Vinnie Tortorich

Fitness Confidential Podcast

COVID-19 Vaccines with Dr. Jeremy Levin – Episode 1716

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1716 – On this Friday show, doctor, businessman, and scientist Dr. Jeremy Levin joins Vinnie to talk COVID-19 vaccines, extensive trials, new therapeutics, effective masks, the autism myth, vaccine distribution and more.

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DR. JEREMY LEVIN

  • Dr. Levin is an incredibly accomplished doctor and scientist.
  • He has won tons of awards for his good work.
    • One of them is the Albert Einstein Award for Leadership in Life Science.
  • However, Dr. Levin has never been involved in the development of a vaccine.
    • That being said, he knows how this works.
  • Dr. Levin is from South Africa.

COVID-19 VACCINES

  • The Pfizer vaccine is incredibly high quality.
    • There is real science behind this vaccine.
    • Now, they’re really looking at side effects.
  • Dr. Levin thinks that from Moderna & Pfizer there will be huge potential for really getting this pandemic under control.
  • There are over 150 approaches being pursued right now.
  • The trials are very extensive.
    • It was a double-blind trial.
    • They’re like super controlled epidemiological studies.
  • We should feel really good about what these companies are doing.
  • Dr. Levin also talks distribution of vaccines.
  • The concern about autism comes from a discredited study out of the 1980s.
    • The myth promulgated but is just a myth.
      • The risks of complications from NOT getting vaccines, however, is very real.
  • He believes the vaccine will be widely available next year.

THERAPEUTICS

  • Now, many of the people who are contracting COVID are young populations.
  • The high risk populations are fortunately avoiding the disease better.
  • Regeneron and Eli Lilly have come out with antibody cocktails.
    • These drive the virus down and help people get over the hump.
  • Unfortunately, at the moment, only VIPs are getting this treatment.
  • We can expect better therapeutics like this coming out soon.
  • Social distancing works — look at tuberculosis!

EFFECTIVE MASKS

  • The best masks are those with deep filtration.
  • Any kind with some filter is preferred. 
  • You can’t leave in a bubble, but having the mask + air flow is good protection.
  • Any facial covering is better than none.
  • This is a silent killer — think of it like the flu.
    • If someone next to you had the flu, coughing and the like, you would want them to wear a mask.
      • It’s the same now–just because they aren’t coughing and outwardly being sick, doesn’t mean they aren’t spreading it.
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Triggering Food Addiction – Episode 1713

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1713 – On this Sunday School episode, Gina Grad joins Vinnie T. to talk KFC fire logs, triggering food addiction, doing what you want to do, and more.

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TRIGGERING FOOD ADDICTION

  • KFC is selling a firelog that smells like their seasoning.
  • Walmart can’t keep it in on the shelves.
  • Is this a reaction to the addictive quality of junk food?
  • The issue with this, is as soon as you smell something yummy like this, you want it.
    • Whether it’s cookies, fried chicken, or more.
    • Vinnie and Gina don’t advise tempting yourself with the smell.
      • Your hormones will make you want the thing, especially if it’s addictive.
  • Smells and memories are closely linked. 

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Overcoming Depression with Good Health – Episode 1712

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1712 – On this Saturday show, Ben Azadi joins Vinnie to talk his podcast, Keto Kamp, childhood obesity, breakups, overcoming depression with good health, Vince Lombardi, getting the message out, and more.

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BEN AZADI

  • Ben is in his mid-30s and is a healthy, lean man.
  • For most of his life, though, he was obese.
    • He was left to his own devices for a long time.
      • He felt he was both mentally and physically obese.
  • Ben became a trainer, owned and sold a crossfit gym, and the like.
  • His father had terrible Type 2 diabetes.
    • In the hospital, he became so stressed that he had a stroke.
      • Soon after, he died.
        • At this point, he took health from a hobby to a purpose.
  • Now, Ben teaches about health and fitness and has his own podcast: Keto Kamp.
  • Ben puts a lot of content out on his YouTube channel.

OVERCOMING DEPRESSION

  • At 26, he was 250 lbs.

    • He was incredibly depressed at the time. He considered ending his life.

  • Finally, Ben told himself HE was responsible.

    • He became very healthy, and it turned his mental health around, too.

  • Ben also struggled with a drug issue at one point in his life.

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How to Eat for the Holidays – Episode 1711

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1711 – On this Friday show, the wonderful Anna Vocino joins Vinnie to talk how to eat for the holidays, starting this podcast, eating disorders, Vinnie’s workouts, the importance of sleep, sticking to a routine, and more.

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HOW TO EAT FOR THE HOLIDAYS

  • People who used to be addicted to sugars and grains may find the holidays a stressful time. 
  • Vinnie does truly believe it isn’t what you eat between Hanukkah/Christmas and the New Year, it’s what you eat between the New Year and the holidays that matters.
    • It IS okay to put a bit of LIL over the holidays.
      • However, don’t let yourself fall off completely.
  • Anna’s cookbooks (the Eat Happy series) include some NSNG®-friendly holiday recipes!
    • There are also pretty friendly pies and the like – they do have some sugar in them.
  • We just want you to feel good, so we’re here to tell you about NSNG® comfort foods.
  • For Thanksgiving, she has wild mushroom grain-free casserole, stuffin’ muffins, mashed cauliflower with NSNG® gravy, creamed spinach and more.
    • She has a paleo pumpkin pie, apple pie, cheesecake, and more.
  • You probably want to avoid mulled cider or wine, eggnog, and the like.
    • You CAN make an NSNG® eggnog.
    • Andy has been posting some Tuesday Tips cocktails.

VINNIE’S WORKOUTS

  • Vinnie is moving in a week.
  • He’s already planning his little gym.
  • For about two weeks, while he moves, workouts are going to be tough to fit in.
  • His moving will be some of his workout.
  • However, he needs to commit himself to waking up at 5:30 to workout, to row or bike.
    • This means going to bed early.
      • Proper sleep is incredibly important.
      • He didn’t wait until he started to move to start this routine –– he’s already begun to get in the zone before things get stressful.
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Being Yourself, Vinnie’s Christmas Beard, & More – Episode 1708

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1708 – On this Sunday School episode, Gina Grad joins Vinnie to talk Santana, Vinnie’s Christmas beard, being yourself, Easy Listening, and more.

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VINNIE’S CHRISTMAS BEARD

  • Vinnie has always grown somewhat of a Christmas beard.
    • He used to grow it over Christmas break.
  • Now, he grows it from pre-Thanksgiving to post Christmas.
    • He’s considered keeping it year-round.
  • Fortunately, Serena likes the beard.
  • The rugged beard is good for Vinnie’s look!

BEING YOURSELF

  • Vinnie and Gina both looked to others in high school thinking “I want to be them.”
  • However, they were great and popular in their own right.
  • It’s tough for kids now, having to compare themselves to kids at school and on the internet.
    • Keep in mind, much of the time you are NOT comparing yourself to real people.
  • Make your hardest competition yourself!
  • All that matters is how YOU feel about yourself.
  • Know who you are, and work on being proud of yourself.

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The Obesity And Diabetes Epidemics with Dr. David Unwin – Episode 1706

by Vinnie Tortorich

Episode 1706 – Clinical expert in diabetes, Dr. David Unwin, joins Vinnie on this Friday to talk the obesity and diabetes epidemics, addiction, changing behaviors that make you sick, Dr. Unwin’s scholarship, improving mental health with low carb, and more.

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DR. DAVID UNWIN

  • Dr. Unwin started practicing in the 80s.
  • He’s a GP – he likes being part of continued care.
  • Dr. Unwin hales from the UK!
  • He has recently come out with two fantastic papers:
  • Eating low carb has changed his life for the better since 2012.
    • It’s not only helped his physical health, but his mental health as well.
      • He is less anxious, and many of his patients have felt the same.
        • Some of his patients have come off of antidepressants.
  • He puts many of his diabetic and overweight patients on low carb diets to lower their weight and reverse their Type 2 diabetes.
  • Dr. Unwin is a runner! He now understands you don’t need carbs to be an athlete.
  • He thinks motivation is important — don’t threaten your patients, motivate them in a positive way to get healthier!
    • Don’t say “it may well get worse.” Say “it can get better and you can feel great! Are you interested?”

THE OBESITY AND DIABETES EPIDEMICS

  • When he first started, about 56 people of his 500 patients had diabetes.
    • Now, they have NINE TIMES that.
  • During his training, he never saw a Type 2 diabetic below his 50s.
    • Now, they have 20 year olds with serious diabetes.
  • Diabetes is an epidemic all over the world.
    • Obesity is another.
      • He’s watched it increase in front of his eyes.
      • It’s utterly knew to see so many individuals so heavy and unhealthy.
  • Obesity and diabetes can’t be genetic; we’ve seen this uptick happen over the past few decades.
    • Then, it must be environmental.
  • When he approaches he’s patients about their weight, he doesn’t take the offensive.
    • He asks “Is now a good time? I have some information for you.”
  • He thinks many overweight people have addict-like tendencies.
    • They know this is bad for them, but do not stop.
    • In this way, Dr. Unwin is more sympathetic.
      • People aren’t doing this intentionally!
  • A lot of chronic illness, including metabolic syndromes, is changing behavior.
    • This behavior change is key.
  • Dr. Unwin thinks diet can change the way you see the world.

ADDITIONAL READING FROM DR. UNWIN

  • 1. Our low carb paper is out 

https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/early/2020/11/02/bmjnph-2020-000072

For those of you interested we put lots into the supplementary file like our low carb nurse protocol and how we discuss physiology with patients

Published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health

Improvements in diabetes control, weight loss and prescribing savings: The results of a lower carbohydrate diet for patients with Type 2 Diabetes over six years in NHS General Practice*

D Unwin, A Khalid, J Unwin, D Crocombe, C Delon, K Martyn, R Golubic, S Ray

Email for corresponding author; unwin5@btinternet.com

  • Headlines
  • 46% drug-free T2 diabetes remission.
  • Significant improvements in weight, blood pressure and lipid profiles.
  • 93% remission of prediabetes.
  • £50,885 annual saving on the Norwood GP practice NHS diabetes drug budget.
  • If every GP practice in England spent the same on drugs for diabetes per patient as Norwood the NHS could save £277,000,000
  • Older patients can do as well as younger ones with a low carb approach.
  • The participants who started with the worst blood sugars saw the greatest improvements in diabetic control
  • Four individuals came off insulin altogether.
  • Total weight loss for the 199 participants was 1.6 metric tons

 

  • 2. The HYPERTENSION PAPER

Substantial and Sustained Improvements in Blood Pressure, Weight and Lipid Profiles from a Carbohydrate Restricted Diet: An Observational Study of Insulin Resistant Patients in Primary Care. Unwin et al.

https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/15/2680

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