Interview with Lana Asprey – Part 1

As I stated in my review of The Better Baby Book, I am a huge fan of Dave Aspresy’s blog, The Bulletproof Exec, as well as his Upgraded Self products, so I was absolutely thrilled when I was contacted by the Aspreys’ team to not only review their new book, but to get a chance to interview both Dave and his wife, Lana.

After getting a chance to talk with them, I can easily say they are two of the most passionate people I’ve ever met, and truly want to help people live healthier, less stressful, and more fulfilling lives.

Below is the first part of my interview with Lana, and which primarily focuses on her background and The Better Baby Book.  The second part of the interview will be published tomorrow, while the complete interview will be published in the April issue of Paleo Lifestyle Magazine!

(On a side note, my interview with Dave will be published sometime next month.)

Could you please give a little bit of information on each of your background and what inspired you to write The Better Baby Book?

On our first date Dave and I ordered the exact same thing: grass fed lamb served rare with a side of steamed vegetables drizzled with olive oil. And we both pulled out packets of digestive enzymes and other supplements to take with dinner. As you can imagine we immediately realized we were on the same page about health, lifestyle and diet. Fast forward a few years, and we have two children and The Better Baby Book. It was inspired by our passion for health and wellness, and our concerns as older parents with PCOS and Asperger’s symptoms. We both wanted to “beat the odds” and have the healthiest and smartest kids we could possibly have.   

My background is a master of economics from the Stockholm School of Economics and an MD from the Karolinska Institute. Before moving to California, I practiced general and internal medicine in Stockholm. For several years I was the CEO of a U.S.-based medical testing company that detects hard-to-spot allergies to metals and environmental toxins in adults and children.  Through my work with people who were searching to regain their health, energy, or fertility, I gathered a deep understanding of the link that exists between environment, diet, and health.

What is your take on the “nature vs. nurture” debate and why? Given the emphasis on epigenetics, I infer that you’re on the nature side, but, you know what they say about assuming…

It’s safe to say that we believe it’s a delicate balance between both! Nurture directly affects genetic expression because nurturing techniques affect stress levels. When you have prolonged unhealthy stress, especially as a pregnant mother, it will affect your baby’s development in the womb. It changes the epigenetic response so that the genes respond with what we call in our book “protection mode” versus “expansion or growth mode.” You want your child to be in expansion mode where the cells themselves, at the most basic genetic level, feel like the world is a safe place to thrive! That’s how nurture teaches nature.

There are studies that show that this is beyond what psychologists call intergenerational transmission of behaviors, (the unconscious emotional and behavioral patterns that get passed down generationally.) However, if nurture can turn something on, nurture can turn it off, but you have to know how to do it, and that is where our research and book comes in—flipping the right switches, and using nurture and nature synergistically.

While much of this book is focused on the woman and the baby, a man plays a vital role in all of this. What are some of the best tips you have for men to help with fertility, being an active and supportive partner, etc.?

Yes!  Fathers play a hugely important role, before, during and after pregnancy!  Being as physically and psychological healthy as possible is just as important for Dad.  Pregnancy is a tremendous effort for a woman, both physically and emotionally. Nature did not mean women to go through this time alone. It’s a vulnerable time when a woman needs her partner’s  support more than ever.  It really takes both parents to create the most optimal environment for healthy children. 

Our  top three fertility tips for Dad are to clean up your diet at least three months before conception, get your stress levels in check, and support your sperm by taking zinc, acetyl-L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10, lycopene, and vitamins C, E and B12.  It should go without saying that this means you are not a heavy drinker (less than 1 drink/day, if at all) and you don’t smoke.

Tomorrow we will pick up with the second part of our interview.  In the meantime, please be sure to pick up your copy of The Better Baby Book.  Even if you’re not trying to conceive or are currently expecting, this book has a ton of useful tips to simply help you live a better, healthier, less stressful life!

Disclosure: I received The Better Baby Book from the publisher for free.  The opinions expressed above are 100% my own. This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”