Also, I had heard that the studies showing fluoride prevented cavities were actually very flawed and misleading. Might be something to look into. With all this said, I’ve been wondering for awhile if there is a way to detoxify the body/bones of fluoride once you have eliminated it from your water and dental care. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

    1. I haven't tried it, but came across this a few years ago: https://naturalsociety.com/fluoride-detox-poison-…

  6. Ali says:

    Hey Ben,

    Miswak is a popular habit for the people in the middle east and Asia, as well as Dandasa which is a tree peel product from the walnut tree, amazing how so many people have been using this for thousands of years before the invention of toothbrushes. Can you post some research on it if you can find any

    Thanks

  7. Simon Clough says:

    Hi Ben/ All,
    Good info-packed podcast as always.

    In regards to Teeth Care;

    I have tried a couple of different types of chewing stick.
    I found miswak sticks to work ok but it was more effort for me than it was worth especially as the taste takes some getting used to. They do form a cool brush when chewed though and have reportedly been used for 7000+ years which is interesting. I think if I had a tree in my yard I would use it regularly. I also tried licorice root which didn’t really work great at all, bad taste and didn’t seem to provide any benefit.

    I have also found gum works really well. I have been on a bit of a deep dive on natural gums recently.
    Check out Chios mastic gum, it’s right up your street, one of the oldest chewing gums known to man, from a greek island, prized by Arabian Harems, recommended by Hippocrates as a breath freshener, a few interesting potential health benefits beyond just chewing gum. Chicle is cool too which is a gum used by the Aztecs, a few brands out there that use it.
    Australian aboriginals have a history of eating/chewing sap from trees so I can justify my habit as being widespread in traditional societies and about as primal as it gets.
    Been having a homemade mix of mastic, chicle, xylitol, and propolis recently which seems to work great. A fair few interesting studies on propolis and teeth worth a look into as well.

    Nice one

    Simon

  8. Kenneth says:

    Hey so seeing how that Seeds probiotic is generally used to consume orally, why would you spit the remainder out? Would it be more beneficial to just swallow the remainder after rincing with it, assuming it would be just as efficacious as a daily probiotic? Of course maybe with water and after a rinse of coconut oil. It just seems like an expensive mouth wash remedy so I figure why not get the most out of it, thanks!

    1. TimmyD says:

      I know with oil pulling and with some other mouth anti-bacterial solutions it is important not to swallow since you have some pathogens in the liquid in your mouth that have been freed up from the pulling. At least that’s what I’ve been told.

      1. Kenneth says:

        Gotcha, yeah in this case i would gargle with the probiotic and some water separately, assuming it’d be just as efficient.

  9. Vic says:

    Regarding Melissa’s questions about night shift work, do your best to get out of that erratic night shift routine. I was a National Weather Service meteorologist for about 10 years and even the well-scheduled 12 hour night shifts were destroying me. I was also pulled into unscheduled night work when flying aircraft recon or during high impact events. I was sick all the time, developed lower back problems, and felt jet lagged constantly regardless of being health and performance focused. Trying to maintain steady crossfit, jiu jitsu, surfing and simply staying upright became virtually impossible. In hindsight it was probably counterproductive.

    At 37 years old and about a year after my first child was born I finally moved into a regular hours position with the same agency. I now schedule my work around my family and training routine. It took me at least a year to year and half to break the poor sleep cycle and 2-3 years dig out of chronic lower back pain. I’m now 44 and feel better than I did in my twenties.

    Great episode Ben and good luck Melissa.

    1. will says:

      I’d like to reiterate Vic’s response. Melissa, do yourself a favor and find a new job. You will not be able to biohack your way out of the health effects of night shift work, plain and simple. Time to take a hard look at what is most important in your life.

  10. Pang says:

    Love your podcast! I would be awesome if you can do a podcast about women who suffer from PCOS. What types of women get diagnose with PCOS. Helpful diets and exercise for them. Teas or herbal remedies. Thanks!

  11. murat says:

    if oil pulling with coconut oil kills the bacteria and clean the bacterial plaque, wouldn’t it kill the bacteria in the probiotic as well?

    1. TimmyD says:

      I’ve been wondering about this with regard to any natural killer such as oil of oregano, cider vinegar, etc… I understand that it doesn’t have the kill everything approach that an antibiotic has, but is it really so perfect to kill only strands that we don’t want? Seems to good to be true.

  12. Jason Blevins says:

    Hey Ben, I have a few metal fillings that I need to get removed. Do you know if there are any risks associated with oil pulling for those who have metal fillings? Thanks for all you do!

    1. There's a lot of conflicting information out there, but some say it can destabilize the mercury in amalgam fillings.

  13. Chuck says:

    Would love to hear more about birth control for women. I’ve tried to do my fair share of research but there aren’t a whole lot of clinical trials out there for long term effects, especially for IUD usage. I have to think that the release of such hormones for such a prolonged amount of time must have some serious consequences to younger women.

    thanks

    1. stephanie says:

      hey chuck, i have just recently decided to drop the pill after 10 years, and this books has been a really eye opener!

      https://drbrighten.com/beyond-the-pill/

      hope it helps xx

    2. Sara says:

      I would also love to hear more about your thoughts on birth control for women but, more specifically the pill. I was taken off the pill because of irregularity after using it for almost two years. Now I have been suffering from amenorrhea for almost 8 months. What is the birth control pill doing to our bodies? Is there evidence that being on a birth control pill for an existing period of time will negatively affect the body?

      Thanks!

      1. Trudi says:

        Hi Sara – Dr Lara Briden is a great resource for information around this, she’s written a fantastic book I recommend to patients all the time (I’m a Chinese medicine practitioner); it’s title is The Period Repair Manual. Beyond The Pill, by Dr Jolene Brighten, as suggested above your comment would also be a great book for you to read. If you have a look on Dr Briden’s website you’ll find plenty of articles and information. Good luck!

      2. I second that, I would definitely check out Beyond The Pill: https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/beyond-the-pill

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