• Hosts: Ed Jones (Owner of Nutrition World) & Clint Powell
• A variety of topics all to living a healthy life

Presented by: Nutrition World

www.nutritionw.com

Broadcasting from the Nooga Dentistry Studio

www.noogadentistry.com

Production of: Whitfield Media Group

www.vitalhealthradio.com

Title: All about Eggs & Pasture Raised Chickens with Kristy, Deprescribing & “De-Supplementing” with Dr. Curt Dearing

[0:00:00] Intro, Nutrition World Updates, and Ed’s Bodybuilding Prep

• Ed announces a new partnership with Azure:
  • Bringing ~100 new holistic food items into Nutrition World.
  • Examples: maple syrup, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, organic chicken breast, cheeses, farm butters.
• Ed shares he’s preparing for the Chattanooga Fitness Bodybuilding Contest (his 4th year):
  • Being coached by Matt Davis (Train Station gym).
  • Current approach: high protein, ~40% fewer calories, focused fat loss.
  • Matt had him do a high-carb refeed day (~300g carbs vs his usual 50g) which dramatically improved his energy and look.

[0:9:11] Protein, Longevity, and Why Ed Focuses on Eggs

• Ed emphasizes a higher-protein diet, especially for aging, muscle maintenance, and longevity.
• Core diet elements he advocates:
  • Higher protein
  • Healthy fats
  • Colorful vegetables (in smaller but consistent amounts)
• Notes many women under-consume protein, which accelerates muscle loss and impacts longevity.
• Introduces guest Kristy, a long-time friend and staff member who homesteads and raises eggs that Ed eats 12–18 per week.

[0:11:04] Homesteading with Kristy: How She Raises Chickens and Protects the Flock

• Kristy’s setup:
  • Around 100 chickens, plus goats, dogs, cats, and a donkey (Bradford).
  • Lives “on the prairie” (rural, wooded property).
  • Uses no chemicals on the property (no weed killers, pest sprays, etc.).
  • She wants chickens to “do chicken things”—roam, peck, eat bugs, move soil—rather than be treated like pets or indoor animals.
• Predator control:
  • No perimeter fence; previously lost some chickens to a fox attack.
  • Now uses Bradford the donkey and a Great Pyrenees dog for protection:
    • Donkey alerts and deters daytime predators like hawks and owls (stomping and loud calls).
    • Pyrenees patrols at night, primarily deterring coyotes.
  • Roosters herd hens into cover when threats appear.
• Motivator: Kristy’s passion for knowing where her food comes from, and controlling at least part of her family’s food system.

[0:15:09] Structured Water, and Animal Hydration

• Kristy filters all animal water with a high-grade system (not just a basic fridge filter):
  • Removes contaminants without completely stripping all minerals (not full RO).
• Then she “restructures” the water with a swirling device (structure unit):
  • Mimics water flowing over rocks in nature, believed to add “life” and energy back to the water.
  • She and Ed both report feeling better hydration from structured water (less persistent thirst).
• All of her animals receive this filtered/structured water.

[0:17:26] Egg Production, Breeds, and Why Yolk Color Matters

• Kristy keeps multiple chicken breeds:
  • Shell color = breed, not nutrition (white, brown, cream, etc., are just different breeds).
  • Example: White Leghorn → white eggs, Rhode Island Red → darker brown eggs.
• Key nutritional indicator: yolk color
  • She aims for deep orange yolks.
  • Pale yellow yolks signal lower nutrient density, especially protein and nutrient intake from the chickens’ diet.
• Production basics:
  • Most hens lay about 5–6 eggs per week, especially in their first 3 years.
  • Ed and Clint estimate she’s getting hundreds of eggs per week in total.
• Kristy’s flock policy:
  • She has a “no-kill” policy for older hens, keeping them for tick and bug control and the social flock structure.
  • Acknowledges some people cull flocks after 2–3 years, but she tends to keep productive, healthy hens past 4 years.

[0:19:37] Industrial Eggs vs. Pasture-Raised: Animal Welfare and Nutrition

• Ed contrasts Kristy’s setup with CAFO operations (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations):
  • Chickens crowded in small cages, poor conditions, bad feed.
  • Notes such operations often use antibiotics—partly for disease, but also because they fatten animals.
• Kristy’s holistic management:
  • No antibiotics; uses natural anti-parasite and immune support:
    • Pumpkin seeds for worms
    • Homegrown herbs like oregano and rosemary
  • She builds a strong “terrain” (internal environment) in the animals so they resist disease better.
• Discussion that what chickens eat (seed oils, moldy grains, etc. in industrial systems) ultimately affects the nutritional quality of the eggs humans eat.

• Nutritional highlights of eggs:
  • Choline in yolks (brain and cognitive health).
  • A “perfect protein” with high biological value and broad micronutrients.

• Eggs historically rank at the top for turning dietary protein into muscle due to a complete amino acid profile.

• Cholesterol discussion:
  • Ed challenges the blanket fear of cholesterol: Cholesterol supports hormone production and brain function.
  • Notes that the real risk markers are advanced lipoproteins like ApoB and Lp(a), not total cholesterol alone.
  • Personal example: Ed eats 12–18 eggs per week. & his cholesterol is extremely low by clinical standards.
• Conclusion: Quality eggs are encouraged, especially from pasture-based systems like Kristy’s, or higher-quality options in stores.

[0:23:15] “Organic” vs. “Pasture-Raised” and Misleading Egg Labels

• “Organic eggs”: fed organic feed but may still be confined indoors with no outdoor access.
• “Pasture-raised”: hens are outdoors on pasture, doing natural chicken behaviors; often superior in welfare and nutrition.
• Both agree: If forced to choose, pasture-raised is preferable to organic-only.
• They call out labels bragging about “vegetarian-fed” hens as misleading:
  • Chickens are not natural vegetarians; they’re omnivores that eat bugs.
  • Forcing a vegetarian diet moves them away from their natural food and may reduce egg quality.

• Kristy shares a quirky but natural behavior:
  • Chickens love scrambled eggs as a treat.
  • She feeds them scrambled eggs and crushed shells.
• Rationale:
  • Eggshells are rich in calcium, which hens need to build strong new shells.
  • She simply cracks and throws shells; no elaborate processing..

[0:27:25] Refrigeration vs. Room-Temperature Egg Storage

• Kristy’s explanation:
  • Freshly laid eggs have a “bloom” or natural protective coating that makes them shelf-stable if not washed.
  • Unwashed farm eggs can sit at room temperature for ~6 weeks or more.
  • Store-bought eggs are washed and must be refrigerated, because washing removes that protective coating.
  • You cannot safely leave standard grocery-store eggs on the counter.
• Ed highlights this as another example of nature’s built-in protective design.

[0:32:28] Deprescribing and “De-Supplementing” with Dr. Curt Dearing

• Ed reintroduces Dr. Curt Dearing to expand on a prior show about deprescribing (reducing excessive medications).
• Common scenario Curt sees:
  • People on many prescription meds plus a large number of supplements, overwhelmed and confused.
  • They want to simplify, optimize, and know what really matters.
• Curt’s consult approach: Review all meds and all supplements, then:
  • Remove what isn’t necessary.
  • Emphasize foundational lifestyle and core supplements.
• They warn about a false sense of security:
  • Some people think “I’m taking a pill, so I don’t have to change my habits.”
  • This applies to both pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.

[0:36:00] The Core Four, Lifestyle First, and Limits of Medication-Only Approaches

• Ed references his “Core Four” foundational supplements (detailed in a free ebook on The Holistic Navigator):
  • Designed as tier 1 essentials vs. lower-tier “nice-to-have” supplements.
• Curt’s stance:
  • Diet and exercise are the primary pillars.
  • Supplements should support, not replace, healthy habits.
• Example:
  • People on metformin or berberine may keep eating poorly yet feel “covered” because their blood sugar numbers look better.
  • This is managing symptoms, not addressing root causes.

[37:15] “Beyond Cholesterol” and Advanced Heart Risk Testing

• Curt mentions his upcoming ebook “Beyond Cholesterol” (targeting Amazon release):
  • Argues standard lipid panels (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL) are not enough.
  • Advocates for advanced tests like ApoB, Lp(a), and coronary calcium scores.
• Example case:
  • A patient with LDL of 212 on atorvastatin.
  • Curt notes that LDL alone can be “dangerous or harmless” depending on the underlying particle types and inflammation.
• Coronary Calcium Score:
  • Patient’s score is 0, which is reassuring but not a free pass.
  • Calcium score detects calcified plaque, not soft plaque, and doesn’t capture inflammation.
• Curt emphasizes HS-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) as a marker of systemic inflammation, which drives soft plaque formation.

[0:40:22] Medications in the Case Study: Statin, Nexium, Amlodipine, Zoloft

Curt walks through a specific patient on multiple meds:

1. Atorvastatin (statin)
   • Curt questions its necessity given:
     • Calcium score of 0
     • Lipid values that don’t look catastrophic
   • Recommends advanced lipid testing and provides patients with evidence-based reasons to discuss with their provider if they want to stop.
2. Nexium (PPI)
   • Discusses risks of long-term proton pump inhibitor use:
     • Impaired absorption of magnesium, calcium, micronutrients
     • Possible cognitive, kidney, and bone issues.
   • Insists on a taper, not cold turkey, due to rebound reflux.
3. Amlodipine (blood pressure med)
   • Often can be tapered fairly quickly, especially when:
     • Lifestyle changes are implemented (diet, exercise).
     • Magnesium intake is optimized (many people take too little magnesium).
   • Curt’s view: conventional medicine often drives blood pressure too low in older adults; some elevation is physiologically adaptive.
4. Zoloft (SSRI)
   • Must be tapered, like most psychiatric meds, to avoid withdrawal and symptom flare.

[0:46:10] Magnesium, Omega-3s, and Simplifying the Supplement Stack

• Curt reviews the patient’s supplement list and simplifies:
  • Multivitamin:
    • Advocates a high-quality multi (not basic synthetics like Centrum).
    • Prefers one that already includes CoQ10 (e.g., 100 mg), so separate CoQ10 can be discontinued.
  • Vitamin D:
    • Should be taken with vitamin K to direct calcium into bone and away from arteries and organs.
  • Omega-3s:
    • Many people take half the necessary dose.
    • Recommends triglyceride-form omega-3s like DHA Extra (~960 mg DHA) for inflammation and blood pressure.
  • Magnesium:
    • Suggests glycinate or taurate forms for better absorption and blood pressure benefits.
• Probiotics:
  • Curt suggests taking breaks (e.g., a month off) and rotating brands/strains, including spore-based types.
• Seasonal products:
  • The patient takes quercetin + stinging nettle for allergies.
  • Curt recommends seasonal use only for seasonal allergies, saving money and reducing pill fatigue.

• For lipids and blood sugar, Curt favors BerberCol (berberine + bergamot) to:
  • Improve numbers (to satisfy doctors).
  • More meaningfully affect ApoB and related risk markers.
• Weight & energy:
  • Patient had been using weight-loss products.
  • Curt shifts focus to fixing sleep and overall lifestyle rather than stacking more “fat burners.”
• Saffron:
  • He distinguishes between saffron extracts for mood vs. saffron for weight management—formulation details matter.

[0:54:57] Closing: Funding for Alternative Health and Supplement Tax Benefits

• Ed shares policy/legislative updates:
  • Alternative health funding preserved in the federal budget.
    • Initial fear that support would be cut; instead, it was kept in the proposed budget.
  • The Dietary Supplement Access Act proposal:
    • Would classify dietary supplements as a qualified medical expense in the IRS code.
    • Allow individuals to claim up to $500/year (and $250 for married filing separately) for supplements.
    • Could apply to common products like multivitamins, vitamin D, etc. if/when finalized.

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