Well, hello, ladies and gents Robert Sykes Quito service.com.
And today, I've got special guest Mark Washington on the
line and we dive deep into gut health.
So he is the founder and CEO of company called super got.
They formulate a gut fiber powder, they also make bars on
things like that but we basically we have different
views as far as macro nutrient requirements.
He's more plant-based. I'm obviously not.
But I did want to pick his brain as to what he thinks proper gut
health consists of, so we dive quite a bit into that we We'll
talk about business. We talk about what is wrong with
the current health epidemic that we now face as a society.
We talk about what could possibly contributing to some of
those issues in our society. But yeah, thoroughly enjoy the
conversation. He's got a wealth of knowledge
when it comes to gut microbiome prebiotics, probiotics, things
of that nature. So I'm going to pick his brain
on that and just just have a casual conversation.
So thoroughly enjoyed it. Have no doubt, you will take
something from it. So that further Ado, sit back,
relax, enjoy podcast with Mark Walsh.
Shetan. We are live.
Mark, how are you man? I'm good, I'm good about
yourself from and good, but I'm good.
So I want to dive deep into gut health, I've had several people
in the podcast talking about gut health, I feel like in my
demographic gut health has certainly gained more
prominence. But it's interesting because
I've had people that are, you know, hardcore vegan talking
about ways to optimize good health and I've had people that
are hardcore carnivore don't need to single probiotic ever
talk about good right sorry anxious to get your Take on gut
health and how all this kind of wraps up into your story.
Yeah, for sure. For sure.
Well, obviously, this is a really important subject and you
know, you're hearing about I'd say Obviously in your SS, a
broadly consumers are talking about this.
Now, it's becoming more aware that gut health is important.
I will say there's a lot of misconceptions about what it
means and why you know, and how to get it as well.
So I would love to look forward to diving in with you.
I think I guess I start with. You know, why is it important?
Why are people talking about? I think, Window.
Now a lot more than we did five ten years ago about just a
profound role that your digestive system literally your
gut plays in managing your overall health.
Like literally it's like your foundation for help.
Apparently, the reason we know a lot more now is actually because
of Technology. Like so the you know the way
that we know a lot about the gut is a lot of DNA sequencing like
actually look at a fecal samples to get a picture of what's
Happening inside your gut. Like that's the best way to get
a snapshot. The cost of doing that has come
down from like thousands of dollars to hundreds of dollars
and that's what that's led to is a spawn in research.
So a lot more clinical studies and research around the gut and
what's called this gut microbiome, this collection of
these trillions of organisms, you know, largely bacteria, but
also fungi and other things that reside largely in your large
intestine that we now have a much clearer picture of, right?
The fact that these He's, you know, they might be small but
they're Mighty right in terms of their impact on your total
health and their connection to just about everything that
happening in your body has some connection back to what's going
on in your gut. We used to think about God help
as just digestion right? Going poop, right?
I mean regularly you know try to avoid you know, diarrhea trying
to mitigate bloating that is all true.
But that's kind of like you know, first base, you know, I've
got help is digestion, what? You going to second base like
when you actually get into the science of the gut microbiome,
you realize that it's not just a gesture that's actually
connected to all the systems in our body.
So your metabolic Health right the way that you manage blood
sugar control, insulin sensitivity, even appetite
control and weight even heart health, cholesterol, blood
pressure. And now, we're even seeing
connections between your gut and your mental health, your mental
well-being, Still a lot of people refer to that, as this
gut-brain axis, this bi-directional communication,
between kind of what's happening in your gut and things like,
mental Clarity, and sleep, and energy, and brain fog like all
have some direct connection. So, I mean, these are just some
examples, there's actually more out there, but all of these are
reasons why we're talking so much more about good help these
days because it is so important for foundational for your
health. And there's different Approaches
for how you can go about kind of ensuring you have a strong
balanced healthy, gut microbiome and there's some different
opinions but I always just go back to the science when talk
about the best ways to ensure a healthy healthy gut.
Yeah feel like it's been described lately as like the
second brain basically like it has an inner connection to
everything else, the whole body works and the symbiotic nature
and if the gut Center you know disarray then everything else is
going to follow suit for sure. Like you know this they've had
these old sayings like I've got a gut feeling or or you know,
I've got butterflies in my stomach.
You know? And I know many people can
relate to and I personally can as well, when I have had my, the
periods in my life of like the highest stress like stuff is
just not going the way I wanted to go.
And there's like stress, you know, my personal life,
professional life. I have you.
That's actually shown up in digestive systems, right?
I mean, digestive symptoms, right?
For me. That's where my, you know,
things have been the most out of balance, which all of these are
indicators and of this whole symbiotic.
Relationship right between your gut, your digestive tract and
kind of what's going on in the rest of your body.
Now, we just have a bit more of an explanation right behind
what's going on in this connection.
And we're starting to understand ways, that what can we do about
it, right? I mean, how can we actually tap
into the science and in ways that can you know, can affect
the gut right to change outcomes that you're looking for, in
your, in your health and in your life out of curiosity was where
you were these It seems that your experience was like, the
primary driver for you diving into the research and, and
getting into this, in the first place or what?
The personal motivation come from to dive into gut health.
Yeah, no. Actually, that wasn't the direct
impact, that was more of hindsight, like, after the fact,
oh, this comes together. That's kind of where it all
connected for me, personally, in my own personal hell, but I'll
give you the the bit of the background for dive again.
Like I've, you know, been in the space of all things, better for
you. Help Nutrition Fitness.
Itness accepted throughout my career.
Like so I've been in food and beverage and supplements.
I was actually president and CEO of Beachbody for for a number of
years. So into at home fitness, but
also supplementation and nutrition.
And so I've been in and around the space forever and we had
like probiotics and some of the shapes and so forth, but I
wanted to do something different, right?
I wanted to create nutrition products that could be truly
functional to help like really steeped in science that could
fundamentally. Change the trajectory of
people's Health but still doing it through food and I actually
give my original investors, a lot of credit a group called the
production board that they said of the Bay Area.
Founded by Dave free bird around really opening my eyes to the
depth of the science of the gut microbiome.
Like I said I was I was I call myself I was gonna we're going
into going into this but it was really when I dove into the
science with production board and team and I've, you know, I
had a herd of PhD food scientist as well to really go deep
because at first, it was a little hard for me to believe,
right? I've been in this space and
heard about every fad, every Trend, every Miracle pill, cure
out there. I'm like, it sounds like too
good to believe. But when going into the research
around the gut microbiome, and gut health, and just how
pervasive it was, and how, you know, scientific evidence-based
scientifically validated. A lot of these findings were
that's when I had this Awakening.
And that's when it all came together that, you know, the gut
was this Pathway to actually activate decision that I had
right in and doing a way that you could absolutely provide
solutions that can affect your gut, but that you can actually
do it through food. And that's actually, you know,
the ethos that how super gut, you know, my business was born
and that was really my journey into deep diving into gun.
Hell, that was about four years ago or so.
Nice, nice. So, what do we, what is the
science state currently? What do we know about the gun?
But with a pretty good degree of certainty.
Yeah, so there's a number of things that we know who then I
don't know, always give this caveat.
There's still a lot that we don't know.
And so anyone who is worth their salt will, at least acknowledge.
Yes, we know some things, but there's some areas that were
still exploring, and we're going to continue to explore it and
Unearthed over the coming years. What we do know though is what
kind of what I was alluding to before that, there is a direct
connection. Cleans your gut and all these
different systems in your body. Like we have studied the
profiles like of healthy individuals versus individuals
that are afflicted with specific diseases or conditions or what
have you and through that analysis, you can identify a lot
of, you know, commonalities between kind of, quote unhealthy
individuals, you know, relative to healthy individuals.
And in some cases it's differences in their microbiome
profiles. Like specifically what?
Bacteria are in abundance of individuals that have a more
healthy existence relative to the microbiome profiles in the
bacteria that are either deficient or like overgrown
because there's bad bacteria as well, like in people who are
dealing with diseases and a lot of times those profiles actually
line up depending on a specific disease or condition.
So I'll take for instance diabetes, right?
I mean you know really elevated blood sugar levels poor.
Sensitivity. This Studies have shown that
there's absolutely some profiles and some differences in at the
microbiome profiles of individuals with elevated, blood
sugar, pour, insulin sensitivity and diabetes, relative to those
who have a normal healthy blood sugar.
What we also know and this is obviously an area that we
specifically have targeted supergun is there are ways that
you can modulate that gut microbiome.
You know, their specific nutrients in particular that you
can feed your gut, the specific types of A biotics, right?
That are very effective at feeding.
Those bugs that have been shown to improve insulin, sensitivity,
and blood sugar control. And so, obviously, this is
something important for all of us like, healthy stable, blood
sugar of sure you get. This is really important for all
of us, regardless of whether or not you're diagnosed with the
condition, but if you're someone with living with diabetes, it's
so important right to be on top of this.
And if you have a pathway to do that through kind of balancing
your gut microbiome, Particular feeding it the most powerful
prebiotics like the ones that we include in our products that are
responsible for improving your insulin sensitivity, and blood
sugar response. It's a no-brainer, right?
And so, this is one example of a specific application of a gut
microbiome, targeted solution that Taps into your metabolic
health and it can actually lead to a specific outcome.
There are other examples that Target other areas of Health
Within Me. Metabolism, like I said, like
appetite control, you know, you know, heart help as well and
also expanding now into things that you can do with that second
braid and how could you actually improve some of those mental
health aspects by, you know, working on your gut microbiome?
I would say that's one of the areas where we know there's a
correlation. Now, it's a question of, can you
get to causation? Like, can we actually create
products that, you know, modifier modulate, your gut
microbiome? That Tribe better mental health
than, you know, avoid things like anxiety, and depression,
and so forth that still emerging.
So there's a lot that still coming out in that space.
Yeah. It's like I'm gonna, I'm
probably going to butchers but it's like, 98% of is either
serotonin or dopamine. I'm drawing a blank on which the
two, but that's all produced in the gut.
So if your gut, your God, who my mom is, you know, wrecked, then
you're probably going to be depressed, you got it, you got
it, you know, it's it's, it's fascinating.
How people don't believe like, that's In large part where they
are calling the gut, the second brain because you know, many of
those factors are actually produced in your gut, right?
To just drive that point home and I think it is serotonin is
the one that's you know, predominantly produced by the
gut microbiome. We can also get into what is
something else that's known. I mean your you might be
familiar or something, a lot of people are talking about our
somebody's breakthrough Therapeutics, right?
Some of these drugs that were originally designed Fine for
diabetes, right? And blood sugar control and also
shown big impact on weight loss. You know, these jurors, like,
would go V and it was implicit said, a lot of people are
talking about them because people who aren't Afflicted with
diabetes, have under heard about them and understand their
actually could be really impactful on weight loss.
And so you got a lot of celebrities.
A lot of individuals who are just trying to lose weight
quickly that are using these drugs and it was fascinating
sort doing that or something? Oh yeah, elon's done it.
I think the Kardashians have did Didn't I think there's there's a
number of folks out there that you can, you know, you can go on
Tick, Tock and look up with Covey or is a core or two of the
brand names and there's definitely a lot of individuals
and celebs that have tapped into it.
Here's the fascinating thing. Like unbelievable, breakthrough
drugs, I do suggest proceeding with caution they were designed
you know and clinically studied for people living with diabetes.
So there's a lot of unknown of otherwise, healthy individuals
using them. So consult your doctor.
But here's fascinating thing about how those drugs work.
It actually The drugs are typically based on this hormone
called glp-1. This is a hormone that is
actually naturally produced guess we're in the gut
microbiome. Like when in particular when you
consume specific types of prebiotics and that's typically
within fibrous Foods your gut microbiome, ferments though, it
actually the good bugs. Consume that because those
Bypass digestion, right? It actually gets deep into your
gut, those good books, consume it.
They produce byproducts your refer to a short chain fatty
acids and one of them is called butyrate, that's really, really
important. Kind of producer of positive
benefits from your gut. One of the things that butyrate
does it actually stimulates and you know, modulates the
production of these gut hormones.
These called like glp-1 there's another one called Gip as well,
which are produced, but this is like this.
Is the natural mechanism that your body is intended to do but
when not fed, you know, appropriately, you're not
balanced, you're not producing enough of it and so you're not
able to really tap into that. But when you are when you're
consuming, you know, a diet high in specific types of Prebiotic
fiber like resistant starch again, like one of the things
that we put in our shrinks, your at bodies actually able to
produce these hormones naturally.
So, it's actually tapping into that exact same science and the
same Mechanism as some of these really potent, highly
concentrated, like injection drugs that you're seeing out
there. Now that are gaining prominence
for weight loss against against. Yeah, I always man mean I was
trying to steer clear of all the, the, the Western medicine
Pharmaceuticals when it comes to weight loss.
It's normally yeah, anything. It's like a get rich quick
scheme or like lose weight fast games.
Usually like a scan, there's always a price to pay.
Now I'll give the credit like these are really breakthrough
drugs. Like people are achieving
unbelievable results in a Haven't done before but there is
always another side right to highly concentrated potent,
things that you are injecting into your body.
Like for sure, there's some unintended consequences, there's
side effects. There's people report like
nausea and bloating, some real bad digestive discomfort.
There's this thing called, you know, those impact face like it
actually is making people age like in their face by, it's just
dust things that are not necessarily intended.
In addition to the weight loss, and here's the kicker.
Oh, it's like they're expensive and research has shown, they're
really effective when you're on them.
The second you stop Takin this thousand dollars, you know,
injection medication. If you have a change, your diet,
your lifestyle, your habits, guess what happens, you revert
back to the old you right now with the way put back on
accelerates. It's you know it's an important
treatment for those who are chronically disease, but there
is no such thing, I believe, as a, you know, A magic pill magic
injection, like there's always something to it, right?
And so if you can find ways and as just my belief system, if you
can find ways naturally to orient, your health, your body,
your diet in a positive direction that is the
sustainable way to maintaining Optimal Health and avoiding
disease. So I'm I'm not anti medicine I'm
just super pro nutrition and lifestyle like super pro.
Yes no 1000% man. We're speaking the same
language. Therefore.
I'm sure after I want to play Devil's Advocate with you, just
for a second here. So I totally get the benefit of
having more fiber, more probiotics prebiotics in the
context of a mixed diet in which, you know, someone's
consuming, you know a variety of macronutrients and they have you
know, a lot of processed sugars. Anything remotely similar to a
standard American diet for sure. Anymore, fire.
It's going to shunt the effect of those in the glycemic
response. The insulin response etcetera,
Etc. Sure.
In the context of those following a carnivore diet.
My understanding is that there by the complete removal of that
mix that approach and the carbohydrates and the fiber,
their microbiome does shift and the need for those pre and
probiotics fibers likely becomes not necessary because the
bacteria that are present are not going to be requiring.
The same type of fermentation process.
Let's chat. I've actually had five.
I've literally had this exact conversation internally, so one
of the benefits that I have on my team is actually we have a
chief science and medical officer, who's literally one of
the leading gut health experts in the country's
gastroenterologist. Like he, he knows the gut inside
out and he's real huge proponent of food as medicine, whole food,
diets and supplementation with you needed, Etc.
We've actually talked about, you know, carnivore as One
particular diet pattern that does have some real real
benefits even then you know the science according to my
conversation with him has shown that there still is a need for
prebiotics in order to maintain a healthy gut.
And to truly get to what is one of the main outcomes, right of
following like a common word, itís to, you know, mitigate
things like inflammation, right, in your gut, in your body.
Actually really really helps to do that by incorporating the
right levels. The right amount the right types
of prebiotics in your fiber, fiber in your diet, even on a
carnivore diet, is it right to help maintain and modulate
things like inflammation and in combination with immune
response. And so, where I have seen my
understanding is that it still is important.
It is quite different, right? And I can't, I can't speak to
exactly which bugs that you need to compensate for or what have
you but my understanding based on those conversations that it
still is quite important. It's a particular cardboard diet
to still find ways to get some levels of Prebiotic fiber into
your into your diet to maintain optimal gut health and to
mitigate inflammation. Yeah, It's Tricky man because I
know so many people that are doing and I'm not doing a street
corner for down like I'm like 98% corner of War but I'm not
hardcore by any means but I feel like so many people have gone
that route sand Seen tremendous benefit from a health
standpoint, and from a digestive standpoint, and many of them
like long, long term like decades.
And when I would think that, if there was any direct negative
effect or degradation of their gut health, in the complete
absence of fiber that would show up after a decade's time but
that doesn't seem to be the case with those.
But again, that that is anecdotal but I don't want to
throw that to the wind completely because it is
legitimate. There's not every person
experiences legitimate to them for sure for sure.
What is generally speak of are the broad General truths that
have been shown for the most numbers of people.
There's always exceptions to the norm and I'm sure that there are
people, like you said, that are following a very strict
carnivore diet and not having a lot of fiber and are following
very, very healthy lives by my senses on the whole from a
population standpoint. In general, the vast majority of
us in particular, those on Carnivore will For more
Prebiotic fiber in it and that in most studies definitely are
not gonna be looking at corn for participants.
I mean, this, most American population is certainly not in
that demographic and all the studies can be based off of
general population data for the most part.
Yeah. That's I think that's, that's
likely a fair point. Yes sir.
So like for you, how do you break your day at?
Now it's like knowing what you know about Good Health?
Like what is your typical diet consists of?
How do you like you do periods of, you know, fasting to give
your digestive system and get a break from Digestion.
Like how do you personally prefer day?
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So I'm one of those generalist
that, but fall into the bucket of essentially, all things in
moderation. And so, I don't follow
necessarily one particular, diet, path.
It's kind of back to that old adage.
I can't remember who said it that?
I didn't generally follow, like, you know, eat food, not too
much, you know, largely plants is generally, you know what I
follow? But I love, you know, everything
in moderation. And so I haven't followed
specifically much from an intermittent fasting or many
other diets. I would say if anything, my diet
pattern is semi Mediterranean ultimately point for, but I
freaking love, a good juicy steak pork chop as well.
I'll say the thing that I definitely do make sure of
especially, you know, I am a product of a product.
I am very, very adamant about getting My daily dose of fiber
in my diet every day every single day.
And so that is generally recommended to get at least 30
grams of fiber in your diet on a database.
That's that's the minimum recommended amounts and so I do
that both through whole food diet but as well as obviously
you know I am a regular consumer in a product of the product and
so I usually will have one of our super good Shakes as my
breakfast in the morning and that's actually 20 grams of
fiber in it right there. Usually reasonable lunch, a
salad or what have you. And then, I'll usually have one
of our snack bars in the afternoon because I otherwise, I
get hangry. Yeah, between between lunch and
dinner. And one things I love our snack
bars, they have about 10 grams of protein, 10, grams of our
Prebiotic, fiber blend, and they're very, very satiating.
And they're also really good for keeping a stable, balance blood
sugar levels which I think also helps energy levels and then a
reasonable reasonable dinner as well.
So yeah, I'm kind of like an all things and Moderation mindful,
very mindful that diet but not overly restrictive in any one
general direction and you pretty much you say getting 30 grams
total fiber a day without fail. Minimum minimum minimum
minimums, right? So I'm getting pretty girls that
they just from our super good products.
Right? Is what I have a shake in a bar,
that's 30 grams on its own, that's before, taking into
account. What I'm what I get through just
Whole Foods in my in my diet, like, you know what?
I have leafy greens at lunch and when I have Fruits vegetables
nuts. What have you?
So I would I would guess. I don't measure the specifically
but I would guess I'm more like in the 45 to 50 grams of fiber a
day. Alright totally personal
question, you know how many times people ask how many times
you should have day my wife would crack up when she hears
this she and I'll tear this is very honest.
I was just be revealing she Marvels at the regularity of my
I am a 22 times minimum per day Thomas.
Minimum, what's a maximum day? Oh, a maximum is, you know,
those are bad days like something's wrong, like, when
I'm going to the maximum, but I would say, two to three is kind
of like, where I, where I am. I'm, I've got a very regular
system and obviously, I've always had, you know, pretty
decent regularity boys. Followed kind of a pretty
healthy overall diet but it's Actually put it past number of
years since launching this company and committing to the
product. Like it is.
Definite is literally, it's like clockwork.
And, you know, obviously feel good light kind of move things
moving around. But also just knowing that those
are good signs of, you know, a healthy functioning digestive
system. Know is a good thing.
Yeah, for sure. I'm pretty ready to tell.
I'm a one-and-done. Kind of kind of guy.
That'll do you go after my morning tea, and that's all she
wrote. That's good though, that's good?
I'd say that's What you should aim for my perspective as a
minimum one and done. That is, that is all good.
I will say it was the first time Robert I have publicly discussed
my my bowel movements but hey we're talking about gunnhild.
So it's all amen. Anything on nutrition is podcast
is Up For Debate. It is up for open G, very cool
mate. I totally want to switch gears
and talk a little bit about business here and we can we can
tile this into your company super got but you mentioned
that. You had worked with At a very
high level with Beachbody, and then your one sheet had you do
another, you know, high-level athletic Nutrition Company work.
Now you're doing your own thing with super get, what has that
been like, like have is this like a passion project and what
you want to just Branch out and do your own thing based off of
what you learned and working. Those other companies are like
how did that all come to be? Yeah that's a great question but
and it really is an accumulation of Life Experiences.
I'd say both professional and personal I would say I've always
had it in me, right? This does Our to run a business
to be an entrepreneur you know but I've spent most of my
professional career and executive roles I'd say as the
right hand to the entrepreneur and I loved it I was good at it
right guys? Like okay, maybe this is my path
is still within an entrepreneurial setting but you
know, I'm the right hand. I know how to help build a
scale. Someone else's vision and doing
that at scale and so, yeah, for I guess the additional context I
worked at the business called the wonderful company, so
healthy food and beverage that up.
Now it's about a six billion dollar business.
Business. So they own, Fiji Water and pom,
wonderful, and almonds, and pistachios, and citrus fruit
before. I was then president CEO at
Beachbody, and I've also run a supplement company called Irwin
Naturals that the softgel supplements and some CBD
products as well as I'm seeing all different angles, right?
A food, and beverage and supplements of wellness and
fitness, I love it all. Like that's just my life and I
just feel blessed and fortunate to pattern my professional
career in this space. It had been building up inside
though. Right this that it never fully
left like this Stitch to create to build and it came to a head
about four and a half years ago and I described as his head
meets heart moment where it's like from my head standpoint.
I was like, you know I've learned a lot from these really
successful entrepreneurs. I love this space.
I think there's a need and it business opportunity is in a
food based business that does it differently like with a real
deep commitment to the science and to evidence-based research
and I think this gut and Pat could be it.
So I felt like there was an opportunity to create something
different like a truly functional food food as medicine
type type business and brand, but the Heart part that which is
really what, you know, got me into this game.
It goes back to a personal story.
It's actually my inspiration is my sister Monica has her name
who was unbelievably colorful personality but she
unfortunately struggled with her health Essentially for her whole
adult life. So she struggled with her weight
so clinically obese, she had diabetes, she struggle with
blood pressure and she tragically passed away due to
complications with their health. And in a high-risk pregnancy,
and she passed away far too. Yo, far too young and it just as
you can imagine. It, it struck me to my core and
the fact that something like that could happen in this day
and age and how she deserved better.
She deserve better care of course, but even before For
that, you know she deserves a better Solutions, better food,
better nutrition better you know I stopped options to help give a
better control of her help as she tried, lots of things over
the years and I was like, you know that it just created this
fire. That would just started burning
it just and it just has grown and grown over time.
And to the point where I was talking, my wife, I said, you
know, I think I'm thinking about creating a business and
describing the nature of the business.
The foundation is science. And why I Decided to dispose you
know, as a new company as opposed to just in an executive
role and really my wife that connected the dots.
She's like, you know, that's Monica, speaking to you to make
this crazy leap at this later, stage in my life and career.
You know, I've got a few more grey hairs than your typical
entrepreneur, but she was so right, right.
It was literally bringing those that Legacy that inspiration to
fruition. And it got the sense of if not
me then who if not now, then when When and that's when I
decided that this was the pathway, this is what I was
meant to do. It is to create this business
that could hopefully change the game, right?
And Empower people with better options that fundamentally work
like proven in science that yes this works through the gut
microbiome. But you know what is as
important, if not even more important, that they're actually
Food Solutions that people would want to eat as opposed to making
something that is. Yeah, really good for you but it
just tastes Because I just know from experience.
Professional personal pet is not the way to get to impact,
because there's no such thing. As a Magic Bullet, everything
has to come through habit change.
Great consistent Behavior, kind of Step One Step better after
another day by day. And I think in order to do that
through food, it's got to be a joyful, right?
And so, that's a big part of the ethos of super good as well as
create. Yes, our product fundamentally
work, we actually have done a clinical study right to show.
Just how effective these, you know, products are for your gut
and overall health. But we really focus a lot on
creating products that taste great and that people would
frankly would consume even if they weren't incredibly healthy
for you. So, anyways, long story short,
that was the inspiration for why I decided to, to create to
create super go in and that's awesome.
And like, I can't imagine what it's like, losing a sibling, but
yeah, if that laws can act as a catalyst for you, to create an,
a legacy that empowers and helps Out of people, man.
That's that's, that's truly awesome.
Thank you very much, Robert. I appreciate that.
It really does come full circle when because I'm has actually
helped me process. Her loss by, you know, actually
being outspoken about my inspiration.
At used to be something that I just could not wouldn't talk
about. But being outspoken about it
actually has been therapeutic for me and it really does come
full circle. When I actually do hear from and
talk to customers that are using the product that we've helped
them, make a step change in their life, and some of whom,
Even, you know, give pay homage to Monica and her inspiration
and being part of the her light right?
That carries on and her Legacy. So that you could imagine how,
how that makes how that makes me feel when I am here, that know
for sure man. So like with it having such a,
you know, a personal connotation to it and you having, you know,
put your heart and soul into it. What do you think that the big
picture goal with the company is like Would you be able to sell
it off at some point? The future?
Do you want to just stick with it?
Like what, what do you personally want to do with it?
So the way I answer that question is my North Star and
what gets me going is impact and for me that impact is Health.
Like I look at, you know, I'm going to be telling you some big
bold statements here. I look at like the state of
Public Health First in this country, eventually abroad, and
we are sicker than ever, right? Despite all of the advances in
nutrition and Science and Technology and Medicine.
Would you look at the rising numbers of overweight, and
obese, and diabetes, and cholesterol blood pressure.
It's worse than ever, right? I mean, so it's not working
whatever we're doing is not working.
What if, you know, we could be a part of, you know, the solution
to help been that curve of, you know, Public Health that large
like to literally have a meaningful impact.
To do it through food, creating food, you know, nutrition.
That really works. That helps people get a better
control in it that they're dealing with something help
them, you know, get out of it or manage it.
But ideally, we can help people from a preventative.
Standpoint kind of stay far away from many of these, you know,
chronic, you know, metabolic diseases.
Like that's the aspiration. Like, let's actually impact this
public health broadly, you know, as and our business, obviously,
when I can do it alone but I I really Aspire for us to play an
important role in that another aspect of it and this is
important for me as a black founder.
When you look at all of those conditions, I talked about every
single one of them disproportionately impacts
communities of color and there's many, many different reasons.
And so something else that gets me going is if we can impact you
know, meaningfully implant Public Health broadly.
That means we can have a specific impact on closing.
Some of the health disparity gaps for communities of color
that are Partially Afflicted with obesity and diabetes and
some of these awful, chronic diseases.
That's the kind of stuff that gets me going.
And so, when you talk about the aspiration for the business,
those are the big bold visions that I have.
And if we do that, well, then the business outcomes will take
care of themselves. And whether that means we
eventually, you know, build this business up to really sizable
impact for business and sell it, you know, some point or whether
that we stand alone and create this broad called functional
food platform that stands alone. Forever.
I think that's, you know, would also be an awesome outcome.
No, I totally totally agreement and get behind that 1000%.
I feel like the as you said that the Public Health crisis, that
we now see ourselves in is totally abysmal, and we have to
definitely do something different than we've done for
the past 50 years because it's obviously not working sure.
The old advice of, you know, eat less, move more.
All right, it's like well intention, but completely
unhelpful, yeah, I mean, we've been saying that line.
Those lines are things along those lines.
Is for ever and and clearly there's true to them but it goes
deeper than that and we've got a really operating act in a way
that is, you know, I think more of service that's more useful,
more practical, you know. That's you know I can tell from
what you do like that's how you focus on giving people actual
tools to do something as opposed to just giving this high-level
advice. That isn't all that helpful
practical we try to, we try to do the same, right?
But through the content information as well as obviously
through our through our products.
Oh yeah, 100% man out of curiosity.
Why do you think that there is a disproportion disproportionate
amount of unhealth in communities of color?
Get me going here. There's there's, there's a lot
of, there are a lot of reasons here.
I will start with what I'll call Big food, quote unquote, right
in me. So when you think of big food,
fast food, processed food, highly processed food, the
system has been oriented to As for let's say, cheap calories
cheap, you know, so tasty, but cheap calories, and feeding of
people, and making it cheaper, but also stripping food of the
nutrients. What we actually need to feed
our bodies in a healthy way. And when you look at the
prevalence of a lot of the focus, we actually communities
of color are disproportionately, you know, the target of so much
of big food, highly ultra-processed fast food like
Like, we should go through communities which are largely
minority. Like, there's the prominence of
fast food, and super unhealthy food is so much higher, right?
And so, like having access to food on the other hand like
fresh produce fresh meat and veggies that is going to healthy
and nutritious and and so forth. That is completely under Index
right in many communities of color.
If you hear about these food deserts, right of limited access
to literally, just Your basic, you know, healthy nutrients that
you need to follow a healthier diet are huge, huge factors.
I also think that there's the Healthcare System, I think has a
disproportionate, you know, negative impact in N.
Equal access to to Healthcare in equal access to the same level
of service right through our Healthcare System as well.
So when things go bad you know we are in a relatively worse off
for soft case there's you know, hereditary, there's Lifestyle.
I will say, you know, there is, you know, institutional
long-standing racism. I'd say both some Evert and some
like, not overt, but just, you know, below the scenes that has
all contributed to this whole system of where a commute
kintyre communities, populations are resulted in a, in a rigged
eight, right? And something that's hard for
anybody but it's, you know, especially hard for many of
these communities of color with all these different factors and
so on. And I'm generally talking, the
result is not just a little bit. I'm talking to many cases, you
know, I'll take diabetes, for instance, you know, the
African-American Community. It's about 40 to 50 percent,
more likely, an individual to have diabetes than the general
population. Not too dissimilar for like
overweight and obese. I think it's more like the 30
plus percent index higher. Like, these are massive, massive
numbers that have been in place for years and years and in many
ways, Ways it seems intractable because it's been this case for
a long time. I guess, I don't ascribe to
intractable or impossible type problems.
I'm like, let's, you know, let's not just talk about it.
Let's see if we can do something about it.
So, do you think I haven't really dug deep into like, he's
major food conglomerates, like, like all these fast food chains.
Like, when they're looking to see where a new location would
do well, like, are they basing? That criteria off of the races
that are coming. They're like the, you know,
average income. They're like, what are their
primary metrics? Yeah, so first, I will have to
speak from an outsider versus someone who's been inside of
some of these companies. So I want to be careful to not
speculate too much. I can Envision what's happening
there, but I'm not speaking from call it firsthand, firsthand
data and knowledge. I have to imagine that they're
looking at numbers and metrics and where their restaurants
index, you know, higher amongst, certain populations and
therefore doubling down, tripling down in those.
Those are beheads in those facilities, you know, when
there's a void of healthy food, that leaves a void for Less
healthy food and it becomes a circuitous thing, right?
But less, I'll be through, you know, becomes more prevalent and
therefore does better write in those communities because
there's not as much healthy food and therefore, they double down
in those areas as well. I have to imagine that that is
sort of the, the process that's either explicit or like I said,
implicit just following the numbers in the trends in a
double down on. Where do we get?
Kind of the most bang for the buck and that just turns out
that a lot of that just personally happens in
communities of color again. This is my perception not having
sent you know in the seat at the in the boardrooms of some of
these colored big food fast, food companies just how I can
imagine the thought process so even if it's not intentional it
does result in a system which only contributes to the
continued, you know, Health disparities, or just fortunate,
Health outcomes. As in and largely black and
brown communities. It is strange mean.
I don't like, I go to a lot of these nutrition conferences,
like he do conferences. I speaking about you have them.
And, you know, like obviously in my mind, you know, the ketogenic
diets gonna be pretty applicable to you regardless of what race
background, you have. But I generally don't see near
as many black people as white people in these keto conference.
Now, there are some outliers like I went to 1 Q 2 conference.
This past year, it was predominantly black people,
which is awesome, you know, but it's like I don't Understand why
there's not just an even mix for a diet that would work equally.
Well amongst all people Robert you're onto a really important
Point here and it's absolutely true.
I fully suspected that would be your case in your experience
within the keto Focus crowd. I would say it's generally true
a broad across broader nutrition crowds as well.
So when I, you know, we have the Expo West Conference coming up
like Natural Foods, healthy foods, Etc.
I've been going to these conferences for many years be
going to other nutrition and supplement industry conferences
and yeah fake minority communities are underrepresented
in the more Progressive nutrition type conferences.
It's all part of this like systemic thing I can so it's not
just one thing that's driving it but when you look around at the
businesses and the brands, they tend to be you know they tend to
lack a lot of diversity themselves.
And many times the brands that they present themselves you
know. No, aren't necessarily
presenting as the most diverse brand, or at least, not
intentionally trying to be welcoming and inviting of people
of different races and cultures and creating products and
solutions that tend to appeal to minority cultures and so forth.
And so it's like a bit of a vicious cycle and so therefore,
you're not getting as many much interest in this space and, you
know, and it just continues, you know, on and on again.
Again this is something I want to break break the cycle for
because it's essentially backward.
Like, if there is any Community, I should be.
Over index like you know the keto conferences and the you
know Healthy nutrition conferences, it would be these
communities that have the disproportionate Health outcomes
but that's not the way it works. Is actually the opposite.
So it's something again that it that's why indicative of the
fact that this is a multi-faceted thing.
There's not just one answer to solve this but again I want to
Aspire to do our part, you know, in this broader race to get
everybody healthier. And then in particular, what can
we do to help? Help those who are, you know,
coming from communities that are more disproportionately impact
by by negative Health outcomes. How can we close some of those
gaps as well? Yeah agreement I think like a
lot of the issue to resides in, you know, like the just the
schools like the lot of the public private school systems
from like where you're teaching nutritionally, speaking with
their offering to the kids. Like that's just a broken system
in and of itself. Absolutely.
It starts, it starts a young man, it starts Young Land and
and that's planting seeds, you know?
So to speak that carry on. Right with kids, you know,
throughout their throughout their lives.
It's part of this broader cyclical nature of it.
So yeah, it's a big it's a big issue but if we're going to you
know, address some of these large Public Health outcomes,
it's got to be a part of it. I actually was fortunate to go
earlier this year to the White House Nutrition on hunger and
nutrition. It was a big conference where is
really talking about this fact that food is such an important
Element of Public Health. But we have to do more on how
its multi-pronged it was, as really interesting kind of
talking through and hearing some of the potential legislation
coming again. A lot of it starts in early
childhood and school and lunch meals as a part of it and then
want to talk about school, deserts, and sorry, not school
desert food deserts. And and how can we actually?
We talked about food as medicine but then we don't treat it as
such like when it comes to creating really healthy
nutritious meal. Like try getting that covered
and reimbursed by your insurance, right?
And so it was a lot of talk around how we can read continue
to reorient. You know, this whole concept is
food as medicine was fascinating inspiring, but also indicative
of we have a long, long ways to go.
So like tangibly speaking, like what are some, what are some
actionable things that, you know, companies like your
company, my company like what are some things that we can do
to move the needle forward? A couple things that that I
think, I think. Of them is I'll go back to the
science, right? And just a real commitment to
function, right? And so, when you're providing
input, counseling and products making sure that it's truly
foundational and functional, right?
And the way that I know that is going back to the Suns, like
ours, is there actual evidence? Is there have been research
conducted that show that this advice, this dietary pattern?
This food product is packaged for your product It's going to
deliver what we promise, what we claim that it's going to both if
it's built on existing research as well as, in our case, have
you actually done research on your solution right to prove
that it is able to do what it does?
Like, that's kind of one of the first and foremost things in my
mind is just going back to the evidence base.
So it's applying an approach that you know, borrowing from
The Playbook of big Pharma right which you know, really invest.
There's in these clinical studies.
That is actually a way to prove that things weren't as much as
you may or may not love a medically oriented pathway that
piece. I think we can take and apply
that to nutrition and to nutritional advice is just
making sure that they're fundamentally that these you
know Solutions, these products actually work for you.
I think that's one of the first thing, I think, one of the other
things and I talked about this in the ethos of how we try to do
things, I believe it is. On us as businesses as Brands to
be a service to the consumer rights versus the other way
around and how that shows up is like not just creating products
that have function, but that actually are accessible.
If they need to be convenient and frankly make them great
tasting as well. Alright, it's something that
people can incorporate into their lives because if you make
something that works but you make it hard or make it not
enjoyable or make it, you know. Just something that people have
to go way out of their way for historically, speaking on a
broad basis yet some people like have such strong willpower that
they can fight through and make that happen.
That is not the majority. The vast majority of consumers,
you need to make something that fits within their life, right?
And so, they don't necessarily have to go so far outside of
their comfort zone or or do something that they really,
really don't enjoy. So that they can make things
part of their habits. And I think it's on us as Brands
as, Providers to create solutions that can as much as
possible sort of fit into people's lifestyle so that they
actually can come back and repeat it, and make it a habit
out of it and something that can sustain over time.
So that's another area that I think is on us as business is to
really, really make sure that we're focusing on if we want to
at the end of the day, I have the kind of impact that, you
know, I talked about wanting to have on public health.
No, I totally can get behind all that, man.
I feel like having having the edge.
Evidence having the back to, you know the use case scenario
showcase the the desired outcome and then just simply adding more
value to the customer and then just educating them and like I
think I was gonna say yes that's a really good point.
I've left that one out Robert. I think the education is
actually really important. I mean, not everybody is so
inclined. As long as it works, check the
box works for me. Good, I'm good to go.
I don't need to know how a member of people.
And I think it's growing are actually inquiring consumers,
right? They No one understand.
It also helps build trust to be educated about why this matters
and how does this actually work? And I think that's the other
thing that we as service providers as brand as product
providers. It's kind of on us, right?
To help educate. We can't just leave it all to
their physician or frankly even like, you know, relying on
nutritious. Like the vast majority of people
wouldn't think of or couldn't afford a personal nutritionist,
what can we do to create? Occasionally content to raise
awareness of the people understand.
Why how to read a food label, right?
Why does this matter? How does this actually work?
And I think we raised that Collective awareness, like we do
a lot, obviously, in the subject of gut health.
And so a lot of Education about why this matters, why are we
talking about your gut and bowel movements and so forth?
Yeah, it's connected to all these things that you really
feel like how you feel your energy, your weight, their blood
sugar like you know having closed, you know, connect those
dots. Really helps that consumer and
frankly, like when we do that, well, you know, obviously helps
us as a brand as well, right? When people can look at us as a
trusted source of information, you know, a thought leader.
And obviously, somebody has got a products that can actually
help fill some of those gaps that we are educating about.
Yeah. I think from a business
standpoint like the business only I mean it's only going to
gain and benefit from furthering my education.
Like for me, you know, I started the podcast, I started all the
brand building the content. Creation, all that stuff came
along before the product. The product came out of a desire
from my audience for something that fits that need.
So I think doing it that way, as opposed to creating a product
and then trying to like mislead and Market them just makes a lot
more sense. It really does.
That's a really authentic and organic way to create something
because, you know what? You're you have, you have an
installed problem, right? That you're solving when you go
about it, the way that you have, right?
You know, it's not just a hammer going to look for an It right
off of some fad or Trend or, you know, marketing plan.
But, you know, that there's a real need amongst a meaningful
population, which I think is, is really, really valuable.
So, I think that would kudos to you. 100% man, kind of percent.
Well, Mark, I love it. I love it.
You doing fighting the good fight for sure, where people go
to find out more about you, diving New World, learn more
about super gut and just dive deeper.
Absolutely, the best place is our website super gut.com.
Obviously you can check out our products.
You have shakes and bars. We have our Prebiotic mix that
you Just add to anything. If you want the versatility, you
can also go like on the subject of Education.
We have a, we really do focus a lot on this.
Like if you're interested in learning more about gut health
and what's a Prebiotic, right versus a probiotic, and how does
this connect to the different things that you're feeling in
your life? We have a lot of information on
our site as well, and our blog, and our newsletters that we have
another place to learn more is on our socials, right?
So we're really, really active and it's at Super gut largely
Instagram and Tick Tock where we're out there.
Creating what I call edutainment type content right stuff that
really does have some some meaning behind it and some
educational stuff but at the same time we want to keep it
keep it fun you know keep it entertaining and engaging as
well. So check us out on our social
media feed and on our website, super got.com, awesome.
And well I was certainly link ants all those make it easier
for people to find you and there's ever anything I do for
you man. By all means just hit me up.
Let me know brother I appreciate it.
Robert I've really enjoyed the conversation man.
I think we got a really similar. Vibe and belief systems.
So thanks so much for having me on.
You've been taking morning. All right, buddy.
Take care.