Welcome to Your Dose of Dr. Molly: Issue #5!
Join me by starting off the New Year with a SPARK! Then learn if your diet is addictive, reasons to ditch the cancer stick, meditation as medication, & why tech shouldn’t be your child’s therapist.
Start The New Year by Reigniting Your Spark!
I hope you’re enjoying the holidays and you’re finding some space to breathe after a challenging year. I personally cannot wait for 2023, as 2022 was such a productive year, albeit a bit stressful!
I’ve decided to make 2023 the year of finally finding balance, and I’m going to start by taking a page out of my own book, literally.
FINALLY, my new book, The Spark Factor, goes on sale on January 31, 2023. This book was a massive labor of love, and launching it has been a project far beyond what I imagined, but it has all come out of a desire to serve humanity. My greatest hope is that this book will make a difference in how you look at your own health and how you can find balance, connection, and that spark of energy you may have felt has been missing. Thank you all for your support.
Reminder: I’m offering exclusive bonuses and content when you pre-order a copy for a limited time. Simply share your order information here, and you’ll be eligible to receive:
Dr. Molly’s Stanford course, “Your Healthspan Journey” – Offered exclusively for $500 (MSRP $1500). Fill out the form on this page after pre-ordering the book, and you can get access to the entire pre-sale offer and discounted access to the course within it. I spent three years at Stanford University teaching the secrets of extending healthspan and have gotten positive feedback on the content, synthesized from hundreds of white papers into Your Healthspan Journey, your ultimate masterclass in health optimization. Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of this one-time-only discount now!
Levels continuous glucose monitoring — 2 additional months free added to your 12-month membership.
Hanu Health heart rate variability monitoring — 20% off the platform cost plus 1 month for FREE
Othership breathwork app — Complimentary three-month subscription
Lumen metabolic flexibility monitor — $50 off your Lumen Device
PLUS:
HPA Axis Dysfunction Protocol for Mastering Stress (my best protocol on managing stress this holiday season)
Stress Warning Signals Questionnaire
Burnout Questionnaire
Dr. Molly’s Recommended Technology
Dr. Molly’s Recommended Supplements
Top Labs Markers by Dr. Molly
Ditch Your Cancer Stick, Dude.
If I’m the first person you’re hearing this from, it might be time to find better friends… just saying. It should come as no surprise that vape pens, e-cigarette devices, and whatever other nicotine deliverers are trending are not good for you. Some people use these devices to help them quit smoking, which is great, but did you know that vaping can be even more addictive than cigarettes, especially for young people? YIKES.
“The nicotine dependence levels measured with Fagerström test for nicotine dependence were over two times higher among e-cigarette users compared to traditional tobacco smokers. Similarly, among dual users, nicotine dependence levels were higher when using an e-cigarette than traditional cigarettes. Habits and behaviors associated with the use of e-cigarettes did not differ significantly between exclusive e-cigarette users and dual users. The findings suggest that e-cigarettes may have a higher addictive potential than smoked cigarettes among young adults.”
Not only are those e-cigs and vape pens more addictive than a stick full of thousands of harmful chemicals, but e-cigarette liquids and vapors contain metals and metalloids at levels likely to be harmful to people’s health. People who vape have higher levels of these substances in their blood and other bodily fluids than cigarette and cigar smokers do, according to a review of data from 24 studies.
These smoking devices use a metal coil to heat a nicotine solution, generating a vapor. The coil itself is a metal source and so is soldered inside the liquid reservoir. Several studies show that total metal levels rise after the liquid in these devices gets heated, supporting the theory that the heating process releases the elements. Further, the metal levels in the aerosols that users inhale tend to be higher than in the liquids.
Studies of samples from users, including blood and urine, showed that e-cigarettes are a source of exposure to a large list of metals, including lead and arsenic.
Another study published by researchers at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) found that, just as in cigarettes, vape e-liquids and aerosols contain many cancer-causing heavy metals. While the actual heavy metals differ between cigarettes and vapes, each significantly increases the users’ overall cancer risk.
Multiple studies have found harmful heavy metals, such as cadmium and lead, in cigarette smoke and vape aerosol. In this recent research, CDPH found that vape aerosol and e-liquids can contain more toxic heavy metals than cigarettes, including chromium, nickel, manganese, and lead.
Chromium and nickel are found in multiple e-cigarette brands. Eight have been linked to respiratory diseases, including lung cancer. Chromium and nickel compounds are used in electroplating, welding, and other industrial processes. These are not meant to be inhaled into your lungs or travel to an organ as important as your heart!
Manganese and lead exposure may cause neurological and developmental defects. Manganese compounds are used in steel production, pesticides, and batteries. Lead compounds are used in producing batteries, ammunition, metal products, paints, and ceramics. Do you see humans, plants, or animals anywhere on this list? Nope! We are allowing these metals to interact with the biology of our very being.
Cadmium exposure can harm the kidneys and has been linked to lung cancer. Cadmium compounds are used in plating, pigments for coloring plastics, ceramics, glasses, and plastic production and are found in nickel-cadmium batteries.
Again, I really hope I’m not the first person waking you up to these facts. If you haven’t gotten the message by now, I’m unsure what else I can say to get the message across!
Heavy metals aren’t the only ingredients in e-cigarettes that increase cancer risk. Other chemicals like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde are also carcinogens, or cancer-causing substances, further putting people who vape at risk. In short, there are a lot of ingredients in e-cigarettes that could increase a user’s risk for cancer.
It’s not only cancer you need to worry about, though. E-cigarettes can contribute to many other health risks. They can increase the risk of heart damage and cause lung inflammation, nausea, and a decreased immune system response.
So if you vape, do yourself, your organs, and your future a favor and throw it away. If you still need the nicotine, I recommend weaning off vapes, nicotine toothpicks, or gum. Nicotine is a nootropic and not inherently bad, but it has become a major problem for many people. Your best bet is to kick them altogether.
P.S.: I would love to hear what’s worked for you in your health journey! It doesn’t have to be the things we discuss in our newsletters; it can be anything! Fill out this form with your name, email address, the hack or change you’ve made in your life, and the results you’ve experienced.
Is Your Diet Addictive?
While highly processed foods differ from tobacco, let’s not sugarcoat their addictive effects. Both can be detrimental to good health. In this article, the author shares that there’s not much difference (from a dopamine perspective) between someone’s third piece of cake and another person’s second tobacco hit.
Ultra-processed foods, such as those that are unnaturally high in sugar, salt, and fat (as most are), can be addictive, and as this article lays out, potentially as addictive as tobacco. Highly processed foods can trigger the release of pleasure-inducing chemicals in the brain, leading to cravings and the desire to consume more, just as cigarettes can trigger the desire to smoke more. This can be particularly problematic for people who are sensitive to these types of foods and find it difficult to resist the urge to eat them.
However, it is important to note that not all highly processed foods are necessarily addictive. The degree to which a food is addictive can depend on a variety of factors, including the individual's personal biology and genetics, as well as their environment and social influences. We’ve all seen people who can eat just a small amount of fried food, baked goods, salty snacks, or candy, then stop.
The general recommendation for ultra-processed foods is to limit consumption since these foods are typically low in nutrients and can contribute to a range of negative health outcomes, such as weight gain and an increased risk of chronic diseases. It is important to choose a varied and balanced diet that includes whole, unprocessed foods as the foundation and to be mindful of the amount and frequency of consuming ultra-processed foods.
The holiday season typically has us sacrificing nutrients for taste, so as you find yourself faced with an abundance of your favorite store-bought pastries, candy, or a family member's one-of-a-kind dish, try to be mindful of how much processed food you’re consuming. We’re meant to experience pleasure, so don’t feel guilty enjoying that first amazing bite of your favorite treat. Just be conscious of how many pieces, slices, or handfuls you eat! As the holidays come to a close, remember to bring your body back into balance by prioritizing unprocessed whole foods and mindful movements to support you with a great start to the year.
Meditation as Medication?
A randomized clinical trial posed the question, “Is mindfulness-based stress reduction non-inferior to escitalopram for the treatment of anxiety disorders?”
The results were promising. In this particular trial, researchers gave 276 adults with anxiety disorders an eight-week treatment with mindfulness-based stress reduction that was not inferior to the prescription drug escitalopram.
What does this mean to the average person? It means that we have more evidence that mindfulness-based stress reduction is a well-tolerated treatment option with comparable effectiveness to the first-line medication for patients with anxiety disorders.
I’m sure you’ve got that one friend or set of friends or maybe even a pesky sibling or parent reminding you about the benefits of meditation or how it’s important to sit with your thoughts and feel your feelings. Let’s stop thinking that’s an impossible proposition. You can learn, with practice, to be okay with whatever your thoughts are without feeling compelled to push them away or invite them in so you can obsess about them. It is possible to learn to notice them simply, and that is a valuable skill.
There’s so much power in the ability to notice, and mindfulness-based practices allow us to insert a mindful gap in our lives. These mindful gaps give us a moment to see something happen–a judgment, a question, an event–and not react immediately or respond from our emotional center. Instead, we have a moment to acknowledge whatever’s just happened, see a potential response, and then choose how to respond. This strategy is more likely to have a positive outcome than having a knee-jerk reaction, then regretting it later. You get to reflect as the moment unfolds, which gives you more control over yourself. Doesn’t that sound powerful? Even more powerful is the fact that this response is always available to you…and now we know it is just as effective (if not more effective) than first-line medications for people with anxiety.
Are Wearable Monitors Improving Your Health?
It’s so nice to see that 10 years later, the mainstream is finally catching up…
As the article begins, “A fitness tracker is like Santa Claus: It knows when you’re sleeping when you’re awake, and whether you’ve been bad or good – about meeting your daily step goal, that is. It may not bring you presents, but it could provide important insights to help manage chronic disease.”
Fitness trackers are wearable devices that are designed to track and monitor various aspects of a person's physical activity and health. They can be worn on the wrist or other parts of the body, often including sensors that measure heart rate, steps taken, distance traveled, and sleep patterns.
By tracking these types of health and fitness metrics, fitness trackers can help people monitor their overall health and wellness and identify patterns or trends that may be indicative of potential health issues. For example, a person who is not getting enough sleep or who is engaging in insufficient physical activity may be at increased risk for certain health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. By tracking their activity levels and sleep patterns, a person can identify any potential concerns and take steps (sometimes literally!) to address them.
Some fitness trackers are equipped with additional features, such as tracking and monitoring specific health conditions, such as hypertension or diabetes. By using these types of devices, people with these conditions can monitor their health more closely and adjust their treatment plans as needed. It’s health empowerment.
(It is, however, important to note that these devices are not a replacement for medical care. While they might be able to address things on the go or help you be proactive rather than reactive, they aren’t as smart as some medical advisors are. Not yet, at least.)
Some of the things fitness trackers can help you do are to get you moving and sleeping better and help you identify patterns so you can be proactive about certain health trends. This can have a ripple effect. Maybe by sleeping better, you find you are eating healthier foods, and as you create a healthier diet, you may find you have more energy. All that energy needs to be expressed, so that could spur you to get yourself moving, and before you know it, you’ve replaced your evening news hour with an evening walk; your convenient but unhealthy snacks with delicious and wholesome whole food snacks, and social media scrolling with a fiction novel that you read before dozing off for the next eight hours of sleep, rather than your former six.
One of my newest favorite gadgets? Muse Neurofeedback headband — get a 20% discount on the device by using code “DRMOLLY” at checkout.
Technology Shouldn’t Be Your Child’s Go-To Therapist
There is no inherent reason why technology should not be used to soothe children. It’s believed that technology can be a useful tool for calming and distracting children, particularly in certain situations, such as during a long car ride or when a child is feeling anxious or upset.
However, it is important for parents and caregivers to be mindful of the potential negative effects of excessive technology use on children's development. Children who spend too much time in front of screens may miss out on important opportunities to interact with others, explore their surroundings, and engage in physical activity, which are all important for their overall development.
Additionally, excessive screen time can be detrimental to children's sleep quality and quantity, negatively impacting their physical and mental health. It is important for parents and caregivers to set limits on children's technology use and to ensure that they are engaging in various activities that promote their overall well-being, especially those that involve getting outside and interacting with the natural world.
All of this to say, while technology can be one way to support a child who needs soothing, it shouldn’t be the first nor the only method to support a child calming or settling down. Numerous approaches, like mindfulness, breathing, or visualization, can better support a child’s development in the short and long term.
Quote of the Day:
“The idea is to die young as late as possible.” — Ashley Montagu
With love,
Dr. Molly