Speaker-Organized Summary: Go Unpro Podcast, Week 5

Dr. Brent Laartz

Key Points and Decisions:

Experienced a setback over the holidays with increased alcohol and food intake due to family events and his father's passing

Committed to a "Dry January" to limit alcohol intake and get back on track with his health goals

Discussed the importance of mitochondria and how they impact energy, immune function, and response to diet

Emphasized the need for a gradual, sustainable approach to lifestyle changes rather than drastic "cold turkey" changes

Next Steps:

Continuing to focus on a whole-food, plant-based diet with limited processed foods and alcohol

Incorporating more fermented foods to support gut health and microbiome

Maintaining a consistent exercise routine with a focus on strength training and cardiovascular fitness

Practicing creativity through daily poem writing and sharing on "Friday Frhyme Day"

Increasing social connections and reducing stress through meditation and sleep optimization

Summary

In this episode, Dr. Brent Laartz discussed his journey towards an unprocessed life, including the challenges he faced over the holiday season and his renewed commitment to his health goals. He emphasized the importance of mitochondrial health and how it impacts energy, immune function, and response to diet.

Dr. Laartz emphasized the need for a gradual, sustainable approach to lifestyle changes rather than drastic "cold turkey" changes. He outlined his next steps, which include continuing to focus on a whole-food, plant-based diet, incorporating more fermented foods, maintaining a consistent exercise routine, practicing creativity through daily poem writing, and increasing social connections and reducing stress through meditation and sleep optimization.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Laartz shared his personal vision for longevity and health, and how he is working towards achieving his "Blue Zone" lifestyle goals.

Speaker-Organized Summary: Key Points, Decisions, and Next Steps

Announcer Lucas

Welcome to Sunday Science, where recent scientific articles and their translation into modern lives are discussed.

The host for today's episode is Dr. Brent W. Lartz, M.D.

Dr. Brent Laartz

Summary of Key Points and Decisions

The discussion focuses on a gene and gene product called Clotho, which was discovered in 1997 and is named after the Greek god of fate and destiny.

Knockout mice with Clotho upregulation showed a 15-30% longer lifespan and improved cardiovascular, renal, and brain health, as well as lower rates of cognitive decline.

However, a recent study published in the Journals of Gerontology in 2025 found a U-shaped relationship between Clotho levels and all-cause mortality.

The study showed that both high and low levels of Clotho were associated with increased mortality, and this was linked to increased liver fibrosis.

Next Steps

Further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between Clotho levels and health outcomes.

Multiple studies on Clotho have been published in the past year, and more are expected in the next one to two years.

The speaker encourages the audience to follow the podcast on various platforms to stay updated on the latest developments in longevity and science.

Summary of Key Points, Decisions, and Next Steps by Speaker

Dr. Brent Laartz

Key Points and Decisions:

Focusing on longevity and healthspan, not just cosmetic appearance

Importance of polyphenols, calorie restriction, and certain medications (acarbose, canaglifosin) for longevity

Emphasis on strength, grip strength, and quick movements to maintain activity into older age

Strategies for navigating the holidays, including bringing own food, doing active activities with family, and tracking progress

Next Steps:

Continuing low-carb, no-sugar diet with focus on whole foods, vegetables, and limited pasta/bread

Increasing cardiovascular exercise to 3 times per week and resistance training 2-3 times per week

Improving sleep habits, including using Oura ring, avoiding screens before bed, and exploring 40Hz light/sound therapy

Engaging in more mindfulness, creativity, and connection activities like writing, music, and spending time with loved ones

Further reducing plastic use by switching to cotton clothing, glass/stainless steel cookware and utensils, and natural oral hygiene products

Speaker-Organized Summary: Key Points, Decisions, and Next Steps

Dr. Brent Lartz

Key Points and Decisions:

Acknowledged the difficulty of staying motivated during the holidays, but emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Discussed the concept of "holiday heart" and the negative impacts of overconsumption of unhealthy foods and alcohol during the holidays.

Decided to implement pre-holiday and post-holiday work to minimize the damage to his metabolic health, such as having a vegan diet a few days before and after the holiday.

Outlined his diet plan for the week, including reducing packaged and fast foods, increasing water intake, incorporating daily berries and greens, and implementing time-restricted feeding.

Committed to increasing his exercise and cardiovascular activity to at least 3 times per week, as well as his resistance training.

Emphasized the importance of tracking his sleep and making adjustments to improve sleep quality, such as limiting light exposure and alcohol intake.

Discussed the importance of social connection, mindfulness, and self-awareness, and plans to engage in art therapy, writing, and reconnecting with friends and family.

Shared his plan to journal and identify his limiting beliefs, create daily affirmations, and use vision boards and manifestation techniques to overcome them.

Continued his efforts to reduce plastic usage in his life, including using glass containers, stainless steel water bottles, and avoiding plastic utensils and storage containers.

Next Steps:

Implement the pre-holiday and post-holiday work to maintain a healthy lifestyle during the holidays.

Continue tracking his diet, exercise, sleep, and other health metrics using the habit tracker.

Engage in art therapy, writing, and regular social connections to improve his overall well-being.

Identify and work to overcome limiting beliefs through journaling, affirmations, and manifestation techniques.

Further reduce plastic usage in his life by utilizing glass, stainless steel, and other eco-friendly alternatives.

Share his progress and challenges with the audience and seek their input and support.

Key Points & Decisions:

Continuing the "Go Unpro" journey to an unprocessed life, building on progress from Week 1

Focusing on the 4 pillars of longevity: diet, exercise, sleep, and social connection

Instituting a low-sugar, high-fiber, mostly plant-based diet

Avoiding processed foods, plastic containers, and seed oils

Implementing time-restricted feeding/intermittent fasting

Tracking habits and progress using apps for accountability

Next Steps:

Eliminate fast foods, limit packaged foods, and avoid soda this week

Drink 32oz of water twice daily

Eat berries daily, trying a new fruit/veggie each week

Aim for 40 different fruits, nuts, and veggies per week for microbiome health

Incorporate 3 days per week, each of cardio and resistance training

Improve sleep hygiene by reducing light exposure at night

Reconnect with someone you haven't spoken to in a while, 2-3 times per week

Practice mindfulness and creativity to support overall wellbeing

The key is a gradual, sustainable approach with celebration of small successes along the way. Dr. Laartz emphasizes the importance of self-love, therapy, and surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals to stay motivated and overcome obstacles on the journey to an unprocessed life.

In this first episode of Sunday Science, we explore a few articles showing the carcinogenic potential of a strain of E coli (pks+ or colibactin-producing) that produces a DNA mutational toxin. Evidence from the discussed articles shows that this bacteria could be responsible for a high percentage of early onset (under age 50) colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC at this age is increasing and now encompasses 10% of all CRC, which percentage is growing by 2% per year. Up to 68% of these cancers have evidence of the hallmark mutations and presence of the pks+ E coli above. Diets high in fiber decrease and diets low in fiber increase the presence of this bacteria. As we elucidate the particular mutations associated with this and other carcinogens, we can detect these mutations within the DNA of each cancer patient. The data shows evidence of this bacteria being present in those with CRC under age 50, and it is more prevalent in countries that have a higher incidence of CRC under age 50, and likely has been present since an early age, such as the first 10 years of life.

A simple arithmetic problem of subracting 40 years from 2015 when these early-onset CRC began their increase, yields the year 1975 which is when we began to incorporate processed foods and refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup into our diet. This and the data of onset at age 10 and before, begs us to consider what we are doing to our children and the possibility that there are a whole 40 years of children that are increasing their processed food intake. How many early-onset CRC patients will there be 40 years from now? MIcrobiome and genetic mutational research into other cancers such as oropharyngeal, bladder, and anal carcinoma could soon provide these answers.

References

• • Insights into the role of the intestinal microbiota in colon cancer. Sofia Oke and Alberto Martin. Ther Adv Gastroenterol 2017, Vol. 10(5) 417 –428

  • Microbiome and colorectal cancer: Unraveling host-microbiota interactions in colitis-associated colorectal cancer development. lMingsong Kang, Alberto Martin. Seminars in Immunology. Volume 32, August 2017, Pages 3-13

  • Gut Microbial Metabolism Drives Transformation of Msh2-Deficient Colon Epithelial Cells. Antoaneta Belcheva1 . Cell. Volume 158, Issue 2p288-299July 17, 2014

  • Oliero M, Hajjar R, Cuisiniere T, Fragoso G, Calvé A and Santos MM (2023) Inulin impacts tumorigenesis promotion by colibactinproducing Escherichia coli in ApcMin/+ mice. Front. Microbiol. 14:1067505.

  • Dietary fibre counters the oncogenic potential of colibactin-producing Escherichia coli in colorectal cancer. Alberto Martin. Nature Microbiology 10: 855-870.

Follow along with me as I transform my life, improve my health, defeat my weight challenges, and live a longer, healthier life. All while still having a blast traveling through this crazy world! This podcast is the introduction to a 52-week gradual step-by-step transformation of my diet, exercise, sleep, and life-purpose to a more mindful, whole-food, mostly vegan, movement-oriented lifestyle which will enable me to live well into my tenth decade in a healthy way. I am buying in wholeheartedly to the idea of having a centenarian olympics. I don't want to live forever, but I do want to be able to do everything I do now for the longest time possible. I'm selfish that way. Selfish in a self-love way is the only way to go. So check it out, and share it with everyone you know.