7 Spices Almost No One Knows—But Should: Polyphenol Powerhouses for Your Brain & Gut| EP 428

Ready to spice up your life? I’ve got seven spices almost nobody in this country has heard of—even though they’ve been used in kitchens and medicine cabinets around the world for thousands of years. From Grains of Paradise (my daily swap for black pepper) to black seed, sumac, and a smoky cardamom that protects your liver, the research is finally catching up to why these ancient ingredients work.As Hippocrates said, let food be thy medicine — and now we know why.In this episode, you’ll learn:The black pepper swap I use daily – and why it’s better for your health (01:31)The seed found in King Tut’s tomb, and what happened when it was tested on blood sugar and cholesterol (03:02)The tart spice sprinkled on hummus that packs more polyphenols than oregano (05:19)The little-known spice I’ve taken for years to support healthy blood pressure (08:24)The sour green powder that your gut bacteria love (11:00)The smoky spice you can drop into a pot of stew the way you’d use a bay leaf (13:03)Gratitude for our sponsors, check them out: Sleep cooler and cozier with Cozy Earth bedding and blankets. Go to cozyearth.com and use code GUNDRY for up to 20% off home and sleepwear.Bundle your home and auto insurance with Progressive and save. Get your quote today at progressive.com.Escape to free movies and shows with Pluto TV. Stream now, pay never. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What IS fatty liver? Why nearly every patient I test has some degree of fatty liver, and how to reverse it — because this may be the most common condition almost nobody knows they have.On this episode, you’ll learn:Why your liver can be in trouble for years with zero symptoms (00:00)How foie gras is really made — and why your liver may be next (03:13)The great-ape “thrifty gene” quietly turning fruit into liver fat (05:50)The 4 numbers that reveal a fatty liver before it’s too late (14:20)The 3-step plan to reverse it — and why it’s NOT about eating less fat (16:56)Caught in time, fatty liver is one of the most reversible problems I see — but first you have to know it’s there.Support our sponsors who made this episode possible:The easiest way I’ve found to trade the foods that beat up your gut for better choices, delivered right to your door. Go to thrivemarket.com/GUNDRYPODCAST for 30% off your first order + a FREE $60 gift.Switch your home and auto to Progressive and see if you could save without cutting out the things you love — new customers who bundle save hundreds. Get a quote today at Progressive.com.Larineco is a gum that actually makes your teeth stronger! Right now, Larineco is offering The Dr Gundry Podcast listeners up to 50% off at BUYlarine.com/GUNDRY.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Creatine has more to do with your brain than your biceps. It helps your cells recycle ATP, the energy your brain burns through faster than almost any tissue you've got. So it isn't really about building bigger muscles at all. It's about energy, focus, and staying sharp at any age.In my latest episode, I break down what creatine actually is, how much to take, and the 3 things I check on every label before I buy, because this is one of the most contamination-prone supplements out there.On this episode, you'll learn:Why creatine is a peptide, not a protein, and what that changes (00:07)The "magical" thing it does to your energy-hungry brain (02:05)Why it may matter more as you age, not less (04:15)The "half-scoop" trick so you don't blow up like a toad (05:59)The 3 things to check on any creatine label before you buy (08:23)Done right, creatine is one of the most proven things you can take to support your muscles and your brain. Show notes/Transcript: https://drgundry.com/creatine-brain-healthP.S. Creatine fuels your muscles, but it doesn't build them. That distinction is exactly why I formulated my own, MyoPeptide Complex, with the full 5-gram clinical dose plus a few things creatine alone can't do. Take a look here.Support our sponsors who made this episode possible:The easiest way I’ve found to trade the foods that beat up your gut for better choices, delivered right to your door. Go to thrivemarket.com/GUNDRYPODCAST for 30% off your first order + a FREE $60 gift.Support a youthful glow with the Bon Charge Red Light Mask - my wife loves hers! Go to boncharge.com and use code GUNDRY to save 15%. Larineco is a gum that actually makes your teeth stronger! Right now, Larineco is offering The Dr Gundry Podcast listeners up to 50% off at BUYlarine.com/GUNDRY.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Asthma. What if the wheezing, the tight chest, the inhaler you reach for every spring isn’t really a lung problem at all? In this episode, I’ll explain why asthma has skyrocketed since the 1960s and what you can do to fix it. Questions I’ll answer:Is asthma really a lung disease… or an overreactive immune system firing from somewhere else entirely?Could our obsession with “clean”, like sterile homes, sterile hands, sterile food, be the culprit?Why did almost no one have these problems a few generations ago?What do antibiotics in pregnancy and early childhood have to do with a wheeze that shows up years later?Why might a muddy dog be one of the best things for your lungs?And the big one: if asthma starts in the gut, what does it actually take to calm the whole system down?Topics covered: asthma and the immune system, leaky gut and inflammation, the hygiene hypothesis, endotoxins as “nature’s allergy shots,” antibiotics in early life, the microbiome and immune “education,” gut buddies, Akkermansia and the mucus layer, lectins and the gut wall, molecular mimicry, dogs, dirt, and microbial diversity, and restoring your inner terrain.Thanks to our sponsor who made this episode possible: Find your next fall fashion favorites at Quince. Download the Quince app for app-exclusive offers, or go to Quince.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I break down the real reasons we feel pain in the first place, why the most popular over-the-counter painkillers are quietly making your pain worse the longer you take them, and the smarter, natural tools I reach for with my own patients. From ice versus heat, to Epsom salt baths, to the surprising gut connection behind migraines, I’ll show you how to work with your body’s signals instead of blasting through them.Because when you understand that pain is information, you stop asking “how do I make this stop?” and start asking the far more important question: “why is my body telling me this?”On this episode, you’ll learn:Why pain is your body’s warning system — and what happens when you ignore the root cause (01:35)The real reasons we feel pain: inflammation, poor blood flow, nerve irritation, and gut dysfunction (02:33)Why chronic inflammation is like cutting yourself in the same spot every single day — and never letting it heal (06:36)Ice vs. heat: which one to reach for, and why Epsom salt baths deliver magnesium without the bathroom emergency (07:15)The surprising gut connection behind migraines — and how I went from 30 years of headaches to none (11:16)The story of my patient Jill, her zucchini-tomato relish, and the simple kitchen trick that ended her migraines (12:32)Why I tell my patients that one ibuprofen is like swallowing a hand grenade for your gut (14:21)The natural COX-2 alternative I trust, plus the free pain tools hiding in your bathtub, your pool, and your own breath (16:51)Thanks to our sponsors who made this podcast possible: Upgrade your sleep with Cozy Earth loungewear and sheets. Go to cozyearth.com and use code GUNDRY for up to 20% off home and sleepwear.Stay hydrated the right way, go to DrinkLMNT.com/GUNDRY and you'll get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any purchase. Save some bucks on insurance and get a quote today at Progressive.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if a 30-second morning habit could lower your blood pressure — no pill, no diet overhaul? In this episode, I'll reveal an ancient trick modern science just confirmed, and why the “minty fresh” mouthwash in your cabinet may be quietly driving your blood pressure up.Highlights:The nitric oxide connection — the Nobel Prize-winning molecule that dilates your blood vessels, and why it fades with ageWhy mouthwash backfires — killing “99% of bacteria” wipes out the good bugs that lower your blood pressure, by up to 7–10 pointsLeaky mouth = leaky heart — how oral bacteria reach your heart valves (from a former cardiac surgeon)The 30-second fix — scrape your tongue, skip the mouthwash, floss every other dayTopics covered: nitric oxide and blood pressure, the oral microbiome, eNOS and aging, why mouthwash raises blood pressure, dietary nitrates, tongue scraping benefits, leaky gut, leaky mouth, gingivitis and heart health, oral bacteria and heart valves, flossing and C-reactive protein (HS-CRP), inflammation, gut buddies, lectins and gluten, leaky gut and hair loss in women, and natural blood pressure support.Thank you to our sponsors for making this podcast episode possible:Upgrade your gym shoes at peluva.com and use code GUNDRY for 10% off.Transform your sleep experience with Cozy Earth bedding. Go to cozyearth.com/gundry for 20% off. Strengthen your teeth today by visiting buylarine.com/gundry for up to 50% off of remineralizing gum and mints.Get a quote today at Progressive.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'll bet you've never heard the word sarcopenia — but I promise you, it's happening to you right now. Starting around age 30, you begin quietly losing muscle mass, and here's the scary part: most of my patients never feel it happening until it's robbed them of the last 20 good years of their life. So today, I want to let you in on something I've learned after seeing patients six days a week for over 25 years: this kind of muscle loss is NOT a normal part of aging. I can prevent it, and so can you — at any age.In this episode, I break down what I call the gut-muscle axis — how a leaky gut, beaten up by lectins, NSAIDs, and antibiotics, shrinks your protein-absorbing surface area from the size of a tennis court down to a ping-pong table. That's why I tell my patients the problem isn't that you need more protein as you get older. It's that you can't absorb the protein you're already eating. I'll also explain why I think of your muscles as the "customers" that insulin has to sell to, why 88% of overweight folks (and 50% of normal-weight folks) are insulin resistant, and why I'm so concerned about GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic — because up to 40% of the weight you lose on them is muscle, the one tissue you cannot afford to give up.Plus, I'll show you how sealing your leaky gut blocks myostatins (the little compounds that keep your muscles from growing), why the real money is in your butt and thighs — not your "guns" — and the two free, do-it-at-home strength moves my old friend Jack LaLanne swore by, which you can knock out while you're brushing your teeth. Here's my take-home message, and I mean it: it is never too late to seal your gut and rebuild the muscle that matters most.What I cover: sarcopenia, muscle loss and aging, leaky gut, gut health, insulin resistance, GLP-1 and Ozempic side effects, protein absorption, the gut-muscle axis, myostatin, strength training after 60, metabolic flexibility, frailty, healthspan, and longevity.Thank you to our sponsors for making this podcast episode possible: Upgrade your gym shoes at peluva.com and use code GUNDRY for 10% off.Transform your sleep experience with Cozy Earth bedding. Go to cozyearth.com/gundry for 20% off. Strengthen your teeth today by visiting buylarine.com/gundry for up to 50% off of remineralizing gum and mints.Get a quote today at Progressive.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are we focusing on the wrong thing when it comes to protein and healthy aging?In this episode, I break down fascinating new research from my friend Dr. Valter Longo that could change the way you think about protein, muscle, and longevity. The key may not be how many grams of protein you eat, but how much of one specific amino acid, methionine, you're getting.I explain what the study found, why too much or too little methionine may matter, and how mTOR, IGF-1, GLP-1, and gut health fit into the picture. I’ll also share why I don't believe getting older automatically means you need to pile more animal protein onto your plate, and the protein sources I prefer for supporting strength while keeping longevity in mind.If you're over 50 or 60, eating a high-protein diet, or simply want to stay strong as you age, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've all been taught that if it's a vegetable, it belongs on your plate.In this episode, I walk you through five of the biggest offenders and what's actually happening in your gut when these foods show up on your plate.Plus, learn the simple prep tricks that can make several of these foods safe again.On this episode, you’ll learn:  Why Europeans called the tomato the "poison apple" — and the simple prep trick to make them safe again (01:19)The science behind lectins and how they damage your gut (2:00)The traditional charring-and-peeling method used to make peppers safe to eat (05:29)Which vegetable tops the list as the nightshade you truly can't detoxify (08:17)The simple trick to lower the blood sugar spike of white potatoes (09:37)The real reason green beans and peas were never meant to be eaten in the quantities we consume them (10:46)Why THIS bread might be one of the worst lectin bombs in your entire pantry (11:56)The one word to look for on a pickle jar label that tells you whether it's actually helping or hurting your gut (12:20)For full show notes and transcript: https://drgundry.com/are-nightshade veggies-bad-for-meThank you to our sponsors! Check them out: Upgrade your gym shoes at peluva.com and use code GUNDRY for 10% off.Transform your sleep experience with Cozy Earth bedding. Go to cozyearth.com/gundry for 20% off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I explain why high-quality formulas can cost more than what you’d find on a drugstore shelf, and walk you through specific ways to lower what you pay—including a subscription option that can save you up to 60% on certain products, plus a free My Account option that gives you more control over your orders and access to member-only pricing.I also share a real example from my own patients about what can happen when you stop taking a formula that’s working—and why staying consistent can matter just as much as finding the right product in the first place.Whether you’re new to Gundry MD or you’ve been taking a formula for years, I’ll give you a simple checklist to help make sure you’re getting the best deal available.Get my FREE Yes/No Food List at GundryMD.com or DrGundry.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.