Hydrogen Water

Anything But Mid is hosted by Amy Edwards and Whitney Stropp. Neither host is a doctor and nothing here is medical advice. Lightly cleaned for readability.

Amy: I'm Amy.

Whitney: And I'm Whitney.

Amy: And this is midlife.

Whitney: And you're anything but mid. Sorry. What is it, Amy? Why is it so hard?

Amy: Why is it so hard? I don't know. You know, it's just it's just a habit that we develop, and we'll get there.

Whitney: Yes. If we did it everyday, then it would be spot-on. But we do it once a week.

Amy: But we do. That's right, once a week.

Whitney: But it's fine. You want me to call you every day and say, "I'm Amy, and I'm Whitney."

Amy: You'll be like on the spot, "Oh, my god, I'm Whitney, are we recording?"

Whitney: That would be hilarious. Yes, please do that sometimes.

Amy: Do you have a mid moment to share yet?

Whitney: Yes, you just witnessed it a minute ago when my eyesight was so bad that I thought perhaps I had put in two contacts per eye, which has happened to me before.

Amy: Do you see extra good when that happens?

Whitney: No, you're blinded. It's as if You know when you have good eyesight, and you put someone's glasses on and it's all blurry?

Amy: Yeah, it's like that. Yeah.

Whitney: And so That's what I would think, actually. my eyes are blurry today, but I'm wearing contacts. And so, sometimes, I forget to take my contacts out at night, and in the morning, I put in more contacts.

Amy: So, is it still blurry right now?

Whitney: It's a little blurry, but I think, sadly, it's because I also have dry eye. You guys, call me, I'm single. No, I'm not. I'm actually not single. Surprisingly. So, yeah. I wouldn't couldn't see my notes, and I'm like, am I wearing two pairs of contacts? But the answer is no. I just am getting bad at seeing.

Amy: That's a weird thing, though. Okay.

Whitney: Anyway, what's yours?

Amy: You know, I don't exactly have one, but I'm sad to I'm sad

Whitney: You know what? I hate that you always say that.

Amy: No, I do. I do, though. I have lots. But But I'm sad to report we did PEMF recently, and my dog peed on my PEMF mat.

Whitney: Oh, no. Oh. While it was on?

Amy: No, luckily, it was turned off. But I know.

Whitney: Yeah, it's marking her territory.

Amy: Well, my daughter was staying with her and just left her for too long, I think. And she usually pees at the Peloton, but now she peed on the PEMF mat.

Whitney: Oh. She's like, "This is a new place."

Amy: Yeah, and so I don't know what to do. I've been trying to get it

Whitney: Did you Google PEMF urine?

Amy: I didn't. I didn't. I

Whitney: That's my first go-to.

Amy: just thought, maybe that isn't even a thing. But surely, someone's had it before. So, anyway, if you know, please, anythingbutmidpodcast@gmail.com. What I did was I sprayed some urine pet urine spray on the PEMF mat. Then I flipped it over, cuz she peed twice, actually, on it.

Whitney: Oh, my goodness.

Amy: So, I flipped it over on some towels and decided to see if it would soak out onto the towels, and it did. And so now, I'm waiting for the weather to get warmer. I'm going to set it outside, heat it up, and hopefully, it'll like burn off. I don't know.

Whitney: Oh, wow. That's what I do sometimes I That's what I feel like the sun is like some miraculous cleanser or something and it cleans it off.

Amy: It is. The sun disinfects. Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah. Does it? Does it?

Amy: That's what they say.

Whitney: They do?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: Oh, so it's It's a real thing.

Amy: Uh-huh. So, that's my next steps. But anyway,

Whitney: Well, how was the PEMF pad before it got peed on? That's a hard sentence to say.

Amy: PEMF pad before it got peed on? It was pretty good, pretty good. But I do think that maybe there's a difference between like commercial grade PEMF, like we talked about, and then

Whitney: Peed on. Sure. Yeah.

Amy: PEMF at home, just like anything else.

Whitney: No, I agree. I agree. I was just in LA visiting some friends, and sadly, two of those friends have been battling cancer. One's in remission, and one When When you have lymphoma, I guess it never truly goes away. But she's feeling good now, but I was sharing with them the PEMF, you know,

Amy: Aw. Yeah.

Whitney: info, and just like, "Look, I'm not a doctor, and their studies are still out, but why not?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: Why not get in there and and do it, and jump-start your cells?" Anyway,

Amy: Yeah. Yeah.

Whitney: so that's good.

Amy: I mean, you know what? It can't hurt, right? And it's like about that cell regrowth. So,

Whitney: Right. Yeah.

Amy: I I don't know. I'm here for it. I talked to some people this weekend, too. I can't even remember where I was. Within the last week, there's a mid moment. I don't know where I was, who I was talking to.

Whitney: Yeah. Right.

Amy: But anyway, somebody was talking about Oh, I do remember. I was at a party, and she was talking about her daughter was using PEMF to help with an injury and that it was really making a difference. And she was like going to somewhere specific,

Whitney: Yeah. Yeah.

Amy: and I was like, "Oh, that's interesting." So,

Whitney: Look, every time I lay down on it Cuz I have lower back issues and then down one leg. Like I think because I need to go to the chiropractor probably and get like You know, they'll pull your legs. Maybe you can do it for me later.

Amy: Oh, you're just off-kilter and you're compensating. Yeah.

Whitney: Well, that's what I mean. Like, you You know, they

Amy: I'll pull your leg. They jerk you.

Whitney: Pull my leg.

Amy: I will. I will.

Whitney: Not my finger. Anyway,

Amy: No, and well, mine is my spine, and I don't really like chiropractors, but

Whitney: It's scary.

Amy: there are certain things you can do, like Humanaut. I've talked about Humanaut on my podcast. It's human-A-U-T, like astronaut. They have these things that film you while you're exercising or moving, and it'll show exactly what you're doing to compensate, and it'll help you develop your muscles

Whitney: Yeah. Uh-huh. Tell you. Oh, that's interesting.

Amy: and give you exercises to to

Whitney: To help with that.

Amy: uncompensate.

Whitney: Yeah. I know my lower back issues are all about my core needs to be stronger, and so my back takes on more than it needs to. Plus, I'm super flexible, and that means that I'm holding my body more than I like I'm I'm doing weird things just because my body can, if that makes sense.

Amy: Yeah. Mhm. Really? You're super flexible?

Whitney: Yeah. Like, if I

Amy: Like, you do the splits and stuff?

Whitney: Yeah, I can totally do the splits.

Amy: Nice. Okay, noted.

Whitney: That's like my party trick, actually. I do it all the time.

Amy: It used to be mine. I literally just lost it like 2 years ago, and I'm trying to get it back and I'm I'm pretty close.

Whitney: Oh, really? All right.

Amy: Yeah, it's been my party trick like

Whitney: The center? I don't do the center splits, I'll do like left or right. Yeah.

Amy: No, me either. I I can only do right really, but it's been my party trick for a long time.

Whitney: Yeah, same. As a matter of fact, I was in a wedding in Guatemala, and my sister also can do the splits, and and so could the bride, and so at the reception, we all did the splits on the dance floor. Although, we were wearing dresses, and I pulled my dress down over my panties, my sister did not, and so there are a lot of photos of her panties.

Amy: No way. Yeah. Is this Which sister is this?

Whitney: Jordan. It's my youngest.

Amy: She doesn't care.

Whitney: Yeah. No. I mean, she cared later a little bit, but no.

Amy: Yeah, in fact, my sister just asked at Thanksgiving, "Can you still do the splits?" And I was like, "You know what?

Whitney: It's pretty funny.

Amy: I don't know." I said I lost them just recently and I wasn't stretching like I should, when I gained weight and stuff I just I wasn't stretching. And and so I tried in my jeans, and they were they Everyone was impressed.

Whitney: That's awesome. Yeah.

Amy: Impressed that I could get as far as I could in jeans. So, I was like, actually, still pretty proud.

Whitney: In jeans.

Amy: And then did everybody else try to do the splits?

Whitney: No one else tried, they all knew they couldn't. No. Your daughters didn't?

Amy: My daughters weren't there.

Whitney: Oh, well, there you go.

Amy: And they can't.

Whitney: Wow. That's crazy.

Amy: No one's as flexible as

Whitney: We're so flexible in so many ways. But no, I to finish my thought about my lower back and like my leg, when I go in and do PEMF, I can I can feel those areas more than the rest of my body. So, like it must be targeting those cells or those cells are feeling it more.

Amy: Ah. Mhm.

Whitney: You know what I'm saying?

Amy: That's really interesting. I I should go try the like professional and see the difference.

Whitney: Come with me. Come with me to Upgrade Labs. You know Natalie, anyway. And Come with me, and we'll we'll do a whole we'll do the whole thing.

Amy: Yeah. Yeah. I would love to do the whole thing. I'm going to move your hair off We're in a new microphone configuration, we'll see how it goes.

Whitney: What's happening? My hair? We got the mic. I'm not I I am taking minoxidil, but this is not hair on my chest. This is

Amy: One of your little hair wig?

Whitney: It's just a little

Amy: You could start a business. It could be like mic filters made from human

Whitney: Yeah, ew. No, my hair isn't falling out anymore, so it's going well finally.

Amy: Well, we're going to have hair loss part two, I think, because now I'm considering a journey of hair extension recovery. So,

Whitney: Oh, nice. All right.

Amy: I have my extensions out right now, and so this is just my real hair, but it just doesn't feel like much after having extensions. But I'm sleeping better, it's just

Whitney: I was about to say, isn't it just feel just nicer?

Amy: Oh, my god, it feels so good. Drying my hair takes no time. I mean, I don't know, I'm I'm kind of over it right now.

Whitney: Yeah. Yeah. I just don't like, and we've talked about it, I just the the the commitment, the time commitment, and the financial commitment.

Amy: Yes. It's a lot.

Whitney: But it's just hard for me to get back to get, you know, like even my lashes. I forced myself to make an appointment today, but it's just a pain. I don't want to have to go in every 2 weeks.

Amy: Me either.

Whitney: And and then I have to lay down for an hour. And then I potentially fall asleep, and that's embarrassing to me.

Amy: That's I don't mind the falling asleep, I'd rather fall asleep, cuz then you're at least multitasking, in that regard, you're getting some rest. You're getting some rest.

Whitney: I don't know what I'm doing in my sleep.

Amy: I know, right? You feel a little like

Whitney: I just don't want to I don't want to be like jerking or or whatever

Amy: Justin I wake myself up snoring sometimes, either Justin or myself was snoring so loud the other night

Whitney: to this random stranger.

Amy: that I my brain was listening to it, you know?

Whitney: Oh, and made it part of your dream or something?

Amy: Made it part of something I was thinking, and I don't know if I hearkened back to like my DNA from, you know, yore, but I I thought there was a snarling wild animal like outside the door. And I woke up like I heard this

Whitney: Ah.

Amy: and I was like, "Oh, my god, there's an animal." And I sat up and I was like, "There's like a wolf outside the door," and then and then I was like, "There's not There's not a wolf. I'm in my house, there's not a wolf."

Whitney: Well, was it you or was it Justin?

Amy: We still don't know. We don't know, we'll never know. It might have been me.

Whitney: That is hilarious. I think it's you, because I think your own snoring will jar you awake, you know?

Amy: It will.

Whitney: That's so funny.

Amy: Well, thanks a lot.

Whitney: I'm sorry.

Amy: I'm really on with him,

Whitney: You need to tape your mouth again then, and then you won't snore.

Amy: Honestly, probably.

Whitney: Yeah. We need to do a sleep part two as well, cuz I I've got more questions.

Amy: Yeah. That's my mid moment, honestly. I'm not really feeling rested right now, and I don't really know why. I'm like

Whitney: I know why, you were in New York and had a horrible experience there, and you didn't get any sleep.

Amy: Actually, that's why. That's why. Horrible experience, my husband came down with malaria right after being in Africa. And guess what? Nobody in the United States knows what they're doing when it comes to malaria, so I'm very sorry to report.

Whitney: Yep. Get a private doctor to prescribe you Coartem,

Amy: You know beforehand.

Whitney: maybe even get it ahead of time before you go on your trip.

Amy: Oh, way Honestly, our CEO was like, "Oh, I never travel any- anywhere without it." So, now I know. I didn't know before, now I know.

Whitney: Yeah. Justin should've known, cuz didn't you say it's like his sixth time to get it?

Amy: He should have known. He should have known, I'm kind of mad at him.

Whitney: That's his mid moment, even though he's 37.

Amy: Midlife Uh, he might be midlife, he's 38.

Whitney: Yeah. All right, well, let's get to our topic for today. It is hydrogen water.

Amy: Yes, please. I am so excited, because while he had malaria, there was some hydrogen water for sale at Walgreens, and I bought it for him thinking, "Maybe this'll help," you know?

Whitney: Really? Okay, so that's interesting, because I went to Central Market and to Target looking for it, and I couldn't find I was looking for the tablets.

Amy: Could't find it? Oh.

Whitney: So, maybe if I'd have gone to the water aisle. So, we're going to talk about that. So, first of all,

Amy: So, you can get tablets. I don't even know about those. Okay.

Whitney: I I have been hearing a lot about hydrogen water, and I mean, we've talked about it, we put so many things in our water already, but when I was looking for things for my son's acne, a couple of people mentioned hydrogen water. And I just had that in the back of my head, and then, all of a sudden, you know when you are thinking about something, you see more of it?

Amy: Oh, yeah.

Whitney: So, I started getting like just noticing it everywhere, podcasts about it, things like that. I was like, "What is the deal? What is the deal?"

Amy: Cuz it's H2O.

Whitney: Right. So, hydrogen Right, water's already hydrogen, it's already got hydrogen in it. So,

Amy: So, are we putting more hydrogen in it?

Whitney: Yes, that's exactly what you're doing. It's extra hydrogen.

Amy: So, is it H3O? Oh. H3O.

Whitney: Yeah, maybe H3O. That's a good point, they should change that. But they just call it hydrogen water, even though water is hydrogen water.

Amy: Is this a scam? I must know.

Whitney: That's what we're trying to figure out, and and and really, as with everything, you find both sides of the coin, you know? But I am starting to believe that there is some credibility to it. So, first of all, we just said, hydrogen water is just water with more hydrogen gas in it. And hydrogen, did you know this? Hydrogen is the smallest element. Like it's the tiniest of the of the elements, hydrogen. So, that's one reason why it's so interesting to put it in your water. It will go It will get into all the little crooks and nannies in your body.

Amy: Crooks and nannies?

Whitney: Crooks and nannies, nooks and crannies. Whatever.

Amy: I have crooks. I have nannies.

Whitney: Look, we have people that It's true. There are things in our body that take care of us, and then there are those crooks that are trying to destroy us.

Amy: Who steal? Oh, my god, you just created something brand new.

Whitney: Nooks and crannies, crooks and nannies. But it does get into the What is it? The brain the brain-blood barrier,

Amy: Blood-brain

Whitney: the blood-brain barrier. Yes, it crosses it very quickly, very easily, and so it is an interesting little element, a little gas. And what it does, its claim is that it has selective antioxidants. So, it's reducing those stupid free radicals, the crooks.

Amy: Yeah, we don't like Free radical sounds good, but it's not good.

Whitney: No. They're the crooks in your body that I was just talking about. Yeah.

Amy: The crooks.

Whitney: And then it leaves the the the good things intact. Now, from all of the research that I did, I didn't really see a problem with people I mean like there's no harm in trying the hydrogen water.

Amy: Okay, great. I like that. I like to at least know that. Like you can't you're not going to hurt yourself.

Whitney: No, and it and it's a non-invasive way to get you know, this gas into your system. There are all different ways that you can get it in. You can do the bottled hydrogen water, you can do tablets that you put into the water, or then you could go really fancy with machines that put the hydrogen in your water.

Amy: That's what I've seen more of, and it like will spin it around or whatever. But What is it in the tablet? Is the tablet made of hydrogen?

Whitney: Spin it around. Yeah, and magnesium. So, the tablet has magnesium and hydrogen in it. And that to me, so what I found was that because it's such a tiny little element, and it's bubbly, it can escape very quickly. So like you have to drink it fast. So, so like a lot of the bottle Not a lot, but you have to be careful if you get bottled hydrogen water that it is packaged properly, because it will escape immediately, and then you're just there's no health benefits to it.

Amy: Oh. The one I bought him was a can.

Whitney: I'm sure I'm sure I don't

Amy: It was like a it was, you know, a little

Whitney: A hydrogen can? Yeah, that makes more sense than like a screw-top.

Amy: Yeah, to me, I I would think microplastics would be a problem.

Whitney: Well, microplastics are always problems.

Amy: From a plastics bottle. Right. Right, and now I would think that that wouldn't be good. That might counteract the hydrogen.

Whitney: Yeah. Well, all I remember reading is that you just have to make sure that it's packaged properly because And if you take This was something that confused me. If you use the hydrogen tablet, you have to drink it quickly Okay. because it will It's not like you can sip on it for 10 minutes. It's like you got to drink it pretty quick, cuz it's going to get It's going to get out.

Amy: Chug it. Chug it. Okay.

Whitney: But you have to wait for the tablet to dissolve. So, I mean

Amy: Well, it dissolves fast.

Whitney: I hope so. Like I don't know if you ever did Alka-Seltzer, but it takes a minute.

Amy: I mean like I love Alka-Seltzer.

Whitney: You're still taking

Amy: I use it all the time.

Whitney: You do not. Seriously?

Amy: Well, when I'm sick, I use it. Yeah, I had a cold last week, and I was Alka-Seltzer-ing it up. Oh, it's my favorite.

Whitney: Oh. I have not used one since college. It was good for like hangovers.

Amy: Hangovers, Mhm, it's great. I love it.

Whitney: So, just You may be asking, "Whitney, where did this hydrogen water even come out of? Like who thought of it? Why are we even talking about it?" Well, I'm so glad you asked, because of course, the origin of research always begins with some sort of a study, usually involving rats. And in 2007,

Amy: Mhm, they love rats.

Whitney: there was a a study. I I know it's interesting that we're so Rats are so close to our makeup. Interesting. Anyway, 2007 study showed inhaled hydrogen gas could reduce brain injury in rats.

Amy: What?

Whitney: Yeah. Everything is inflammation, right?

Amy: Yes. Yes.

Whitney: So, for all Everything that's bad is about inflammation, and what hydrogen does is help decrease the inflammation.

Amy: Okay, I am in. I am so in. That sounds great.

Whitney: So, the So, the reduction in brain injuries made people start thinking about, "Well, what if we put it more of it in the water, and how would that work?"

Amy: I don't know how that doesn't make it not water. Like

Whitney: H2

Amy: you know, it seems like if you change the molecular structure of water, it's not water anymore.

Whitney: It's still water, but you're just adding a little bit more of the ingredient that's already in there.

Amy: Huh. Okay.

Whitney: That's why they call it hydrogen water instead of just water. I don't know, I'm not a scientist, nor a doctor.

Amy: I mean, does all water have the same amount of hydrogen?

Whitney: Yes, and there is I mean, if you want to get into the

Amy: I love your confidence in that answer.

Whitney: Yeah. Did you just say is does all water have the same amount of hydrogen?

Amy: Yeah.

Whitney: Yeah, it's two. It's two. It is two.

Amy: It's two hydrogen.

Whitney: The concentration of the water, you there's a whole thing about how much you have to have in order for it to be therapeutic, but I would assume that the tablets that you purchase, you'd have to be more concerned about that if you were creating it on a machine and make sure that the levels were right. But if you bought it in a bottle, or a can, or the tablets, it's It's the right concentration, I would assume.

Amy: What is hydrogen?

Whitney: It's on the elements table.

Amy: It's just an element.

Whitney: It's a gas. It's a gas. Yes. It's a gas. I mean, what else would you need to know about it? It's a hydrogen gas.

Amy: I get it mixed up with helium.

Whitney: Do not put helium in your water. I'm sure cuz you've you used you've sucked helium out of a balloon before. It has to be doing something to our brains. It has to be.

Amy: It has to.

Whitney: It can't be good.

Amy: No.

Whitney: No. Anyway, but it's super funny.

Amy: Anytime you're inhaling something, it's probably not a great idea.

Whitney: True, very true.

Amy: Something weird. Yeah.

Whitney: All right. So, the rats were doing well, so they decided let's see what else we can do to get hydrogen into people's bodies, and they decided to try the water. Cuz like I said, passes through the blood-brain barrier into cells easily because it's so tiny, and it neutralizes those toxic crooks, free radicals. Here are the benefits. It's all about inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effects. It also protects brain cells and helps with focus and concentration. That's why I'm interested in trying it.

Amy: This sounds really good. You went to two grocery stores and you couldn't find the tablets or anything?

Whitney: No, and I even talked to a Target employee and he looked it up and he was like, "We don't have it here." But when I was having my conversation with ChatGPT, it said I could find it at Target. So, it's interesting,

Amy: Weird.

Whitney: I didn't go into the water aisle. Maybe it's in the water aisle, but I feel like Yeah, I just wanted to try the tablets,

Amy: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Whitney: cuz I just wanted to I I didn't want to worry about is this old hydrogen that's in this bottle?

Amy: Mhm, mhm. Have you tried much of it before or no?

Whitney: No, never. That's why I really wanted to try it on here.

Whitney: with you, but

Amy: I'm going to try to try it by the time this comes out and share it on social media or something.

Whitney: Yeah, yeah. Well, if we know it's at Walgreens, you can get it at Amazon, you you can get it Dr. Amen, who you've met, he actually has a tablet, and he says hydrogen is good. So the So, so let me

Amy: Oh, that's important.

Whitney: So, let me keep going, and then we're going to talk about why I don't think it's a

Amy: I would trust his brand, like that. I think I'll order that.

Whitney: Me too, me too. Yes. So, the anti-inflammatory effects, protects your brain cells, it also improves athletic performance markers, like fatigue and muscle soreness. These little hydrogen things, they get all into your cells, and they're energizing it and getting rid of all the bad stuff.

Amy: That's important.

Whitney: Potential benefits for um metabolic syndrome: diabetes, high cholesterol. That's another thing. I don't know why, but all my blood work always says I have high cholesterol.

Amy: It's genetic.

Whitney: So, I'm going to try this,

Amy: Does your mother have high cholesterol?

Whitney: Yes.

Amy: Yes. It's genetic, mine is, too. And the only thing that really helps me is when I really eat vegan, and I I don't I I will even cut out butter for the most part. I like butter, but so that's the one thing that I'll still have some of. But like my doctor has even remarked before like, a vegan diet really does make a difference, yeah.

Whitney: It's so frustrating. See, that's not happening for me. Oh, really? Darn it, I don't want to go vegan.

Amy: No.

Whitney: I'm going to try hydrogen water first.

Amy: Yeah, try hydrogen water.

Whitney: Because all on all my markers, I just did my Function Health blood testing and got it back.

Amy: Oh, you did? Oh, shit. Okay.

Whitney: Yeah, and and so, my only out-of-range markers are all of those LDL and HDL, the cholesterol stuff. And so, I just I don't know what else I'm, you know, I eat right, I'm exercising. I don't feel like I have a lot of stress or anything, so I'm going to try the hydrogen, and I get my blood checked in another Well, really, I'm going to the the OB soon, so 3 months or something. So, we'll see what happens.

Amy: Cool. Okay, good. That's your experiment.

Whitney: And I'll know pretty quickly if it's helping with fatigue and, you know, brain function. So, I thought that was exciting. Now, the skeptics corner, people that think it's a myth, it's because they say there's no large-scale human trials. It's all like rat-related or people's personal experiences.

Amy: Yeah, and it's hard to discern, okay, is it really the hydrogen water or is it any a number of

Whitney: There's placebo factors. It it could also be the placebo effect, which is a huge I mean, your brain is very powerful.

Amy: Totally. Yes.

Whitney: If you think you're taking something that's helpful, you make it so.

Amy: You may get better.

Whitney: So, yeah. So, no no real large-scale human trials, the double-blind peer-reviewed, blah, blah, blah. And then the dosage problem, because it's hard to tell you know, how much does your tissue and cells need of the hydrogen for it to make a difference? So, the dosage consistency is not across the board for all products.

Amy: I'm sure, and if it fades like while you're drinking it, too.

Whitney: Well, that was the other thing.

Amy: Like, what if you drink it 1 minute different, and then like you don't have the same amount or something?

Whitney: Right. So, that's that's the next thing, the flushing problem. That if the if the gas is so light, and it escapes so quickly, if not consumed immediately, the benefits literally vanish. What's immediately? I got to sit there and wait for the tablet to dissolve. Am I just watching, you know, the bubbles fly away?

Amy: Maybe you put a lid on it. Oh. As it's dissolving, and then you Like that, maybe.

Whitney: That's not a bad idea.

Amy: Or you put a straw. You put a lid, and then drink through the straw.

Whitney: No, not the straw, then it'll come up the straw.

Amy: Well, you wait to put the straw until it's dissolved.

Whitney: Oh. It's a good idea. I think I might now that we're talking about it, I might try to get the cans or something. Sounds very stressful, the tablets. Anyway, and then the other reason why that we're not sure if it's a myth or not is because marketing, they they tell you what we want to hear.

Amy: Maybe. Yeah, there's no oversight.

Whitney: Yeah, you could actually just be drinking regular water, and they say that it has hydrogen in it, which it does,

Amy: Totes.

Whitney: but not the same amount that's needed.

Amy: No. Which it does. Yeah, it does, cuz it's water.

Whitney: Yeah. It's got hydrogen.

Amy: It's got hydrogen.

Whitney: So, the science is exciting. There are some studies, but they're typically with the rats, that say that they're working. And then there's a lot of people out there like Dr. Amen, who says it works, that make me believe that it works. So, I think you just have to test it for yourself. But yeah, when I when I was doing my research, and I saw that So, we're going to talk about Dr. Amen. He is a brain What's his actual title like?

Amy: Uh, he studies the brain. He's a

Whitney: He studies the brain, he's a

Amy: Yeah, he's like a neuro

Whitney: neuro guy. But you see him I you know, I was I heard about him a couple of years ago, maybe 5, 6 years ago, because he works with ADD patients and patients with depression and things like that, and a family member of mine was going to go have him and his his whole family's brain scanned to see how they can help with their kids with their ADD and what medications would actually work. It's very interesting.

Amy: Did they do it?

Whitney: They did it, yeah.

Amy: Nice.

Whitney: They did it like, you know, like I said, like 6 years ago, and I was going to do it, but it was like $3,000, and I thought, "I don't really need my brain scanned, like really?" But I'm fascinated. And then he started coming up in social media. He's got a huge social media following now, and he's all over the place. And you and Justin actually met

Amy: He's been Justin's doctor. Justin uh Justin needed help for something. I don't know, maybe it was after malaria. But he needed help for something years ago, and before we were together, and he

Whitney: But also with his um uh fighting.

Amy: Fighting, addiction, the whole thing.

Whitney: He hurt He'd probably get hit in the brain. Yeah.

Amy: And so, he um he like this is so Justin, he like pursued him hardcore, and like really Dr. Amen was not taking new clients himself, and Justin like went in hot pursuit and of course like got results, and so he got in. And so, Amen did brain scans on Justin and everything, so it was super fascinating for him. He learned so much about how his brain functions.

Whitney: Oh, yeah. He got in. Yeah. That's why I really wanted to do it, because and you know, it was Dr. Amen who said to me, or not to me, sorry, it felt like he was talking directly to me, that you know, the the

Amy: Yeah. Check your brain.

Whitney: Yeah, the the the brain is the only organ that doctors will treat without actually seeing it. And that blew my mind, it's so true. And for for me with a child who has had depression and has been on medication, it made so much sense to me. It's like you're just throwing stuff

Amy: It's absurd. Yeah.

Whitney: at them, and you have no idea if your body even will accept it or if the ADD that you have will is is that that medication is the right medication. You know, it was really interesting.

Amy: 100 yes, 100%. And like I think Dr. Amen talks about the way that we're treating, you know, any mental health issue is the same that it was in Abraham Lincoln's day. Oh, wow. I mean, it's insane.

Whitney: That's crazy.

Amy: And so, yeah. So, I think scanning the brain is huge, and can teach you so much. Justin learned so much that he still talks about. They're friends, and we went

Whitney: Well, y'all just saw him like in the last 2 years or something, didn't you?

Amy: We went I want to say it was 2023, maybe it was 20

Whitney: He was speaking.

Amy: I think it was 2023. And uh we went to his gala in Beverly Hills, which um was really cool, but it was a sober event, they had mocktails and stuff. And let me tell you, if you're trying to raise money at a gala, you need people drunk.

Whitney: Oh, and he won't he won't adhere to that, because he is a big proponent of alcohol is the worst.

Amy: Yeah, but people don't spend money like they do when they're drunk, and uh it was it was a little bit painful. Cuz I they were really good things in the auction, like it was brain scans and stuff like that. Like it was really cool stuff, so

Whitney: Oh, man. Yeah. People don't want to give up their money. Oh, that's so interesting.

Amy: when they're sober. Yeah, and Justin and I were sober and we were like, "Oh, my god, we if we we didn't have any money to spend right then, we would've bought literally everything." Cuz we were like, cuz we're also codependent, so we wanted to save it.

Whitney: Right, if you had it you would've. Yeah. Right. I have been in that situation so many times.

Amy: I mean we were like, "Let us fix it," and then I I literally had to sit next to Justin and be like, "Honey, this isn't ours to fix."

Whitney: "We can't fix this." Yeah.

Amy: Cuz Justin literally looked at me at one state at one point and he goes, "Should I go up on stage?" And I was like, "Maybe." And then I was like, "This isn't our event,

Whitney: "It's uncomfortable."

Amy: we need to just sit here and like be a part of it."

Whitney: Right. Right.

Amy: Should not.

Whitney: I love That's so sad, but that's very interesting, because you're right, alcohol just everything

Amy: Yeah, you got to get people drunk to donate.

Whitney: Yeah. That's why they in in San Miguel, they would give us tequila shots when we were shopping in their stores.

Amy: Smart.

Whitney: I was like, "Oh."

Amy: And did you buy things?

Whitney: Regretfully, yes.

Amy: Really?

Whitney: Yes, I bought these ridiculously expensive shot glasses. I came home, and I was like, "What did I do?" I I just have to look at them as like pieces of art, like a

Amy: Really? How expensive?

Whitney: I mean, like $200 for one

Amy: For one?

Whitney: Yeah.

Amy: Wait, for one shot glass?

Whitney: Yes. Please don't talk about it, I'm feeling sick. I am feeling so sick. And it was the tequila. I can't. I can't.

Amy: Right. Right, okay, so case in point, anyway.

Whitney: It's So, anyway, Anyway, when I so I was kind of on the fence on is it a myth or is it true, until Doctor I saw that Dr. Amen was on board with it, because I do really trust his opinion. I feel like he is the master of brain health, Yeah. and

Amy: We got some good products at that event, and I tried some of them. It was a it was almost like too many products, cuz I felt overwhelmed, imagine that. But

Whitney: Yeah. True.

Amy: I trust his level of ingredients and care.

Whitney: Yes. And just what he says impacts the brain, I believe. I believe.

Amy: He's Yes, I totally agree.

Whitney: So, if he's saying that it works and he's selling it, then I'm on board. So, he does sell it, you can get it on his website.

Amy: Mhm. Me, too. I'll find a link, I'll put it in the show notes, yeah.

Whitney: And it's like $39 for a a bottle of tablets.

Amy: Okay, I'm going to order one, I'm going to order one.

Whitney: And you know what? Since he's selling it as tablets, that makes me feel better about the tablets.

Amy: Yeah. I'll see what the instructions say.

Whitney: Yeah, I think it's two. It's two Well, I I read the instructions, cuz I kind of looked at this stuff.

Amy: Could you take a tablet with water, and just let it dissolve in your stomach?

Whitney: Says two tablets It says, "Two tablets. Drink immediately." So, maybe it's very fast acting. But I'm going to get some, and I will report back, because I got to do something about this brain fog.

Amy: Really?

Whitney: It's bad. And now I'm not sleeping, so it's getting worse. But I'm like

Amy: Why aren't you sleeping?

Whitney: I don't know.

Amy: Aw, I'm sorry.

Whitney: I think I

Amy: I didn't know your brain fog was that bad.

Whitney: I thought I put in both two contacts per eye today.

Amy: No. Shit.

Whitney: I feel like my words are like I'm losing words more often, even though I'm on all these supplements.

Amy: Yes. Mhm. You know what? I was feeling like that. I really was, and I was like, "Something's going on." And uh trying to think what changed. Well, I ditched all my supplements,

Whitney: Yeah. I know. I can't wait for your allergy report.

Amy: and so now I'm only on the testosterone and my Synthroid, and I'm not noticing it the way I was. Like I feel like earlier this year, it was not great.

Whitney: See, I felt like when I first got on the Bryan Johnson protocol and I went to a Function Health doctor, and he got me on more estrogen, more progesterone, more testosterone, I felt really good. But then it something changed, and I don't know. And I'm not taking all those hormones the way that he had prescribed anymore, because I lost faith in him. But

Amy: You lost faith in him? We're going to do an You know what? That's the next one I'm going to do, I'm going to prepare my Bryan Johnson episode, cuz I've been wanting to do one. It just requires a lot of research, all that protocol stuff.

Whitney: I do. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Well, I have all, you know, I'm doing it, so

Amy: I know, I know. But why'd you lose faith?

Whitney: Well, it wasn't that I lost faith in the Bryan Johnson stuff, I lost faith in my Function Health person, because I felt like he was prescribing just across the board. Like he put my 78-year-old mom on the same hormonal protocol as me at 54, and I was like,

Amy: No way.

Whitney: and and then, I don't know, he didn't he didn't give prescriptions to my pharmacy. He wanted only the pharmacy out of town that doesn't take insurance. And stuff like that, I started just feeling a little weird about it. And then, Bryan Johnson, I will say, and we'll talk about it on that episode, but my blood work compared for the year that I was on it, I it my blood work is better.

Amy: Okay. Interesting.

Whitney: But um I'm just not sure I need everything that he's prescribing, and maybe I just need to target Yeah. cuz like I want to do more for my brain.

Amy: And I mean, is his stuff optimized for women?

Whitney: That's an excellent point. I don't know.

Amy: So, I kind of want to address that, too. I just feel like he's putting a lot out there, and so I want to talk about it, especially now that he's been doing mushrooms.

Whitney: Yeah. All right, I'm excited. Yeah. Oh, yeah. He did mushrooms. Ooh, I want to do I want to do one on mushrooms, too. All right, well, that is the the final call is um scientifically,

Amy: Yeah, sure.

Whitney: we still are saying it's might be a myth, because there's not a lot of human studies. But for me, personally Sorry, I keep hitting my mic.

Amy: No, you're good.

Whitney: For me, personally, and because of the the Dr. Amen stuff, I believe that it's got some real, valid benefits, and I'm going to start drinking it.

Amy: Okay, I am, too. I'm going to order

Whitney: You can just go to Walgreens.

Amy: I'm going to order No, I'm going to do the order

Whitney: from Dr. Amen.

Amy: and um I'm going to see I'm going to see what happens. So, I'll I'll report by the time this comes out. I will already know.

Whitney: Yeah. Have some Yeah. I hope. Unless I forget, which is possible. We're going to do it right after we end this recording.

Amy: It's for today. So, all right, well, um

Whitney: That's it. That's my report on hydrogen water.

Amy: A-plus-plus-plus-plus.

Whitney: Thank you, thank you.

Amy: Great, well, if you have a topic that you want us to cover, we want to hear from you. We would love to cover it, so just email us, anythingbutmidpodcast@gmail.com, or you can hit us up on social media @anythingbutmid, or either of us. It's all linked in the show notes.

Whitney: Cool.

Amy: Anything to add?

Whitney: Yeah, follow, subscribe, check us out on YouTube, and uh get in touch with us, cuz we want to talk about the things that you're interested in. And we're not doctors.

Amy: And we do what we want, and that's that's right. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we do what we want.