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- [00:00]
Lauren Everts
The following podcast is a Dear Media Production. She's a lifestyle blogger extraordinaire.
- [00:08]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Fantastic.
- [00:09]
Lauren Everts
And he's a serial entrepreneur, a very smart cookie. And now Lauren Everts and Michael Bostick
- [00:15]
Dr. Karan Rajan
are bringing you along for the ride.
- [00:16]
Michael Bostick
Get ready for some major realness.
- [00:18]
Lauren Everts
Welcome to the Skinny Confidential him and Her. Hello everybody. Welcome back to another episode of the Skinny Confidential him and her show. Today we have Dr. Karen Rajan, who is a doctor, health educator and best selling author, author of this book May Save youe Life. And this is Vital information. With over 11 million followers across social media, he has become one of the world's most trusted voices in gut in general health education. We're talking all about gut health, overall health, things that we can eat and do to make ourselves feel better and live better. We love talking to Dr. Rajan. He is a wealth of knowledge and he has so much great information to share. We hope you enjoy it as well. With that, Dr. Rajan, welcome to the Skinny Confidential him and her show. This is the Skinny Confidential him and Her.
- [01:04]
Michael Bostick
What are we embarrassed to ask our doctor?
- [01:06]
Dr. Karan Rajan
We're embarrassed to ask our doctors about poops, about periods, about basically anything gut health related.
- [01:13]
Michael Bostick
So you're saying that people are embarrassed to go to the doctor and being like, I'm not taking a. Yeah, pretty much.
- [01:20]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I mean people, I don't want to make this sound bad, but people are literally dying of embarrassment because they're getting constipated. They may be bleeding from their bottom end, bloating. All those symptoms could be a sign of something serious and they're keeping it hidden from their doctor. And yeah, they could be dying of embarrassment.
- [01:38]
Michael Bostick
So when you do go to the doctor and you get a checkup, what are the things that you suggest to ask your doctor?
- [01:45]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Be super data driven. Because I've heard so many stories of people, especially women, get fobbed off, gaslighted or just undermined by the doctor. Any healthcare practitioner, because the doctor doesn't take symptoms seriously. Something. Just because something is common doesn't mean it's normal. For example, we have normalized heavy periods or menoragia. Heavy periods are common, but it doesn't mean it's normal. It could be a sign of endometriosis, pcos, adenomyosis. So keep a track, keep like a symptom diary of things and take that to the doctor because data cannot be questioned.
- [02:22]
Michael Bostick
Is there certain things that women should ask and certain things that men should ask?
- [02:26]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So I think, you know, across the board, anything that is troubling you chronically for Days or weeks or even months. And that's affecting your quality of life. Whatever that is, whatever symptom that is, whether it's acid reflux or you're getting more constipated or it's bloating, that is something you should bring up with your doctor.
- [02:45]
Michael Bostick
What is the correlation that you have found, you were telling me off air, between endometriosis and fiber?
- [02:51]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So there's a bunch of epidemiological data, and this is like mass population data, and it's in the US Registry looking at the link between fiber, women's health, specifically endometriosis. And they found that the highest quartile intake, that, you know, increase their fiber intake was associated with lower risk of GI symptoms. With endometriosis, that means things like bloating, constipation, pelvic pain, abdominal pain because of higher fiber intake, specifically low fodmap fiber intake, that's like more gentle, sensitive fibers. So, you know, fiber is actually key for more than just pooping.
- [03:30]
Michael Bostick
I also think that we have been so focused on protein, but I would love for you to explain why when you eat protein, it's so essential that you also eat fiber with it.
- [03:40]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Oh, yeah. I mean, protein obsession has been building for years. Most of the protein you eat is absorbed in the small intestine. Right? That's the part of the GI tract that comes before the colonial. If you have way too much protein, some of that protein is not going to be absorbed in the small intestine. It's going to sneak its way into the colon. And then your gut bacteria, they love to eat fiber. They're known as saccharolytic species. They just love to eat fiber. You suddenly give them like a protein meal, they're like, whoa. And they start fermenting that as well. And then when the bacteria start fermenting protein, which is not their primary fuel source, it's like putting diesel in a petrol car. They start producing other toxic compounds like indoles, which can be harmful to the gut lining and cause leaky gut type symptoms. So keep protein controlled and focus more on the fiber.
- [04:33]
Lauren Everts
So we just dove in right away. You have a massive platform for those in our audience that are unfamiliar with your work. How did you become interested in this space in the first place and maybe share a little background?
- [04:42]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, so, I mean, my professional career has been a doctor and surgeon, specifically focusing on gut surgery and emergency surgery. So anything in the GI tract? Yeah, from like bowel cancer, gallbladder problems, appendicitis. I've been dealing with like Liver problems. And it is very common. Like, one in five people worldwide have gut issues, digestive issues. Right. And I actually had my own personal health journeys, and it was related to gut health, slash fiber. In 2018, I was like a young surgeon, 28 years old, and I did a random blood test because my friend was doing one, and I found out I had high cholesterol. I was going to the gym, eating a lot of protein from kind of animal sources, but not eating enough fiber. And this high cholesterol was a wake up call because I was like, I'm 28. High cholesterol should be something, you know, that an old person has. I had high cholesterol, and that had led to fatty liver disease as well because of the high cholesterol. So I was freaking out. Doctors are the worst patients.
- [05:41]
Lauren Everts
And why is it because you know what everything means? Because you.
- [05:44]
Dr. Karan Rajan
You get told, yeah, you know what the worst case scenario is, like, fatty liver disease, if you leave it unchecked. And one in five to one in eight people in the world have asymptomatic fatty liver disease. Right. It's a huge issue nowadays, especially with rising obesity rates. Fatty liver disease, eventually, if left untreated and you don't control your weight, your cholesterol, it could lead to liver scarring and liver cirrhosis, and in the worst case scenarios, lead to liver failure or liver cancer. So I was, like, catastrophizing in my head. I was like, oh, my God, I'm going to get liver problems, whatever. And so I increased my fiber intake, started, like, experimenting with fiber supplements to bring my cholesterol down, bring my fatty liver under control, and reverse it. And that was my first intake into microbiome and fiber because I was not taught any of that in medical school.
- [06:34]
Lauren Everts
What kind of surgeries would you have to perform on a regular basis?
- [06:37]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Probably the most common would be bowel cancer surgery, colorectal cancer surgery. And unfortunately, I hate saying this, but I saw younger and younger people be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the last few years.
- [06:52]
Lauren Everts
We've met a lot of doctors on this show that start as surgeons, and a lot of them gradually move out of it. Do you think that's because of some of the things you get exposed to and have to see? It just becomes hard over time or so.
- [07:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
If you look at health as like a spectrum where the surgeon is at the end of the spectrum when the disease process has reached its final stage and there's no reversal there, the only solution is to remove an organ or do something curative or preventative in that instance. But actually, for example, we know that a lot of colorectal cancer could be prevented early by screening, increasing fiber intake, monitoring someone, just other lifestyle factors which have a role to play in, in, you know, colorectal cancer. So how do we get ahead of that? How do I, instead of treating a patient with colorectal cancer here or digestive problems, how do I get ahead in the lifestyle thing? So for me, that was huge. It's like I don't just want to treat this, but I want to help them like to stop develop this in the first place.
- [07:54]
Lauren Everts
Yeah. So you're saying you're at the end of the train and at that point you're kind of like you're limited on options and it might be potentially at the end for that.
- [08:00]
Michael Bostick
It sounds like you wanted to be part of the preventative part instead of the part that gets to, to the end.
- [08:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, I mean, sometimes you can live the healthiest lifestyle and still get cancer. You know, nothing makes you immune from something like that. But we know that a bunch of chronic diseases like a significant proportion of that can be prevented or at least lessened by lifestyle factors. So yeah, 100%. I didn't see, you know, medical school and the medical institution isn't geared towards preventative, you know, preventative health. It's always geared towards proactive react well, not proactive, reactive health. You've got the disease, you've got the injury, let's fix it. And that is just how systems around the world are designed. And we're not even taught that in medical school. We're taught disease pathology, never strategies to improve symptoms. So everything I know about preventative health is all self taught. After medical school, that was one of
- [08:54]
Lauren Everts
the scariest things that I think we've learned as just average citizens. And again, talking to people like yourself that have medical degrees and have gone through school and have become actual doctors is how little preventative medicine and nutrition that you guys are taught. And we have caught Flack on this show for saying like, hey, like you can't always just go to a doctor because to your point, and we've had, you know, we've had so many people in your space come on the show and say this. You guys just don't get taught a lot of this. The average person that listens to this podcast maybe just has as much information as the average doctor going through medical school when it comes to preventative and nutritional information.
- [09:32]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Oh, no doubt.
- [09:33]
Lauren Everts
Not dumbing down doctors, but you know what I'm saying?
- [09:34]
Dr. Karan Rajan
No Doubt. And I think, you know, one of the skills which I did have was being able to critically appraise research and studies. So I knew that enough so that I could do my own research and find out what's useful, what's not. Like, you know, for example, for years I used to think of fiber as one thing, right? As it's the same as thinking about vitamins as just vitamin A, but, you know, there's vitamin B, C, D, E, and they all do different things for health. Same with fiber. Fiber is a bunch of different things. It's a family. One type of fiber has a different health function to another type of fiber. I didn't know that until five years ago.
- [10:13]
Michael Bostick
Do you think that one of or two of the reasons that people are getting colon cancer younger is because they don't have enough vitamins, vitamin D and fiber? I've heard this from multiple people who've come on the show.
- [10:27]
Dr. Karan Rajan
VIND has a role to play in colonic health, for sure. And. But there are so many factors, like it's been shown in research that getting at least 300 milligrams of calcium a day, making sure you have that through dairy, through plant foods, whatever it is, is also beneficial for colon health, can actually reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. Fiber is obviously like just rent for your colon, like you have to pay that fiber. Fermented foods as well has a role to play. But other lifestyle factors, smoking, alcohol, but you know, genetics is a huge component. All of those things are critical. But if you're looking at the top of the tree, what is the most important thing that we can do, regardless of age or genetics, that is 100% eating more fiber. Because we are literally in, you know, an epidemic of not even eating enough fiber, let alone eating enough different types of fiber. That's like another level.
- [11:21]
Michael Bostick
So if someone wants to implement more fiber tomorrow.
- [11:25]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah.
- [11:25]
Michael Bostick
How much do they need and what would you do?
- [11:28]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So this is really interesting. You've probably heard that most guidelines recommend, oh, get your 30 grams of fiber a day.
- [11:35]
Michael Bostick
Yes.
- [11:35]
Dr. Karan Rajan
That is based on old, outdated advice. Like that is bottom of the barrel stuff. If you look at the research which looks at fiber, there are these graphs, like dose response curves. Okay. If you eat 10 grams, you get this benefit, 20, this benefit. And it usually in the research, it caps off at around 30. But if you look at those graphs closely, there is ongoing yield and benefit of fiber to your health beyond 30 grams. And this is where it gets even more interesting. If we look at some of the healthiest populations in the world. And one of the healthiest populations in the world that have the lowest rates of diabetes, of high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, dementia is are these tribes which live in Africa, in Tanzania, the Hadza tribe. They eat seasonally, so they eat different types of fiber depending on the season, wet season, dry season, and they eat 120 grams of fiber a day. And they are some of the healthiest people in the world.
- [12:29]
Michael Bostick
But what are they eating? That. Yes, I need to understand. It's really like, I feel like, what, what is that? Is it a, is it a dragon fruit? Is it a pomegranate? What is that?
- [12:39]
Dr. Karan Rajan
All of those. I mean, they don't get those kind of foods in that region. They're eating like the sort of roots and tubers, like cassav beans, wheat, corn, things like that. And the reason those kind of fibers are really important and it's come out of a lot of our modern diets is because they ferment really slowly. If you think of your colon, right, you have your colon which goes up here, that's the first part of the colon and the second part goes across the transverse colon, third part goes down the descending colon. The foods we eat, which are fiber rich in the modern diet, right, like apples, that's a fast fermenting type of fiber and that ferments here, but it doesn't make it all the way here. The bacteria which live here are the most beneficial bacteria and the, the greatest number of bacteria live here. So we need more of the slow fermenting fibres, beans, corn, wheat, cassava, roots and tubers, potatoes. We're missing a lot of that in the average diet.
- [13:37]
Michael Bostick
What's cassava?
- [13:38]
Dr. Karan Rajan
It's like plantain.
- [13:39]
Lauren Everts
Don't they use it in a lot of chips and stuff?
- [13:41]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, cassava flour, right? Exactly, yeah. It's like a, it's like a root vegetable, kind of like a potato, but even more like starchy and like, you know, like maybe a bit bitter and hard to eat.
- [13:53]
Lauren Everts
Don't they use it in like tortilla alternatives?
- [13:56]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, you can. It's correct, yeah. Like a gluten free type thing.
- [14:00]
Michael Bostick
How much can you supplement of that amount of fiber? Yes.
- [14:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So, you know, you can supplement kind of as much as you want. I mean, it's always like food first, right? And you build your foundation on food and then you supplement with other things. Like I eat through my diet alone, I would eat around 40 to 50 grams of fiber a day. And I've built that up over years because of my health condition and I Still supplement in the morning because it gives me like a baseline. So I add it to my morning. I add a fiber supplement to my morning coffee. I know I've got 10 grams of fiber. So if I'm busy, can't be bothered to meal prep, I'm traveling or I'm going out with friends and I'm having a steak or something, I've got my 10 grams and I don't have to hit that 30 gram with too much discomfort in your product.
- [14:46]
Lauren Everts
How many grams in it per serving?
- [14:48]
Dr. Karan Rajan
10 grams. So it's like a third of your baseline recommendation. And we know based on research having 10 grams of fiber extra per day reduces your risk of colorectal cancer by 10% research.
- [15:01]
Michael Bostick
So.
- [15:01]
Lauren Everts
So when you say you get around 40 grams a day, what is your, if you don't mind me asking, what does your diet look like where you're able to get those numbers?
- [15:07]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Easy wins for five. Because I'm like, I'm pretty busy. Like I've got a kid on the
- [15:11]
Michael Bostick
way, he's got 11 million followers.
- [15:15]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. And I've got a startup and I've got this. I'm super busy. And so I start the day with just a cup of oats, Right. A cup of oats, which is like overnight oats is 5 grams of fiber. And then I put in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds into the overnight oats. Two tablespoons of chia seeds is 10 grams of fiber.
- [15:33]
Lauren Everts
You have 15 right there.
- [15:34]
Dr. Karan Rajan
That's 15 grams. And if I really want to go a bit more like fiber max, that I can add in a cup of raspberries or blueberries just to top that up. That is 5 grams of fiber. So I could get 15 to 20 grams just in that breakfast alone. And then I usually have like a cup of morning coffee like mid morning and I put in like a fiber supplement in that 10 grams.
- [15:52]
Lauren Everts
You can use this one.
- [15:53]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. Because it just dissolves with no taste at all. So I didn't even know it's there. It just tastes like coffee.
- [15:58]
Lauren Everts
The hot coffee won't hurt the integrity.
- [16:00]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. One of the reasons I formulated it this way was that it would be heat stable. So you can actually bake fiber cookies or cakes.
- [16:06]
Michael Bostick
Oh, that's cool.
- [16:07]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I add this to my pasta when I'm making it as well. So just an extra bit of fiber if I want.
- [16:10]
Michael Bostick
I'm going to put it in the kids waffles.
- [16:12]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. You know what, my friend uses loam for her kids and you know, kids are so fussy. With fruits and vegetables. You can't get them to eat fruits and vegetables. She just put it in their water. It dissolved, clear. They didn't even know it was there.
- [16:27]
Lauren Everts
Quick break to talk about one of our favorite partners, and that is Beekeepers Naturals. Flu season is upon us. It feels like everybody is sick. I know in our offices, people are in, they're out. It's all over the place. It's a mess. Kids are going back to school, and the sicknesses that are going around these days are nasty. This is why Lauren and I swear by Beekeepers Naturals products. We love their throat spray, their propolis. We've had Carly, the founder of Beekeepers Naturals, on this podcast twice, talking all about the incredible benefits of using bee products and specifically their propolis. Every single time we do a podcast, we take their throat lozengers. And of course, when we travel, we swear by the throat spray. They recently also came out with this nasal spray. So the way that I like to use it is every time I'm getting on a flight, I do the nasal spray ahead of time and then I do the throat spray. This is going to guard your system from viruses getting into your body and then making you sick. They have this vitamin C with propolis that's liposomal. I take this every single morning right now. It supercharges the immune system and gives you rapid nutrient delivery. It's so important to not just react once you get a virus, but to also proactively guard yourself against these things. We take it ourselves, we give it to our children. They have these amazing kids products, and it's quickly become a staple in our supplementation. I keep it at the office, I keep one in my bag. I keep it at the house. We keep it pretty much everywhere. And like I said, we could not get through life without this propolis. So check them out. Like I said, I love the propolis nasal spray, the throat spray, the lozenges, and of course, their vitamin C, which is a liposomal delivery. Vitamin C is so important for a host of different reasons, as you guys all know. So check them out. Today, Beekeepers Naturals is giving all of our listeners an exclusive offer. Go to beekeepersnaturals.com skinny or enter code skinny to get 20% off your order. That's B E-E K E E P E R S N-A T U R A L S.com skinny or enter code skinny. Beekeepers Naturals products are also available at Target, Whole Foods, Walmart, Amazon CVS and
- [18:15]
Michael Bostick
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- [19:30]
Lauren Everts
Quick break to talk about Armour Colostrum what if I were to tell you that there was one single supplement that you could use to help strengthen your immune health, fortify your gut health, ignite a healthy metabolism, hair health, skin health, and fuel performance and recovery where there is and it is called Armor Colostrum? Ever since we had the founder of Armor Colostrum on this podcast and learned about the incredible benefits of the Colostrum, we have not looked back. We take it ourselves. We give it to our children. We even give it to our pets. You can also even just take it right out of the pack or out of the jug like we do. It tastes like maybe like a Milk Dud or something like that. But like I said, you can put it directly in your mouth or mix it with any single beverage of your choice. Because here's the thing. We live in an environment our biology was never designed for. EMFs, artificial light, seed oils, microplastics, endocrine disruptors, modern stressors that we talk about regularly on this show. So we need everything we can get to guard ourselves against these modern assaults. And that's because these assaults can disrupt the signals your body relies on negatively impacting gut and immune and overall health. Armor Colostrum works at the cellular level to bolster your health from within. And Colostrum is nature's first whole food with over 400 bioactive nutrients that fortify gut health, strengthen your immune health, fuel performance and more, paving the way for your best health and vitality. So if you're ready to reclaim your extraordinary armor, colostrum is for you. We take it when we're at home. We bring it in travel packs when we're on the go. We keep it in the office and we always have it handy. And of course, we've worked out a special offer for our audience. Receive 30% off your first subscription order. Just go to armor.com skinny or enter skinny to get 30% off for a subscription order. That's a r m r a.com skinny
- [21:01]
Michael Bostick
the other day I got the most major Bernello vest on the RealReal and I just feel like it is the best place to find things that you're looking for that are vintage or even new. So if you're looking for a dress for a really beautiful wedding or you want a vacation sandal or if you're like me and you just want to invest in a piece that maybe isn't around anymore, this is a great site to go to. The RealReal is the go to place for your next special piece. Maybe you're looking for an investment bag. Whatever it is, it's a great place to shop because what I personally like about it is everything is authenticated luxury resale. So you know it's real, which is awesome. They have over 10,000 new arrivals daily and the items do sell fast. I actually got the tip to shop the realreal from my stylist Emily. She goes on there and she always gets the best pieces. She told me about this site because she was like, Lauren, you need to sell your clothes on here. But you also need to go check out all the brands. They have Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Louis Vuitton. They even have Tiffany Co. And Cartier. And some of the pieces are up to 90% off retail. So it's a great deal. So if you're like me, you shop and sell at the RealReal. Because what I like to do is I like to use my earnings for a special investment. The RealReal is the most trusted name in authenticated luxury resale with over 10,000 new arrivals daily. No one does resale like the RealReal. And now get $25 off your first purchase when you go to therealreal.com/skinny. That's therealreal.com/skinty to get $25 off. Start shopping now at therealreal.com skinny I have three tricks. The first trick is I make mommy waffles. And in it I put zen basil seeds, which have like 15 grams of protein. I'm gonna add your products. So I get 25.
- [23:01]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Wow.
- [23:02]
Michael Bostick
And you do some banana, some oats, and some eggs, and that's that. Then I do the syrup, and in the syrup I put Omega 3 DHA, that tastes like lemon. So they think, mommy put lemon in the syrup.
- [23:15]
Lauren Everts
Is this your first kid or do
- [23:16]
Dr. Karan Rajan
you have first kid? Yeah.
- [23:17]
Lauren Everts
Okay, so you're gonna need to know these things.
- [23:19]
Michael Bostick
The trick, what I'm gonna do with your product is I do mango water. Water. And I do aminos. So mango aminos. But then I'm just gonna add the. The fiber to it. So they get. There's so many little rebrand tricks you can do with kids where you're like, look at its lemon.
- [23:32]
Lauren Everts
The thing is, like, they want to eat the things that kids want to eat. And so you gotta start adding the things to make them a little bit better.
- [23:39]
Michael Bostick
What are you doing with the French toast that you make? Are you doing.
- [23:41]
Lauren Everts
It's not good. It is not. It's not good for you at all, the French toast. But that's a once in a while thing. Okay. So it's. I think sometimes the reason I ask specifically about what you're eating is in the same thing with the protein conversations. People get overwhelmed with how they get all the grams. When you say it like that, you just. In that simple meal, you could get 20, 25.
- [23:59]
Dr. Karan Rajan
You know, like, most people think that fiber is fruits and vegetables, but it's different categories, right? So you can even have like bad food or snacks and still get your fiber. So like 50 grams of 70% dark chocolate, which is like three or four squares, is four grams of fiber. One tablespoon of cacao powder, you put it in your hot chocolate or whatever is 2 to 3 grams of fiber. Like, a portion of popcorn can be 4 grams of fiber. So if you have some chocolate, dark chocolate and popcorn, you can smash 8 or 9 grams of fiber and not even worry that, oh, it's super healthy or like, not, you know, exciting.
- [24:38]
Lauren Everts
So as you increase fiber, I'm going to move it to the bathroom discussion. Now. What is a healthy amount of times to defecate?
- [24:48]
Michael Bostick
Well, no, come on, Michael, you can't ask it like that. Just ask it like poo. Come on, Michael. I can defecate.
- [24:54]
Lauren Everts
I'm trying to be medical. I'm trying to be.
- [24:56]
Michael Bostick
I'm gonna like, throw up.
- [24:58]
Lauren Everts
Trying to be medical.
- [24:59]
Michael Bostick
Evacuate Let me, let me, let me
- [25:01]
Lauren Everts
take my non medical hat off. Okay. How many times a day should you be taking a shit and what should be?
- [25:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Oh yeah.
- [25:05]
Lauren Everts
And what should the consistency be?
- [25:08]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Okay, so there's two things, right? There's like quantity but also quality. Like we need to be quantitative and quality. Yeah, like, okay, I, I'm the worst person to ask about poop because I get so deep in the weeds, right? Because that's what you're here for. That's my entire life.
- [25:25]
Lauren Everts
You're the guy.
- [25:26]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, that's my entire life has been professionally and personally as well. The usual guidelines suggest like three times a day to three times a week is considered like the Goldilocks range of normal. Right. If you're above that or below that, you're usually slightly out of normal. That's one component of it. Right? The three and three. But also the quality. Like you could be, and this is mind blowing to a lot of people, you could be going to the toilet every single day and still be constipated because then it's the quality. Have you guys ever heard of the Bristol Store scale?
- [26:00]
Lauren Everts
No, I don't think so.
- [26:02]
Dr. Karan Rajan
It's like a visual chart and like, maybe you can put it up on some of the videos or whatever. It goes from type one through to type seven. Type one is like little Maltesers or rabbit pellets.
- [26:14]
Lauren Everts
Oh, it's the visualizations of the poop excrement.
- [26:18]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, I'm trying to be sure.
- [26:21]
Michael Bostick
Are you gonna pull a thesaurus out? It's like, okay, go ahead, Lauren.
- [26:24]
Lauren Everts
I'm very, I'm well read, I'm well rounded person.
- [26:27]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So you got like those like rabbit pellets. Malteses is type 1 and then type 7 is like a chocolate milkshake. It's just runny. Right? And then type three, type four. And you know, I, I don't want to put off chocolate for you guys, but like type 3, type 4 is like a Snickers Mars bar, you know, like a sausage shape. That is like the perfect poop. And then that goes from constipated to diarrhea. And in the middle that's like the perfect. But also, are you having any bloating? Are you straining, are you experiencing any mucus discharge? Those are all qualitative things. So yeah, you could be poop day, but is it uncomfortable to poop every day? Which suggests you could be constipated or just not normal. So those two things combined, you know, form you like, you know how well you're doing.
- [27:09]
Lauren Everts
I guess on the sides of the scale. If you're constipated, what is the likely culprit? If you're having diarrhea all the time, what is the likely culprit? And how do you kind of move to the middle if that's where you want to be?
- [27:18]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. So many factors, like constipation is decided by so many different things. And I think about it like, you know, an inverted pyramid with, like the big base at the top would be the most common culprit for most people is likely fiber. Then it's like maybe motility issues or like hydration issues where you're not drinking enough water because good stool needs more water to make it, like, I think it's probably wrong word, but like big and juicy, you know, you need like juicy poop so they just slide out.
- [27:51]
Lauren Everts
Very scientific. Yeah.
- [27:53]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And then the third thing would be, like, any activity, like, if you're constantly sitting at your desk or not moving, you're not getting the contractions of the intestine, so it's going to be sluggish bowel. And then the fourth thing, which virtually no one realizes, your sleep and bowels are connected. You've got a clock in your brain, the biological clock. It's called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. And that determines how tired you feel, how energized you feel throughout the day. You know, your energy levels fluctuate. You've got tiny, tiny little clocks in every cell in your body, including your gut. Like, you've got time clocks in your rectum, which all depend on the master clock in the brain which coordinate the release of various hormones. So, you know, like, you suddenly fly out to London for your friend's wedding. You're in a different time zone. You're six hours ahead. You feel jet lagged. It's not just you that feel jet lagged. Your gut gets jet lagged. You get intestinal jet lag because of that time change. So you can get travel constipation or diarrhea because suddenly it doesn't know what time zone it's in. It doesn't know when to release the hormones to poop and all those things.
- [28:58]
Michael Bostick
Wow, Michael, does that everything you want to know about a big, juicy poo?
- [29:02]
Lauren Everts
No, let's keep going. I asked because I think, you know, if. If gut health is the cornerstone of good health. I think this is an important topic for people to think about. Right. And it's. And if you don't, I think you could obviously, like, you end up at the end of that line. You were talking about earlier.
- [29:18]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah.
- [29:18]
Michael Bostick
A lot of people on GLP1s are constipated. Is that okay? I mean, what do people need to do about that?
- [29:25]
Dr. Karan Rajan
The GLP one like it works in the brain, it works on the gut hormones as well and your appetite. So there's a couple of things. The GLP1 drugs naturally slow down the gut. So you get slowed emptying from the stomach and you get slowing of the contractions as well. That can cause constipation. The second reason is when you're on a GLP1, your appetite decreases. And that's one of the benefits that people want. When your appetite decreases, the number one thing which gets cut out first is fiber. So you've got the slowing down of the gut, plus you're less hungry and you cut out fiber. You've got a heady storm where you're brewing some serious constipation.
- [30:04]
Michael Bostick
So when you, when someone is on a GLP1, you suggest they up their fiber 100%.
- [30:09]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Like protein and fiber are things which if you're on a GLP1 fiber, protein and resistance you need to be doing for your gut health. Because the GLP1s can also cause a shift in the gut microbiome. Right. And that can actually worsen inflammation in the gut. So you need fiber. And the problem is, right, I've seen people on GLP1s sometimes you just don't feel hungry and you don't want to have a meal with fiber or protein. So in those situations, you're looking for like low calorie hacks. So whether that's like a fiber supplement to just top up your levels or getting low calorie fruits. Like the best low calorie fruits would be berries. You get a high amount of fiber, low calories, and it's not too filling, so you can still hit it like you need those hacks. As a GLP1 user, what has your
- [30:53]
Lauren Everts
audience been most shocked by when it comes to symptoms that are related to poor gut health?
- [30:58]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I think the most shocking, which a lot of people don't realize, especially women, would be a lot of hormonal driven symptoms, heavy periods, bloating around the periods, menopause symptoms, disease specific conditions in endometriosis, you know, they can all be driven by low fiber states and gut dysbiosis where there's like abnormalities in the gut microbiome.
- [31:19]
Lauren Everts
Have you. And I brought this up a little bit and I don't have the science on it, but it seems that many women complain about gut issues. Maybe they're just complaining more than men. Maybe men don't talk about it as openly. Do you see a correlation to women versus men having more or less gut issues?
- [31:35]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah, interestingly in the research and you know, there's not a ton of research done on this, but actually women have more gut diversity in their bacteria than men, which is normally associated with better gut health. The other problem is women are unfortunately predisposed to a higher risk of gut issues. One of the reasons for that would be because they go through way more hormonal changes on a monthly basis, but also on their lifetime basis, monthly periods. The fluctuating estrogen and progesterone causes crazy gut issues because you've got estrogen receptors in the colon, so crazy fluctuations there. Women may get pregnant at some point in their life, so they've got like a tiny human literally squishing their intestines and causing problems. Then you got menopause where you get a, you know, slam dunk of estrogen and that drops off a cliff and you get gut problems.
- [32:25]
Michael Bostick
What do you guys do? I mean, geez.
- [32:28]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And oh, I'll tell you what we
- [32:30]
Lauren Everts
do, but it's not going to go over well. I'll tell you what we do.
- [32:32]
Michael Bostick
Nothing.
- [32:33]
Lauren Everts
We have to be around a lot of it. It's a joke. It's a joke.
- [32:39]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And also, women have longer colons than men as well.
- [32:42]
Lauren Everts
Oh, that's interesting.
- [32:43]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah.
- [32:44]
Lauren Everts
Well, and again, I, I, I was curious because, and again, maybe women are just more vocal about it. Maybe us men are just too dumb to understand what's going on in our systems. But, but doing this show for as long, like there's been many conversations around gut health with women and you don't hear as much as often from the men. Maybe they're just not explaining or they don't know what's going on.
- [33:04]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I, I didn't know this until a couple of years ago, and this is fascinating. So estrogen is processed and planned to be released from the liver. Right. So in the liver it gets tagged and then the estrogen gets tagged in the liver and then it gets sent into the intestines and to the colon. You've got special types of bacteria in the colon which can untag that estrogen and allow it to be absorbed into the colon and then back into the bloodstream. So you can get higher amounts of estrogen depending on if there's an increase in that type of bacteria that can do that. And more estrogen is not good because it can mean more symptoms related to estrogen and worsening of heavy periods, pain, all that kind of stuff.
- [33:45]
Michael Bostick
Does it. Does high estrogen? Is that contribute to breast cancer?
- [33:49]
Dr. Karan Rajan
It can be in specific cases like breast cancer is obviously multifactorial. Genetics is like the huge component. But also exposure to estrogen over a lifetime, like, you know, having later menopause, earlier puberty in women, all those things are risk factors for breast cancer.
- [34:06]
Michael Bostick
So, yeah, when you take fiber, doesn't the fiber hook to the estrogen and help usher it out of your body? Is that true?
- [34:14]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. So there's two things fiber does. Fiber shifts the microbiome so you get less dependence on that type of bacteria, which can allow more estrogen to be absorbed, which is good. And also it kind of like. Yeah, it kind of packages up that estrogen, same as it does with cholesterol, and allows it to be excreted and not absorbed. But it's got to be soluble fiber, which is fermentable and can have a manipulation effect on the microbiome, not insoluble fiber.
- [34:40]
Michael Bostick
What is this soluble.
- [34:42]
Dr. Karan Rajan
This is pure soluble fiber.
- [34:43]
Michael Bostick
So we love that.
- [34:44]
Dr. Karan Rajan
You know what people, when they're choosing a fiber supplement, they don't know what to look for is the problem. And psyllium husk has no prebiotic value. It doesn't manipulate the microbiome at all.
- [34:55]
Michael Bostick
That's really interesting that you say that, because every time I've tried to take that, it's too overwhelming to me. That's why yours to be able to just mix it. I put it in my aminos. It's like so easy, I don't need to even froth it, which is so great.
- [35:08]
Lauren Everts
So back to your question. So what do you see online that you kind of just call BS on or you don't take seriously or you
- [35:13]
Michael Bostick
think some viral health trends sense.
- [35:14]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Oh, coffee enemas. Okay, right. Like, coffee only belongs in one orifice. It doesn't really.
- [35:21]
Lauren Everts
Glad you said this because people always bring these up to me and I go, that looks like a lot of work.
- [35:24]
Michael Bostick
I'm really open to things, but the coffee up my ass. I'm like, so open to things. The coffee up my ass, to me, feels like I would do it.
- [35:33]
Lauren Everts
Like, we have a pretty comfortable marriage. We've seen each other in a lot of situations. I feel like if she came in and I was laying on my back in the bathtub with the tube up my ass, shooting coffee out, I don't know if I'd get through.
- [35:41]
Michael Bostick
But like, to each its own. So go ahead.
- [35:43]
Dr. Karan Rajan
That's. That's a bullshit yeah, it's. And can be harmful because, like, coffee is acidic and, you know, your. Your back end is sensitive, the membranes are delicate, and the acidic coffee can actually worsen, you know, some irritation in that lining. Colonic enemas for the average person, like having, you know, a hose pipe up your back end and being flushed, that is dangerous. I've seen how that can actually cause injury and burst someone's colon. I've had to deal with that. I've had to operate on someone with a burst colon because they did a colonic.
- [36:12]
Michael Bostick
Have you ever had to operate on someone who shoved a gerbil up their ass?
- [36:15]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Not a gerbil, but they shoved a shower head up their ass. We caught it on a CT scan because we couldn't even see the shower head. The person is an elderly gentleman, came in with severe abdominal pain, and we couldn't really figure out what's going on, so we got a CT scan.
- [36:30]
Lauren Everts
What does someone say when they come in? They're like, I don't know.
- [36:32]
Michael Bostick
They say they tripped and fell. No, I've read. I've read about this. They say they tripped and fell, right?
- [36:37]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. 100. No way. Yeah, that's classic. This is embarrassed. They're embarrassed about their sexual, you know, proclivities. Yeah. And they're just like, yeah, I slipped or someone abused me or whatever.
- [36:48]
Michael Bostick
So. Did he say I have a shower up my butt?
- [36:51]
Dr. Karan Rajan
No, he didn't say anything. He just said that I've got severe abdominal pain and I don't know what's causing it. We got the CT scan, and there was, like a huge metallic foreign object floating in the abdomen, and there was gas around the colon where there was a hole. And I had to go back to him, and I was like, what have you put in there? And then he was like, oh, yeah, I did this.
- [37:14]
Lauren Everts
Oh, yeah, I forgot about that detail. The detail where I shoved a shower head up my ass.
- [37:18]
Michael Bostick
There's a lot of people that put the gerbil. Because when the gerbil dies, it vibrates.
- [37:22]
Dr. Karan Rajan
This is a what?
- [37:23]
Lauren Everts
No, this is not true. This is an urban legend.
- [37:26]
Michael Bostick
Google it right now. Carson, I knew someone. It was a doctor. No, you didn't. Acupuncturist. That says when the gerbil dies, they vibrate and it gives you a nice vibration.
- [37:36]
Lauren Everts
I can't.
- [37:37]
Michael Bostick
Carson, Google it right now.
- [37:39]
Lauren Everts
This is a South park episode. Anyways, listen, this is serious interview. We're serious journalists, Lauren.
- [37:43]
Michael Bostick
Okay, go back to your. Your. It's a true story. Go back to your viral Health trends.
- [37:48]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Okay, so another thing would be the use of probiotics, your general wellness. Right. So if anyone is considering using a probiotic, make sure your probiotic has the genus, the species, and the strain. So there's three parts to the thing. So, like the first two names, and then, like, the third one will be a combination of letters and numbers. So that would be something. And make sure you can look up that word, look it up on, like, online and see if there's any research for that specific strain and for what condition.
- [38:19]
Lauren Everts
So you're saying some people get a probiotic and it doesn't have the right strains or the right species.
- [38:23]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Okay, so both of you are healthy individuals. If you took a probiotic for general wellness or to optimize your gut, it's not really going to do everything, anything for the average person. If you've got a specific condition, like you've got IBS and you've got bloating with ibs, or you've got traveler's diarrhea, there's a specific type of bacteria or probiotic which can help for that. So we're not at the stage yet with the science where you can just take a general wellness probiotic. That's the future.
- [38:49]
Michael Bostick
What brand do you like?
- [38:51]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Probiotics?
- [38:51]
Michael Bostick
Yes.
- [38:52]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I don't take probiotics. And the reason is I want to think. Think of your gut like a garden. Right. Probiotics is like, just keep buying more flowers and planting in your garden, but you're not watering your garden and you're not nourishing the soil fiber. And prebiotic fiber is like nourishing the soil and fertilizing it so the existing flowers that you already have, like you're in your natural bacteria can flourish and thrive.
- [39:16]
Michael Bostick
That makes so much sense. That is the best description that anyone has ever done on this show about fiber. That makes so much sense.
- [39:23]
Lauren Everts
I'm sure you, with the platform you've built, get a ton of outreach from other people in the health and wellness community. Who do you. What filters do you have in place with who you decide to collaborate with? And what are some things that you kind of look at as red flags and stay away from to keep credibility?
- [39:39]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I think the, you know, one thing I was taught by my mentors both in medical school and when I was a doctor, if you truly know a subject with serious expertise, you can dumb it down so anyone can understand. So I don't try to use big words or fancy language because I want everyone to understand it, whether you know. And you'd be Surprised. The average reading age in both the US and the UK is around like, you know, a nine, ten year old level. So you really have to be simple for everyone to understand. And I look at people who can simplify that complex language, number one, and are they saying things which correlates with other people, other kind of like experts, but also the data and literature and it's not exaggerated or like hot takes where it's like black or white. Because science and health, there's always nuance.
- [40:33]
Michael Bostick
There's a couple things. When I read a book and the words are so big, I put it down, there's almost like a self righteous undertone when you feel like you have to use like these huge words. Also sometimes I notice this in certain fields, people almost want to take a simple subject and over complicate it so they sound more smart or do you know what I mean?
- [40:52]
Lauren Everts
You know, like in an investment, it's
- [40:54]
Michael Bostick
like if you can't explain it in a layman's term way, in an investment
- [40:57]
Lauren Everts
scenario, someone comes to you to pitch their idea and it takes 30 minutes for you to understand what they're working on. No, like you should be able to explain what you're doing in literally 30 seconds. Correct?
- [41:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Correct.
- [41:06]
Lauren Everts
And if you don't, you're probably, it's probably too complicated or not a good idea.
- [41:08]
Michael Bostick
I always say I'm like, be able to explain it to your Uber driver in one minute. I really like to give my dogs the best, highest quality ingredients. And you guys can do this too. If you want real fresh food, you have to check out Ollie. When I gave this to my dogs, they were freaking out, chasing their tail, licking their lips, they were drooling, their jowls were shaking. I'm not even joking you. And that shouldn't surprise you because Ollie has human grade recipes backed by vet nutritionists and everything is crafted with culinary experts. The dogs love the taste. I've seen it firsthand. Even the pickiest eaters, my dog Boone is kind of picky and he was obsessed with this Slim, my other dog is not so picky and she gobbled it up. It comes with a scoop for easy serving and a storage situation for zero fridge stink, which is amazing. They have a one of a kind technology, so the app offers an on demand health screening where you can tap real experts for pups. Peace of mind. They really thought of everything. When it comes to your dog's wellness, I've noticed brighter eyes, like less like brown, sort of like underneath their eyes, less weepy eyes. I guess I'VE also noticed that they're more excited during meal time and their energy is up. Their coats are shiny, their nails are long. You have to check out Ollie. Show your dogs some love in the way they understand. Head to ollie.com skinny tell them all about your dog and use code Skinny when you get 60% off your welcome kit when you subscribe today. Plus they'll offer a happiness guarantee on the first box so if you're not completely satisfied, you'll get your money back. That's o l l ie.com skinny in our code skinny to get 60% off your first box quick break to talk
- [43:00]
Lauren Everts
about one of our favorite longtime partners and that is Just Thrive. They have a new Gut Essentials combo that is absolutely going to change the game. If you're somebody who's accepted bloat, cravings and that post meal crash after eating as your new normal, I'm challenging you to feel better and I'm giving you the cheat code. The Just Thrive Gut Essentials bundle. It pairs two clinically proven gut superstars, the Just Thrive Probiotic, which we've talked about for years now, and their new digestive bitter Just Thrive Probiotic is the only probiotic clinically proven to arrive 100% alive in your gut for a difference you'll actually feel. We're talking less bloat, better energy and even clearer skin. Then there's their Digestive bitters. It packs 12 science back herbs and one tasteless capsule that jumps starts your digestion and supports GLP1 production so cravings don't control you. Together they'll transform the health of your gut so you can feel like your best self fast. There's even a 100% money back guarantee so you've got nothing to lose. We've had the founders of Just Thrive on this podcast multiple times because every time we talk to them they're up to something new and interesting. And what we love is people who stand behind their products. We know we can trust them, we know it's quality and Lauren and I have been fans of their products for years so check them out. For over a decade Just Thrive has been helping thousands of people take control of their health with science backed solutions you can trust. From their award winning probiotic to their full of gut, immune and brain health supplements, Just Thrive is ready to help you live your healthiest life. So take the Just Thrive Feel Better challenge today and save 20% on your first gut essentials bundle. Visit justthrivehealth.com skinny and save 20 with promo code skinny see the difference for yourself or get full product refund, no questions asked. That's justthrive health.com skinny be the best you with just thrive.
- [44:32]
Michael Bostick
This is wild but did you guys know that over 90% of percent of new parents on Bobby are combo feeding? So they're using both breast milk and formula to feed their baby. Whether you're exclusively formula feeding, combo feeding or you just want a backup can in the pantry, Bobi is the formula to deliver safe and complete nutrition to your baby's bottle. Bobi's organic Its European style formulas are clinically crafted to mirror breast milk. They have naturally occurring mfgm, DHA and choline to support brain development. They also have a 60 to 40 way to casein protein blend for easy healthy digestion. Every single batch goes through 2000 plus safety and quality checks before leaving their U S manufacturing facility. They really thought of everything so you don't have to worry. And I looked into Bobby because I actually invited the founder on the podcast and they were named a top choice by consumer reports after a extensive testing. This is my favorite thing for heavy metals and chemicals. So if you're looking for USDA organic that's also EU organic pesticide free formula, you have to check them out. Bobby, whether you're breastfeeding, combo feeding or exclusively using formula, check them out. I personally love knowing that Bobby sweats every detail, every step, every test, every ounce so the parents don't have to. If you want to feed with confidence, head to hibobbi.com that's hibobbi.com to find the formula trusted by parents and loved by their babies. 700k and counting. That's Hibby.com introducing the skinny confidential ice roller. Reimagined. Think sleeker lines, a softer pink, a custom buttery dust bag and a silver roller. Not pink anymore that is ice cold. I wanted to do a zhuzh on the iconic ice roller. I wanted to update it. This ice roller for me has always been more than just a tool. It's about helping us de puff and sculpt and calm the skin in a way that feels intentional. And I wanted the ice roller to feel evolved. It's changed. You've changed. So yes, the new gorgeous, stunning, beautiful ice roller is is still going to do the same things. It reduces puffiness and redness in your face. I used it this morning before I put on my makeup. It definitely helps with the under eye bags. Of course it helps boost circulation and radiance. I just feel like it really helps stimulate blood flow. And gives me that tighter, more radiant skin. And then it also is known to give you a smoother, tighter looking skin. So what I like to do is I like to combine facial massage with, with cold therapy. And this really helps give you a really nice foundation before you even apply your skincare. This ice roller for me is a full circle moment. I think that a lot of you bought the ice roller, you know, five, six years ago when we launched it, and now I am launching something that feels more in alignment with where you're at. It's so beautiful, you guys. Like, it's just softer and more effortless in every way. And I really put my own touches on every single little step, from the packaging to the colors, to how it feels to even the roller. It's all been elevated just for you. So the ritual, the Lauren ritual, is you do cold therapy to help fight inflammation. You roll it, you glide it across your face. I put it on my jawline, my neck, I roll it down. Your skin is just going to appear smoother and tighter before you go in for the kill. With the skincare and the makeup, don't skip the cold therapy. The new ice roller is an upgrade designed to meet the standards of today. And I hope you guys love it as much as I do. This is the beauty tool that started it. All redesigned to evolve with you. I'm showing it on YouTube too. If you're on YouTube, if you're seeing me visually, get it. Why it's hot@shop. Skinnyconfidential.com that's shopskinnyconfidential.com out of all the content that you have done with 11 million followers across, has been the most
- [48:47]
Dr. Karan Rajan
viral and why the One of the most viral things I've done is I reacted to a video about how you can get your kids to eat more vegetables. Well, these were neck and neck, how to get your kids to eat more like fiber, basically. And number two, I reacted to another video where a mum was giving her newborn kid, like, bone marrow. And both of Those were like 20 million views each or something like that. And as someone who's like, about to have a kid, I'm super interested in a child's microbiome because we know the microbiome can set someone up for life. It's not just about pooping, it's about autoimmune disease, cancer risk, allergies. We know that if a kid has a robust microbiome from a young age, they can have a reduced risk of autoimmune disease, allergies, a stronger immune system, and if you expose them to a variety of foods from a young age, you can actually eliminate some allergies. There was a huge study called the Leap trial done on peanut allergies and it suggested that if you introduce after the weaning process, one year on onwards, any, like peanut puffs, peanut butter, you can reduce a child's peanut allergy risk by up to 70% when they're an adult.
- [50:08]
Michael Bostick
I have a confession. Perfect podcast to do this on with all three of my children. Not my baby yet because he's a little too young, but at 1 years old I eat some peanut butter and then I eat almond butter and I give him a kiss. And I did the same thing with honey.
- [50:23]
Lauren Everts
Can you just like put a little bit on? You gotta like put it in your mouth.
- [50:26]
Michael Bostick
I know. I eat a scoop of honey, put a little bit on my lips and give them a kiss.
- [50:30]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Wow.
- [50:32]
Michael Bostick
This Lauren Bostic science. It no allergies.
- [50:36]
Lauren Everts
No. But the long story short, for all of our choices, we've exposed them to dairy, we've exposed them to honey, we've exposed them to peanut butter, and we do it early. And again, like, we are not doctors, we're not giving medical. But in our situation we've done that. And I think that. But at least in their case, they've avoided those types of allergies.
- [50:51]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Diversity as a kid encourages diversity in the microbiome, which is huge. And I want to ask, do you have pets at home?
- [50:58]
Michael Bostick
Yes. In the bed.
- [51:00]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. So we know from again, the same data.
- [51:03]
Michael Bostick
Yeah.
- [51:04]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Kids who live in non urban environments and who either live on farms and who are exposed to animals from a young age and who have siblings, all those four things and have dietary diversity are more likely to have a reduced risk of allergies, autoimmune disease, and just better gut health and health in general longer term.
- [51:24]
Michael Bostick
Why did the two things that you put up go viral? Like what was your answers to each of them?
- [51:29]
Dr. Karan Rajan
The answers were one in terms of the bone marrow, one is like, obviously I'm not encouraging bone marrow specifically, but just the fact that you're introducing a child from a young age to different textures so they're not going to be picky with their food longer term, which means they're more likely to have a range of foods growing up. And number two, you're encouraging their microbiome to already experience different things from a young age. So different foods equals different microbes that are encouraged.
- [51:56]
Michael Bostick
So my baby, my baby Bond, he's eight months old, his first food was bone marrow. And Liver. So you like that? You like that?
- [52:04]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I can't speak to bone marrow liver specifically, but, like, you like the diversity of the diversity. Yeah, Like, I've never had liver or bone marrow just because I haven't. No one's ever given it to me.
- [52:13]
Lauren Everts
But listen, there's a place here in this very building called the Kimberly.
- [52:17]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Oh.
- [52:17]
Lauren Everts
They make the best bone marrow. And it's like, if you're not a big bone marrow guy and you're not used to it, it's like you can have it and get just like a great introduction to it without. Also, don't know if I want to blow up that spot, because I do like going there, but it is. I'll give them the shout.
- [52:29]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Okay, yeah, try it out. I'll check that out.
- [52:31]
Michael Bostick
What was the other viral clip?
- [52:32]
Dr. Karan Rajan
The other one was, like, about the. You know, like, how do you get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables and fiber? And it was basically like how you gamify it, right? When I was a kid, I remember I ate loads of, like, fruits and vegetables because my mom would chop it up into, like, little strips and I'd just have, like, dip it in hummus. And it's snackable. You make it snackable. You put it in, like, fun shapes and sizes and you just leave it on the table. No pressure, no judgment, no guilt. You just leave it there. If you leave fruits and vegetables in, like, snackable form, just out and about. The exposure to it and the fact there's no judgment or pressure or moral value attached to it psychologically allows them just to kind of like grab and go and snack.
- [53:17]
Michael Bostick
So my doctor is amazing. She's very, like, Eastern and western. She's really great. And she told me exactly what you just said. And she. What she did is she went to, I think Home Depot and she got a salad bar. Like a. Like a cold.
- [53:31]
Lauren Everts
Like the countertop fridges where you could put, like different salads or different fridges. And she puts.
- [53:35]
Michael Bostick
She cut up all the stuff, the vegetables, the fruit, and she puts it in there. And she leaves it out in there for like a couple days. And the kids just go buy, like a salad bar.
- [53:44]
Lauren Everts
Cause it stays refrigerated on the counter. And they can just reach in and grab what they want. Like, what you're saying like a hotel.
- [53:48]
Michael Bostick
Like a hotel at this house that we're at now, there wasn't like, the right place for it. So I was like, how can I do this? So I went on Amazon and got like. Like the containers and we just cut it up and my kids, vegetables and fruit and cheese and all these things has gone way up because they feel in control of making themselves a snack plate.
- [54:08]
Lauren Everts
Yeah, what we've done is we've limited some of the. More like junk food in the pantry we just got out, and they just. Now they open the fridge and they grab that kind of stuff and you give them some kind of dressing.
- [54:16]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Again, this is anecdotal, but I know it works. My, you know, nephew, he's very picky with food. He's autistic. And I did this thing where I was just doing a ton of research on, like, psychology and food behavior and eating like that, and I just made like a little paper sachet. I just drew like a kind of like a superhero character, and I just stuffed it full of, like, carrots, almost cut up, like, fries and gave it to him. And he hates carrots. He hates anything that has a bright color but also has, like a certain mouth feel to it. He crushed the carrots because it was like, in this kind of superhero type thing. And kids respond to cues like that. Like how you package something is so, so influential in how they approach food.
- [54:57]
Michael Bostick
Yeah. I love the idea of just laying it out before the meal and not putting any pressure on it.
- [55:01]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah.
- [55:02]
Michael Bostick
And my thing is, if they don't want it, like, I'll eat the. The cucumber and hummus.
- [55:06]
Lauren Everts
So for people that are, you know, consuming shows like this, consuming content like yours on social media, short form, long form, looking for medical advice, looking for how to live that. Like, what are some of the things that you would push them towards and some of the things you would caution
- [55:19]
Dr. Karan Rajan
them against in terms of, like, just
- [55:22]
Lauren Everts
what they should, you know, what types of things they should follow and believe in and what kind of things they should be cautious about.
- [55:27]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Yeah. I mean, like, trends are so prevalent these days where it says, like, you must eliminate this. You must do this. It's. It's about balance. Right? Like, you know, the Purito principle suggests that you get the most value from 80 of, like, the boring basics. And 20 may be things like supplements or, you know, things like saunas, which are all good, but they're the 20%. We have known all the things that work for decades. Don't smoke, don't drink, keep a healthy weight, movement, sunlight, get enough vitamin D, get enough fiber, plant food. Go to screenings when you're called for cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, Go to those screenings. You know, childhood vaccinations, social connections, all of those things we know. And then also there's like things we can't change, like genetics and, you know, your kind of socioeconomic status, like, you know, your zip code, basically. But all those other things, they are going to be the biggest levers in your life. Once you've got those sorted, then you look into supplements and then your nutrition, all those sort of things as well.
- [56:29]
Michael Bostick
What's fiber maxing?
- [56:31]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Fiber maxing is just trying to like, it says, max out how much fiber you can eat. I am a big fan of this one trend. I think it's one of the TikTok trends that's not going to send you to the hospital.
- [56:42]
Michael Bostick
Okay.
- [56:42]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Right. And the only caveat and caution is if you're not used to eating a lot of fiber, slowly ramp it up, okay, 5 grams extra a day for a week, next week another five, week after another five. And just slowly ramp it up because your gut bacteria, if you're not used to fiber, are just not used to processing that amount of fiber. So they need to develop the enzymes to be more efficient in dealing with that fiber. But so just give it to them slowly.
- [57:10]
Michael Bostick
Before you go, what are some tips in your book? This book may save your life.
- [57:14]
Dr. Karan Rajan
This book may save your life is, you know, I talk about the human body top to tail, and I liken it to like a glitchy machine.
- [57:22]
Michael Bostick
Okay.
- [57:23]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And it's, you know, just breaking down, trying to destroy us. And it's like the simple buckets. Sleep and wake times keep that consistent because that can literally regulate your entire life from your mental health to how well you poop. I like a 7:30 bedtime, 7:30pm wow.
- [57:40]
Michael Bostick
Literally wait till these kids when you have a kid.
- [57:46]
Dr. Karan Rajan
So, yeah, I mean, sleep is key, but appreciated. Like, I'm probably not going to sleep the next year. And it's, you know, like, I think the gut microbiome is just so underappreciated still, because we know it has a link to every organ system in your body, from your liver to your kidneys to your brain to your immune system to your skin. Skin. If you've ever had or know anyone with acne, psoriasis, eczema, when their gut is off, their skin is worse. It's because of the gut skin connection.
- [58:14]
Michael Bostick
So you can tell someone's gut by their skin.
- [58:17]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I think of the skin as a billboard to what's going on in the gut.
- [58:21]
Michael Bostick
Interesting. I love that.
- [58:23]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And so we.
- [58:23]
Michael Bostick
How's my skin?
- [58:24]
Dr. Karan Rajan
How's your skin? Amazing.
- [58:25]
Michael Bostick
Oh, okay. So that's good.
- [58:27]
Dr. Karan Rajan
That's good.
- [58:28]
Michael Bostick
Okay.
- [58:28]
Dr. Karan Rajan
It's like a, you know, if Your gut is inflamed. Those inflammatory molecules will go through the bloodstream and hop off in different places. It might hop off in the brain and cause you to have low mood anxiety. It might hop off in the skin cells and show as inflammation in the skin. It might stop off in other places as well and cause problems in, you know, other areas.
- [58:50]
Lauren Everts
And with the new book, this is Vital Information, is this the, this is the follow up. And what is, what's different in this one?
- [58:55]
Dr. Karan Rajan
This is more like, like things we're too embarrassed to ask our doctors. Everything from period problems to menopause issues to gut problems to cancer. Talking about death and advocating for patients and giving them things to tell their doctor.
- [59:10]
Lauren Everts
So would you, how would you use this book?
- [59:12]
Dr. Karan Rajan
You could literally pick up, like, for example, you're on the penis page, right? And that's all about men's health. When you, when a guy, okay, you say you go down to Terry Black's to have some barbecue with your friends, with your guy friends. Guy friends. You're not going to talk about your prostate. You're not going to be talking about your balls or your dick. You, like, someone might have those problems, but they won't bring it up at all. They won't even talk to their doctor about it because they're embarrassed. Same with women. Like, sometimes women may not talk about their lumps or other issues going on. We don't talk about oral health, we don't talk about menopause and the problem. So each chapter is different and you can pick it up and there's a
- [59:47]
Lauren Everts
sign because I turned to the male health page. I was like, let me flip ahead. And then I turned to the Body mayhem.
- [59:51]
Michael Bostick
Yours is bigger than that.
- [59:52]
Lauren Everts
The body piercing on the, on the penis page. So, yeah, something. This book must be telling me something. I will, I will dive in and I will head to Terry Blacks and report back to you.
- [60:01]
Michael Bostick
Where can everyone follow you? I think what you're doing is absolutely amazing.
- [60:05]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Dr. Karan Rajan. Unfortunately, everywhere.
- [60:08]
Michael Bostick
And you guys gave us a code for loam? Yes. Skinny. 20 for 20% off loamscience.com I just mix this in my mango aminos, which I have every day. Everyone knows that. And it doesn't literally taste like anything and it's not clumpy. And I didn't, I can't get over that I didn't have to use a frother. That's unique. That's like, to me, that's the main selling point because I, like, I'm quick.
- [60:31]
Lauren Everts
I gotta go because that's the problem with some of these other things is, like, you don't want that. You just want it to go in real quick. So you could take this anytime in the day. When do you take yours?
- [60:40]
Dr. Karan Rajan
I take it with the coffee in the morning. And the thing is, with fiber, if you're consistent with it and have it every single day, you stack up the benefits. And unfortunately, you know, not a lot of fibers have the high dose of 10 grams. They don't have the diversity. So when you drink this, you're getting six different fibers, not just one.
- [60:58]
Michael Bostick
Well, I just did two packs too. That's amazing.
- [61:01]
Dr. Karan Rajan
You've got so much diversity there. And the fact that most people can't stick to something because it either has, you know, like a really strong taste or it's chunky. And gritty. For me, when I was messing with fibers back in the day, that's my problem. Like, I couldn't find something that was just tasteless and invisible.
- [61:17]
Michael Bostick
What I'm gonna do with this is I'm gonna habit stack it. So I already do two. I already do my aminos. But then also another way I would take this is with my magnesium water. At night, it literally tastes like nothing.
- [61:28]
Lauren Everts
I like that. You can take it with the coffee. Because each day I have one coffee per day. And you're saying no matter how hot the coffee is, this is stable, it's heat stable.
- [61:35]
Dr. Karan Rajan
And in fact, I. My favorite thing to bake is banana bread. I put in two packs of loam into the batter when I make it. So I've got high fiber banana bread.
- [61:45]
Michael Bostick
Smart. Yeah, I'm gonna do it. Thank you so much for coming on.
- [61:49]
Dr. Karan Rajan
Thank you guys for having me.
- [61:50]
Lauren Everts
Thank you for making the trip.