The Six Foundations of Health with Leigh Brandon

Leigh Brandon, a functional medicine practitioner, explains that functional medicine is about becoming a health detective and gathering as much information as possible to understand a person's health. Functional lab tests, such as blood tests and stool tests, play an important role in this process. The main focus of functional medicine is to treat the person, not just their symptoms. Leigh also introduces the concept of the check system, which looks at a person from a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. He emphasizes the importance of building strong foundations for optimal health and performance. The conversation covers two main themes: water and nutrition. Regarding water, tap water is generally not recommended due to toxins and contaminants such as chlorine and bleach. Spring water is an alternative, but plastic bottles can be problematic. A good filtration system, such as reverse osmosis, is another option. Additionally, structured water, which mimics the natural process of water, is gaining attention. In terms of nutrition, the focus is on individuality and finding the right diet for each person through metabolic typing. The advice is to eat whole foods, avoid processed foods, chew properly, and create a relaxed environment for eating. The conversation with Leigh Brandon focused on the six foundation factors for optimal health: nutrition, movement, sleep and rest, stress management, hydration, and mindset. Leigh shared his personal experience with knee pain and how he discovered that his diet, specifically porridge oats, was causing the pain. He emphasized the importance of food quality and sourcing organic produce to avoid toxins. Leigh also discussed the significance of movement for maintaining muscle and bone health, as well as its impact on mental health. He highlighted the importance of balancing exercise intensity with the body's ability to handle stress. Lastly, Leigh emphasized the crucial role of sleep and rest in the body's repair and recovery process.

Find Leigh here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leighbrandon/