I’m a sucker for a good health conference. Roaming around trying mouthwatering goods, playing around on new health-enhancing gadgets, and hanging out with like-minded people all looking to look, feel, and contribute their best in the world is basically heaven.
Today I am going to give you a summary of the 2018 Paleo f(x) conference. Covering latest health topics, gadgets, discoveries, and products.
If you don’t know, Paleo f(x) is the world’s premier holistic wellness event, covering health, nutrition, fitness, sustainability, self-development, spirituality, relationships, entrepreneurship, & everything in between. Incredible wellness experts from all over the world come to this event to share their knowledge and lead people to freedom.
This year did not disappoint. World-changing speakers like Dr. Mercola, Ben Greenfield, JJ Virgin, Dr. Ben Lynch, Dr. David Perlmutter, and MANY MORE filled the atmosphere sharing their knowledge and speaking with the attendees.
There were hundreds of booths and vendors, all filled with the most delicious food, cutting-edge supplements, and health gadgets galore.
After roaming the event for three days, I found some common themes, ones I think you should know about.
Latest Health Discoveries: Paleo f(x) Recap
Each topic below deserves a whole article, so I am going to do just that. In the meantime, enjoy a quick overview of what the latest health discoveries and topics are.
PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field therapy)
PEMF replicates the Earth’s natural magnetic field, which we were once strongly connected to. The therapy actually originated from NASA’s research involving the benefits of pulsed electromagnetic fields on astronauts for fatigue, depression, bone loss and other symptoms following short trips to outer space.
Because every cell, system, and organ of your body is made of energy vibrating at a certain frequency, PEMF devices deliver beneficial, health-enhancing fields and frequencies to the cells, addressing the impaired chemistry and stimulating proper functioning of the cells. As they pass through, they stimulate most of the electrical and chemical processes in the tissues and are specifically designed to positively support cellular energy, resulting in better cellular health and function.
If you are looking for an anti-aging, injury healing, energy enhancing, total health boost, look into PEMF devices.
Red Light and Infrared Sauna Therapy
Light therapy or photobiomodulation uses different spectrums of light to affect the body.
Just like food can be broken down into certain nutrients, light can be broken down into different spectrums. Each spectrum affects your biology differently.
Once absorbed into your body, light energy is converted into cellular energy, which kicks off a series of metabolic events like the formation of new capillaries, elevated production of collagen, and the release of ATP.
Specific wavelengths of red light create a biochemical effect in our cells that serves to increase mitochondrial function. This improves ATP production in the body.
Red light therapy using red and infrared spectrums of light have an incredible impact on collagen production, fading stretch marks and wrinkles, increasing circulation and energy, and balancing hormones.
Read more about the in-home red light device I have and why I love it here.Â
Infrared saunas are also gaining popularity, and for a good reason with benefits ranging from heavy metal and toxin detoxification, weight loss, and glowing skin to enhanced immune function and cellular rejuvenation.
CBD
CBD is one of over 60 compounds found in cannabis that belong to a class of ingredients called cannabinoids. Until recently, THC was getting most of the attention because it’s the ingredient in cannabis that produces mind-altering effects, but CBD is also present in high concentrations — and the medical world is realizing that its list of medical benefits continues to grow.
Before resorting to anxiety, sleep, or pain medication, explore what CBD can do for you. It is a powerful tool for sleep, anxiety, inflammation, pain.
HRV (Heart Rate Variability)
Most people understand you have a parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system. When you are stressed (mentally, emotionally, or physically) they body goes into a sympathetic state, shutting down your immune, hormonal, and digestive system. I would argue MOST imbalances people are dealing with are because they are in a sympathetic state way too often, which is not allowing the body’s natural healing system to activate.
Whatever health issues you are dealing with, or if you just want to look and feel better, intentionally getting into a parasympathetic state daily will active the healing, energy, and clarity you need in life. I would also argue this is more important than food and supplements because you could be eating the best food in the world, but if you are thinking and feeling bad every day, your digestive, hormonal, and immune system is impaired so your body will manifest symptoms.
So how do you tell if you are in parasympathetic or sympathetiMeasuringasurabing your HRV daily is a great place to start.
By regularly tracking your HRV, you can :
- Decide what exercise to perform that day, or if you need a day off
- Get real-time feedback on what improves or diminishes your HRV
- Be alert to excess stress, including overtraining
How fascinating is that?
If you take your HRV every morning, you can plan your day depending on the results! If you see you are in a sympathetic state, you may need to not work out, generate more positive emotion, or resolve any life issues that putting yours into that state that is causing your problems.
Truly, controlling your thoughts, emotions, and reactions to life is what determines what state you are in, and what state you are in determines your health. Focus on that and the body will follow suit!
Cold Thermogenesis
Cultures all around the world have been practicing cold thermogenesis for hundreds of years because of the profound healing, detoxifying, and anti-aging benefits.
Like it sounds, cold therapy is simply exposing your body to the cold for short periods of time. You can do this in many ways from cold showers to cryotherapy chambers – but the effects on the body are profound. The lists of benefits range from dramatically increasing your immune system, increased circulation, increased metabolism, tones/tightens the skin, and improves energy and mood.
Not to mention the mental aspect of making yourself do something uncomfortable which enhances your willpower, focus, and productivity.
Fasting
Fasting is one of the most powerful healing modalities you can do. It activates cellular, organ, and tissue rejuvenation, boosts metabolism, heals the body, regulates insulin levels, and improves mental clarity and energy.
However, how you go about fasting is what is important. It can be extremely healing, but also dangerous if not done correctly.
Popular topics in the field of fasting include:
- Why it is so important to get into ketosis BEFORE you fast. (it will make it MUCH easier for you!)
- Different types of fasting: intermittent fasting, ketosis fasting, water fasting, shortened window fasting
- HOW to refuel after a fast (so important to know!)
- Who should fast, who should not fast.
Ketogenic Lifestyle
The keto lifestyle can:
- Reduced inflammation: A ketogenic lifestyle drastically lowers inflammation due to the reduced amount of free radical production that occurs when burning ketones for energy instead of glucose. This allows for more energy production and a more efficiently functioning body, as well as a heightened ability for the body to heal.
- Improved Fat Burning: By definition, being in a state of ketosis means you’re burning fat for energy. If you have excess body fat, you’ll be able to burn it at a much more efficient rate.
- Increase Mental Clarity & Sharpness: Neurological inflammation is insidious and has been linked with depression, anxiety and poor cognitive function. A reduction in inflammation due to a ketogenic lifestyle can be helpful for neurological disorders and generally improve mental performance.
- Increase Energy: Increased energy from a ketogenic lifestyle is due to less inflammation, upregulation of mitochondrial biogenesis, more ATP per molecule of ketone and more stable blood sugar.
- Clear Skin: Skin conditions like eczema, acne and psoriasis are often rooted in chronic inflammation or autoimmunity. While other factors should also be addressed, following a ketogenic lifestyle can also help to quickly lower inflammation and accelerate healing.
- Reduce Cravings: Getting into a state of ketosis balances blood sugar, provides the brain with stable energy and completely eliminates cravings. In fact, people in a ketognic lifestyle often say they barely think about food between meals.
- Mitochondrial Biogenesis: Most of us have been using sugar for energy our entire lives, this is what our mitochondria are comfortable with. During the transition phase, old and weak mitochondria die off to stimulate the growth of new and stronger mitochondria for more energy production, in many cases.
- Anti-Aging: Because mitochondria have such a profound impact on energy production, inflammation levels and gene expression (and therefore overall function of the body), promoting mitochondrial health can be of great benefit when it comes to anti-aging.
- Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease: A ketogenic lifestyle may protect your body against a wide array of disease processes. The combination of anti-inflammatory effects along with improving mitochondrial function simply allows the body to heal and mitigate disease processes more effectively.
Keto can provide incredible benefits, but it can also cause harm if you don’t do it correctly.
Many keto advocates talk about:
- carbs are not bad, just learn how to use them
- keto for women is different than keto for men
- keto and hormones/thyroid
- importance of carb cycling
Health Gadgets
There are many useful gadgets that go along with the topics mentioned above:
- In-home red light therapy (I have one, you can read about it here)
- In-home infrared saunas (working on getting one;)
- PEMF mats you can sit and lay on
- HRV monitors – there are many devices that can measure your HRV, among many other things. I will be writing about the one I like very soon!
- Hacking Exercise: There were may exercise devices that work the body incredibly well, in a short amount of time to increase strength, endurance, and muscle definition.
Popular Food & Supplements
You can be assured I had my fair share of keto desserts, coffee, cacao, and bone broth.
Popular health foods:
- Organic bone broth
- Collagen and bone broth powders
- Healthy grain-free, dairy-free snack bars that are low in sugar, high in fat, and full of healing ingredients.
- Coffee and tea – all kinds
- Ketogenic supplements and protein powders
- Organic meat and meat snacks
- Flavored ghee
- Cacao
There you have it, the latest in health and fitness and a recap of the 2018 Paleo f(x) conference! Experiment or look into the topics more, and reach out to me if you have any further questions.
One Comment
Great recap! I can’t wait for you to dive in more. I’m especially curious about monitoring your HRV.