NativePath, Tangerine EO, Injury Workouts, Semaglutide, Breastfeeding, and Much, Much More

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Good afternoon Nikkola Newsletterers!

While in college, I started selling Cutco Cutlery. To say that my friends and family were skeptical about my new job selling knives would be an understatement. And yet, as a college kid, I earned enough with that part-time job to buy my first house, and the “life education” it taught me was probably more valuable than what I learned from my college education.

While I moved on shortly after I finished college, those knives (they’ve got a Forever Guarantee) and the skills I developed are still with me to this day.

The Cutco culture was one of personal growth. I remember reading and listening to books by Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, Dale Carnegie, and Napoleon Hill. In fact, Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich was the first of such books I read.

This past week, Vanessa shared a new project that entrepreneur Russell Bruson has been working on. He just bought the rights to all of Napoleon Hill’s works, including content never published. I’m a huge fan of the classics in personal development, so I watched the video (link below) and got on the list to be among those with the first access to his new self-development platform.

I’m sharing this with my Nikkola Newsletter readers for this reason: I believe much of today’s personal growth content is either watered down or toes the line between personal responsibility and victimhood. And, as someone who strives each day to help others develop better mental and physical health, I believe going back to the classics and learning from the men and women who succeeded in spite of the hard times they faced can have tremendous value on our lives today.

If this sounds as intriguing to you as it does to me, check out the video on this page and sign up for the free month of access when the doors open on October 19.

Enjoy today’s carefully curated newsletter!

From a client this past week…

Tangerine Essential Oil, Sedation, Sleep, and Focused Thinking. According to a new study published in the journal Molecules, inhalation of diluted tangerine (Citrus tangerina) essential oil causes sedative-like effects and decreases the time it takes to fall asleep. It also indicates the inhalation of undiluted tangerine EO enhances focused thinking. Ten men and ten women participated in the study. Researchers dropped 50 uL, or one drop, of tangerine essential oil on a piece of filter paper and attached it under the subjects’ noses to test the effects of inhalation on their brain waves. Keep reading…

Why You Should Workout While Injured. In almost all cases, if you exercise after getting injured, you’ll recover faster, avoid unnecessary weight gain, and maintain better well-being than if you use your injury as an excuse to become sedentary. I’ve met many people over the years who explained they got injured years ago, stopped exercising, and gained weight, and years later, finally got sick of how they looked and felt. That should never happen. Keep reading…

Semaglutide delivers impressive results for Type II Diabetics. Researchers found that semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, offers significant benefits for long-term management of type 2 diabetes. Led by Professor Avraham Karasik from the Institute of Research and Innovation at Maccabi Health Services in Israel, the study analyzed data from 23,442 patients. The results showed that within six months of treatment, patients experienced clinically relevant improvements in blood sugar control and weight loss. These effects were sustained for up to three years, reinforcing the drug's efficacy. I can definitely support the use of semaglutide to help people lose weight and reverse type II diabetes, but I can’t stress the importance of including resistance training and a high-protein diet as part of the program enough. Without them, people will lose substantial muscle mass and, should they ever get off the meds, end up worse than they were before getting on semaglutide.

Breastfeeding again shown to be superior for childhood development. New research from the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes has unveiled a compelling link between infant feeding practices and body fat levels later in childhood. The study, led by Dr. Catherine Cohen of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, found that children who were breastfed for at least six months had significantly lower body fat percentages at age nine compared to those who were not. Additionally, early introduction of soda was associated with higher body fat percentages. The study analyzed data from over 700 mother-child pairs, providing a more precise measure of childhood adiposity than BMI alone. These findings not only underscore the long-term health benefits of breastfeeding but also caution against the early introduction of soda, adding another layer to our understanding of childhood obesity risk factors.

Remember when we weren’t allowed to suggest that women experienced unusual bleeding after getting the COVID vaccine? A recent study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows COVID-19 vaccines cause unexpected vaginal bleeding in women across various reproductive stages. The study involved approximately 22,000 participants and found that unexpected vaginal bleeding was reported in 3.3% of postmenopausal women, 14.1% of perimenopausal women, and 13.1% of premenopausal women—figures that are more than three times the expected rates. Intriguingly, the type of vaccine seems to matter; the Moderna vaccine, which contains a higher mRNA dose, was associated with a higher risk of vaginal bleeding than the Pfizer vaccine.

Get rid of belly fat, get rid of diabetes. In a comprehensive analysis, researchers have shed light on the mechanisms behind the reversal of prediabetes to normal glucose regulation (NGR) through weight loss. The study found that individuals who successfully reversed their prediabetes status showed significant reductions in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and improved insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, the improvement was not linked to differences in body weight loss between responders and non-responders. The study also highlighted that while insulin sensitivity might be the key to reversing prediabetes, β-cell function could be more crucial for those in remission from type 2 diabetes. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted lifestyle interventions and suggest that reducing VAT and improving insulin sensitivity should be primary goals in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

This is why I don’t recommend combining keto and high-intensity exercise. A recent study showed that while the ketogenic diet (KD) leads to weight loss and increased fat metabolism, it also results in a 16% drop in exercise efficiency during high-intensity workouts. That's not all; participants on the KD experienced higher levels of exercise stress, as indicated by elevated cortisol levels and rate of perceived exertion (RPE). When following keto, weight training plus walking is the best form of exercise.

Remember when they shut down the gyms to protect people’s health, and much of the fitness community thought that was insane? According to a study just published in the British Medical Journal, “Adults who engaged in the recommended levels of physical activity were associated with a decreased likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related death. Our findings suggest that engaging in physical activity has substantial public health value and demonstrates potential benefits to combat COVID-19.”

How much protein post-workout? At least 30 grams, ladies. Researchers have zeroed in on the optimal protein dosage to maximize muscle protein synthesis (MPS) in trained women following resistance exercise. The study found that a 30g protein bolus immediately after resistance training was sufficient to elevate muscle growth. Interestingly, increasing the protein dose to 60g did not further stimulate protein synthesis, which suggests there's an upper limit to how much protein the muscles can use for MPS. However, it’s known that consuming higher amounts does continue to reduce muscle protein breakdown, another factor in muscle growth and repair. The study also debunked the efficacy of a 15g protein dose, which failed to elevate MyoFSR above baseline. These findings are pivotal for female athletes and fitness enthusiasts, recommending a 30g high-quality protein supplement post-exercise for optimal muscle recovery and growth. It also suggests that most of the protein bars and shakes sold on shelves don’t include enough protein to make a difference. At least, it’s not enough if you eat or drink just one.

Oxygenated water with nanobubbles enhances performance in cyclists. A groundbreaking study has just revealed that oxygen-nanobubble beverages can significantly boost performance in competitive cycling. We're talking about a 4.1% increase in average power output and a 2.4% improvement in time-to-completion during a 16.1-km time trial. While previous studies on oxygen-enriched drinks have been inconclusive, this one stands out, potentially due to the unique oxygen-encapsulation method used. So, if you're looking to get that extra edge in your next race, this oxygen-nanobubble beverage might be your new best friend.

mRNA Found in Hearts of Dead People, Study Warns. A troubling new peer-reviewed study has found traces of mRNA in the hearts of dead people who had died suddenly after suffering cardiac arrests. According to the researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, mRNA was detected in the heart tissue of patients who died within a month of receiving the Covid injections. The researchers analyzed tissue samples from the autopsies of 25 people. 20 of those people were vaccinated shortly before they died. Keep reading…

Nobel Prize goes to scientists behind mRNA Covid vaccines. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to a pair of scientists who developed the technology that led to the mRNA Covid vaccines. Professors Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman will share the prize. The technology was experimental before the pandemic, but has now been given to millions of people around the world to protect them against serious Covid-19. Keep reading…

The Decline and Fall of Home: Part One. The similarities between the current American decline as a world power and the collapse of the Roman Empire have often been remarked. (After the western part of the Roman Empire fell, the eastern half continued to exist as the Byzantine Empire for hundreds of years. Therefore, the “fall of Rome” really refers only to the fall of the western half of the Empire.) The analogy has become a staple cliché of popular opinion and historical scholarship. The correspondences between Rome and America are compelling and, when the issue is regarded with fresh eyes and attention to taxonomic detail, will strike us with a sense of genuine foreboding. Keep reading…