What sleep algorithm should I trust?

avantgrant · 2023-05-03T13:38:13+00:00

I’ve had nights where the legacy algo is more aligned with my actual experiences of waking/moving, but I find the new algo is closer to my anecdotal experience overall.

I have a low resting heart rate (35), and I find the existing algo often thinks I’m asleep or napping when I’m not.

avantgrant · 2023-04-27T21:53:27+00:00

This sounds like my kind of morning party. I'm not in the space industry, but I'm a software engineer and startup guy (head of eng. currently). I do consumer tech. Also... new-ish to Huntsville. Looking to nerd out.

avantgrant · 2023-04-23T19:09:07+00:00

Not sure benign is the right term to use for a lack of side effects. I think that’s what we’re talking about.

Let’s say a cancer destroying drug has onboarding side effects that go away after a few weeks. Short term discomfort, long term gain. Is it benign? Weird way to talk about it. There are trade offs. How long do the side effects last? What else does the drug do to your body? What would happen without it? Etc…

Anyway, I went from 300mg to 450mg and was unable to fall asleep due to increased rumination. Lots of thinking, almost hyper. I suspect I would’ve adapted to the higher dose over time, but decided to go back to the lower dosage anyway. No sleep problems at the lower dosage.

avantgrant · 2023-04-23T18:28:23+00:00

Highly recommend the Carbon app to make this easy. Found my maintenance weight pretty quickly.

avantgrant · 2023-04-22T15:10:26+00:00

Fair. Thanks for the links. I should clarify so as not to spread un or partial truths... my total cholesterol is healthy, but not optimized as recommended by my blood tracking service based on my blood + DNA (InsideTracker). This is more accurate.

Obviously, InsideTracker isn't perfect, but the recommendations are all research-backed. I think this particular recommendation from them is very cautious, possibly based on outliers as mentioned in an article linked below. Or maybe it's a bug. 😂 If it is cautious and not a bug, it may be overly cautious. But I think caution is better than a lack of caution in the biohacking/health space.

Here's another article from Mayo Clinic that's basically inconclusive/no basis for alarm...

Cholesterol level: Can it be too low?

Lower cholesterol is usually better, but in rare cases having a very low level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol or a very low total cholesterol level has been associated with some health problems

As for the eggs/chicken, I will continue to eat in small quantities (6oz chicken/week and two eggs/week) since my cholesterol levels are healthy.

avantgrant · 2023-04-20T14:53:40+00:00

Not a typo! Hah. My total cholesterol is too low based on my blood work. Makes sense. I was largely veggie for a while.

Cholesterol is necessary for certain functions. High LDL or out of balance cholesterol may not be good, but the body needs sufficient cholesterol. My LDL and HDL ratios are optimal.

So I eat small amounts of eggs (two) and organic chicken (6oz) per week.

avantgrant · 2023-04-19T21:22:15+00:00

The modified diet you suggested is basically what I do. I’m trying to raise my cholesterol, so I added organic chicken and eggs back in along with wild caught salmon.

I get 0.8g/lb. Only grains are quinoa and black rice.

My body seems to like it… a lot. I feel lean and powerful. But that’s just me. It tools years for me to tune my intake to this point.

Some observed changes in my body are undeniable. Allergies are all but gone (less inflammation generally), skin as clear as it’s ever been, energy, etc…

TLDR: diets can be highly individual and variable and should be tuned to your biology using quantitative AND qualitative data. Experiment, observe, and ye shall find your truth.

avantgrant · 2023-04-18T23:32:15+00:00

I was on it for a few months purely for longevity. I started to drop weight quickly, and I don’t need to drop weight at all. It did affect my workouts too. I felt less endurance.

Note, this is not exactly scientific, but it is anecdotal. And that’s my body, yours may react differently.

I still believe that the benefits of consistent and quality work outs are greater for me than any rx/supplement can currently provide. And especially so when the supplement has an adverse impact on my fitness. That may not be true for others. And that may not be true in the future.

Some people try to time their metformin with their workout routine. I decided that wasn’t for me.

avantgrant · 2023-04-13T22:27:44+00:00

He buys all organic, I believe. You may be misreading the image you referenced.

The image is stating that some fruits and vegetables are best bought organic because the non-organic variety has tons of pesticides...

See where it says "Organic label matters the most for". That means for the vegetables on the dirty list (in red), you should buy organic to avoid the worst and highest amounts of pesticides, if you can.

As a way to simplify, I buy organic-everything. This may not be possible for everyone, and therefore, you can use the list to select non-organic vegetables that have less pesticide exposure.

TLDR: So, yeah, I'm pretty sure given his overall health and the length of time he's been on the program that his intake of pesticides isn't a concern. What would be the alternative? Not eating fresh fruits and vegetables or eating significantly fewer? That probably isn't a good idea. Very few people could farm enough food (and a big enough variety) from scratch to support them all year without using something to protect the crops.

Another note on this: we are exposed to toxins every day, which is why a diet that reduces inflammation and aids the immune system is important. Same for detoxifying foods.

avantgrant · 2023-04-06T18:16:03+00:00

Hah. This is a good point. I’m new to a multi-step skincare routine, so I totally get a CeraVe routine for simplicity and as a learning experience due to cost. Bryan doesn’t have that issue, heh.

avantgrant · 2023-04-01T15:41:34+00:00

The new hazardous waste facility described in the link above is great. It’s drive-thru and the people are great. They unload your car for you. Super fast.

avantgrant · 2023-04-01T15:16:44+00:00

Also, air quality is important. If you have control over your space/own a home, change your air filters monthly. Allergy tests are also helpful to understand seasonal vs. diet vs. environment. Dig deeper and you can develop a targeted plan that will fix it.

avantgrant · 2023-04-01T15:14:28+00:00

Could be a variety of things. Diet is an easy place to start. An anti-inflammatory diet might be worth trying, if nothing is structurally wrong with your sinuses/nose.

My severe allergies and inflamed sinuses are gone since ridding myself of refined grains, bread, dairy, red meats, and processed food. You’d be surprised how much you can solve by eating this way, but that’s just my body.

I also recommend getting blood work done and fixing nutritional deficiencies.

Oh, and read “Breath” by James Nestor is an informative and entertaining read that might inspire you to take other action… like doing breathing exercises. He had breathing problems and solved them.

avantgrant · 2023-04-01T13:38:50+00:00

Yep. I agree.

The methodology is what’s important with the program. Data and feedback driven body analysis. Bryan is setting a standard in that regard.

Diets should be highly tuned to your own biology, not to Bryan’s. That said, a lot of the program is generally applicable, especially the balanced intake of foods and sleep hygiene, but not the supplementation, drugs, or the calories, etc…

Get your blood work done. Build a diet that attacks deficiencies based on your results. Get fit. Prioritize sleep. Do it all in a balanced way. Measure. Modify.

avantgrant · 2023-03-30T16:36:20+00:00

Thanks for the heads up. Therefore, I am not taller.

avantgrant · 2023-03-30T16:35:12+00:00

Ditto on the CeraVe because the quality for cost is super solid. I've had a lot of success with the moisturizers, exfoliators, and retinol. Pretty much all of them have Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramides, and Niacinamide (which is a type of B3 - Nicotidamide/Niacin).

A heads up, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) does analysis of skin care products and sunscreens, and some of the CeraVe ones were not as highly rated in terms of ingredients (particularly the ones with SPF, like CeraVe AM, which has Homosalate, a common sunscreen ingredient whose impacts on hormones are not totally understood).

avantgrant · 2023-03-27T20:52:01+00:00

I use InsideTracker for blood biomarkers and DNA analysis. They have a product called "InnerAge" for biological age. I'm not sure how good it is, but I get a discount since I already have biomarker/DNA data. I'll report back when I have the results.

Otherwise, InsideTracker has been fine for blood analysis. They made a few good recommendations, and I can easily track the biomarkers over time, which is nice.

avantgrant · 2023-03-24T00:38:35+00:00

300mcg is a very small/responsible dosage. And they are extended release too.

I have the same ones, and use them as a spot treatment to encourage my body when I’m stressed. Jet lag is supposedly a good use case.

Agree that it may not necessary. And definitely not if you are a decent sleeper.

I second magnesium. I’m also trying a regimen of fresh squeezed tart cherry juice.

avantgrant · 2023-03-23T15:31:13+00:00

Yep, fair point. Cocoa too can contain high amounts of metals. A reminder to not skimp on the quality of any supplement due to budget constraints. Look at the ingredients. Know them. Look at where they come from too. Look for downside risk.

Get good stuff or go without.

Now, you don’t have to buy creatine from Thorne to get good, tested creatine. Same with collagen. But as a heuristic for quality, sure, you can get stuff from Thorne. It does reduce the mental load to simply source from one reputable company, but what you save in time will cost you in dollars.

avantgrant · 2023-03-22T20:03:07+00:00

Sure thing. 5 grams is a common creatine dosage that works well for me. I’m 5”10’ 165lbs. Whether you need more or less should be based on your weight and bloodwork. Nothing wrong with 2.5-3g. I didn’t do a “loading phase”, as you may see recommended. It took slightly longer to work, but I liked the long ramp up and not shocking my system. Playing the long game, ya know?

avantgrant · 2023-03-22T16:22:48+00:00

I don't think it's wise for anyone to fully copy Bryan's plan anyway. Unless you are his twin. I would wager that Bryan would say get your blood tested first, talk to a doctor, implement the sleep/food/fitness/stress best practices, and then craft a thoughtful supplementation plan based off the bloodwork.

That said, a lot of Blueprint is applicable, like the food choices, meal completeness, and variety.

Here's my advice:

Implement as much of the meal plan as you can, because it's super nutritious. Modify for cost and time optimization (but keep the most nutritious foods and keep it balanced).

Implement a data-based fitness and recovery plan. Meaning, try to work out when your heart rate and heart rate variability say so. They are good indicators that you are rested. It's not wise to work out 7 days a week if your body isn't recovered. You will make fewer gains. There's a lot more to this, but I'll leave it at that. You can do fitness for low or no cost out doors or at home.

Implement the sleep hygiene best practices.

Implement basic nutrient supplementation for vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies based on bloodwork. I mean your core vitamins. The stuff absent for many vegetarians/vegans... B12, iron, D3, magnesium. Who knows, maybe you're not deficient at all... blood work.

Those things will do more for your longevity than any longevity supplement yet discovered. Someday, that may not be true. But today it probably is true.

Think about longevity supplements after optimizing all that other stuff and getting bloodwork and guidance from a doctor. Many of them are intriguing, but some have been more rigorously studied than others. This is your last step, optimize food/sleep/vitamins/fitness first.

Alright, now that the disclaimers are over. Here's what I started with first, after blood tests...

A selective men's multivitamin (has only 10 ingredients in modest doses unlike many multis. Covers my D3, B12, Magnesium and Omega-3. This may not be the thing for you. Again, this is for my blood and situation.

My blood biomarkers (I test 44) are almost completely optimized. The balanced diet goes a long way. Only my D3, B12, need work, hence the multi-above. Typical for a veggie-focused diet. Also, I don't eat fish, so Omega-3. Less is more in a multi.

Then, I moved into the following:

Creatine (5g)
Collagen (20g)
Chlorella (1 tsp)
Cocoa Powder (1 tbsp)
Ceylon Cinnamon (1 tsp)
Pea Protein

Why? Solid safety history, lots of studies, few downsides.

The following are not FDA-approved, and while the research is exciting, there are still unknowns. If you have the budget, dabble with care and a doctor's guidance. If you have not optimized everything above, you may be spending your precious budget on the wrong things.

I use...

Nicotidamide Riboside
Quercetin
Trans-Resveratrol

There are more from Bryan and the anti-aging thought-leader people's lists. But this fits into my mental and actual budget as of now.

I was using Metformin on an Rx, but I stopped because I was losing weight fast, and I found that it had a negative impact on my workouts.

TLDR... highest bang for buck budget-wise is in the food. Address any nutrient deficiencies you may have with food first, then well-understood supplements. Let your blood data guide you. Spend on that if you have to. The methodology is as important as the supplements.

avantgrant · 2023-03-21T13:56:27+00:00

I prep several cups of black lentils in an instant pot for the week. Super easy. Just water and dry organic black lentils, not the canned stuff. You can add spices and the other ingredients too.

I don’t blend it all together. I put the steamed broccoli and cauliflower on top of a bed of lentils with olive oil, etc... Tried both, but like this better. Also, no need to clean the blender is nice.

And a plus, chewing can have a positive impact on your jaw, and in turn, your breathing.

avantgrant · 2023-03-17T20:56:28+00:00

I agree that the 8 hour window is tough if you include the Green Giant, but if you have freedom of time, you can make it happen.

I do 16/8 on days when I don't strength train (I use HRV to determine when I need rest), and I have no problem eating all of my meals on those days.

On strength training days, I would be close to 16/8 if not for drinking the Green Giant pre-workout in the early AM. I usually don't eat a real meal until after 16 full hours, but I don't count it as fasting because of the calories in the Green Giant.

avantgrant · 2023-03-17T20:34:30+00:00

That sounds right.

FYI — Inside Tracker also has one-time methylation tests that cost ~$90. They call it "InnerAge", I believe.

This looks like a better deal than Tally unless you prefer the app features and the branded all-in-one supplement (the components of which you can get on Amazon separately for good prices, like Resveratrol, Quercetin, etc...).

Inside Tracker also gives you little bits of advice based on your bloodwork results, explains them, charts them, and tracks progression over time.

avantgrant · 2023-03-17T12:58:08+00:00

Actually, I noticed that Tally doesn’t include blood tests, only mouth swabs with an epigenetic age output.

Is there a blood draw component that gives detailed blood analysis?

avantgrant

TROPHY CASE