Boundless Life

Over the past 20 years, my guest on today's show, Dr. Peter Martone, has been trying to recommend pillows for his patients that would put their head in the correct position so that they could get a great night's sleep and wake up rested. He could not find one, and he would have patients purchase soft down pillows and stuff them under their necks. He found that a conventional pillow would loose its shape and end up on the floor. The problem is that a pillow is for your head and you can not support your head to get a great night sleep.

But one day he was watching the movie “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” in 2000 and the two actors came out of the room after “cuddling” all night. The camera gave a quick glimpse of the room they came out of. It showed what the two actors slept on, and to his amazement it was just a thin pad for their body and a block of wood in lieu of a pillow for their head. 

In that lightbulb moment, Dr. Martone invented the exact sleeping tool we discuss on today's podcast. He's one of the smartest guys I've ever talked to when it comes to sleep, so prepare to optimize your rest and recovery biomechanics like never before!

During our discussion, you'll discover: -How Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon inspired Dr. Martone's invention...

• One of the props was a piece of wood, not as a pillow, but for their neck
• Peter had shoulder issues, couldn't identify the cause
• While camping, he used a shoe under his neck for sleeping; woke up well rested
• Used a shoe, and other odd objects for sleeping; shoulder and other health issues were resolved

-Surprising problems caused by sleeping on one's side...

• 90% of Peter's patients have some type of damage to their cervical curve in the neck
• We lose the curve doing day to day activities, and there's nothing to repair it at night
• 98% of patients who lose the curve in their neck develop an unnatural curve in their lower back
• This eventually leads to scoliosis in the lower back
• The vermis portion of the brain: main function is to control the body's proprioception
  • 80% of proprioception into the brain comes from the spinal cord
  • The vermis atrophies due to loss of proprioception
  • It affects the pre-frontal cortex (executive functioning)
• Decreasing the curve in the spine severely limits glymphatic drainage
• Why we toss and turn at night:
  • Pain centers and nerve centers are very close together
  • When you fall asleep on your side, you can only stay in that position for a short period of time
  • Body should be in a "neutral sleeping position"
  • Alcohol inhibits pain sensors. You stay in the same position longer, and wake up in pain
• OURA ring
• If you didn't get all that, get this: Loss of the cervical curve = degeneration of the spine. It also causes the vermis to atrophy, which negatively affects the pre-frontal cortex. Side sleeping causes pain and discomfort, which in turn affects the quality of our sleep.
• The advantages of sleeping on the back versus the side or stomach...
  • Use a pillow for the neck rather than the head
  • Restore the cervical curve and decrease lumbar tension

-How to train yourself to sleep on your back...

• Just start on your back
• 1-2 hours per night will be enough to help restore the cervical curve in your neck
• Sleep wedge pillow: 5-10 degree angle, should go to the base of your spine
• Gravity beds on Amazon
• The podcast that discusses Gravity beds
• The body will eventually be able to go through the night on your back
• Total 2-3 month transition
• 650 down pillow
• Sleeping on your back, you distribute your body weight over the greatest amount of space

-The little-known hack called "Remembering" that may help with sleep problems...

• Peter struggled to sleep due to numerous things he was thinking about
• Needed to be "in control" of something
• Visualized people sitting in a specific seat after giving a talk; he went right to sleep
• Focus on something, but don't think about it
• You can't think yourself to sleep; you have to remember yourself to sleep
• Dreams are how the mind categorizes the day's events
• The further back in time you can remember, the more efficacious this technique will be

-Ways to control your core temperature while sleeping...

• Allostatic load:
  • Hierarchy of needs in bodily functions (heart pumping vs. growing fingernails)
  • Your body cares more about your core temperature than even the immune system
  • We get sick because there's a finite amount of energy our body can distribute
• Maintaining the body's core temperature maintains the allostatic load in our entire body
• Keep your core as warm as possible; keep hands, feet and head exposed
• People like to sleep on their side so they can curl up, feel protected
  • Use a weighted blanket for a similar effect
• "Head garage" Place a pillow over your head, just above the nose

-More little-known sleep hacks...

• First 2 hours of the day are the most productive and alert
• The story of Edison's balls...
• Write things down, then go to sleep. You won't remember when you wake up
• The Pilot's Pen
• Think about "thinking about nothing"
• CBD Oil

-And Much More... Resources from this episode:

-Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon movie

-The Neck Nest: use code GREENFIELD to get $20 off plus a FREE custom pillow case and Dr. Sleep Right's "30 Day Sleep Quest" program 

-My Facebook Live with Peter Martone: How & Why To Sleep On Your Back 

-Gravity beds on Amazon

-Sleep wedge pillow

-650 down pillow

-DREEM headband for monitoring sleep 

-Weighted blanket

-Pilot's Pen (lit pen for nighttime writing)

-Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.

-GetPocket app

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Organifi Gold: A new take on an ancient secret: Pain-soothing herbs, incredible antioxidants, and phytonutrients all in one delicious, soothing “Golden Milk” nighttime tea! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20.

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-Pso Rite:Built for getting to the really important Psoas muscle but awesome everywhere else in your body and really easy to use and control the pressure yourself. Receive a 10% discount when you use discount code: BEN10

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Peter or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the recent A4M conference in Vegas, I ran into intriguing research from Dr. Barrie Tan, a scientist with a Ph.D in Chemistry and Biochemistry. For the last 35 years, Barrie has immersed himself in the world of Vitamin E (particularly from annatto) and is considered one of the world’s foremost experts credited with discovering a molecule called "tocotrienol" from three major natural sources:

-Palm: from his native Malaysia... -Rice: at the invitation of the Prince of Thailand... -Annatto: chance finding while in Ecuador searching for lutein...

It turned out that palm and rice lacked the potency as they contain too much tocopherol, so Barrie moved his research interest away briefly from tocotrienol, when by serendipity he found the best-in-class tocotrienol in the annatto plant from the Amazon. Since then, Barrie’s relationship with annatto has spanned 20 years.

Barrie has worked with the US Armed Forces on using tocotrienol on “radiation countermeasures” and pioneered the science behind the annatto working with the leading scientists in the world to prove the multiple benefits of tocotrienol. Meanwhile, everyone (lay folk and nutritionist) is languishing with the lack-luster non-performing tocopherol, which Barrie calls the“wrong way to E.” Most tocopherol trials failed and did not deliver.

But in multiple clinical trials spanning chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteopenia, and inflammation, tocotrienol from annatto has proven clinical benefits. Barrie is currently working on multiple cancer trials after preliminary success with end-stage patients.

This is because not all forms of Vitamin E are created equal...

...Vitamin E is not a single nutrient, but rather a complex made up of 8 distinct compounds: 4 tocopherols and 4 tocotrienols. These components have slightly different chemical structures, and these differences impart unique properties that influence their biochemical functions and their effects in the body.

Most conventional supplements are typically rich in tocopherols—alpha-tocopherol, in particular—but the tocotrienol fractions have unique effects across a variety of tissues that make them desirable to supplement on their own, without tocopherols. Tocotrienols, especially delta-tocotrienol as sourced from the annatto plant (bixa orellana), have shown impressive effects in supporting overall health.

Tocotrienols are associated with significantly positive effects on cardiovascular health, particularly with regard to influencing healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They may also be beneficial for a healthy inflammatory response, an important asset since chronic inflammation is a factor in damage to the cardiovascular system.

Having a positive influence on lipids (fats in the blood), tocotrienols may be beneficial for those with a buildup of fat in the liver, as well as those who need help managing blood sugar and insulin levels. Clinical research also suggests tocotrienols may be a valuable addition to the supplement regimens of those who need nutritional support for strong, healthy bones. Here is a recent remark of Jonathan Lizotte, Designs for Health Founder and Board Chairman:

“The health benefits realized by annatto tocotrienol go beyond that of any other nutrient I know. It’s the one supplement I would want with me if I were stranded on a desert island! This is a change for me as after 35 years in this industry, my top desert island supplements have switched between magnesium and fish oil and now it stands firmly as annatto tocotrienol alone. A minimum of 150 mg per day is a must for every adult alive.”

Apart from tocotrienol, Barrie discovered and has extracted the first-in-class geranylgeraniol (GG), also from the annatto plant. GG has benefits as 1) testosterone and progesterone booster; 2) pain alleviation and; 3) sarcopenia, myopathy and muscle building from this endogenous nutrient. GG is the last common step between plant and mammal (has huge implications), and may possibly be the last frontier in anti-aging nutrients.

Here are Dr. Tan’s two anti-aging bottom-line nutrients: tocotrienol (exogenous) will work from outside-in, and geranylgeraniol (endogenous) will work from inside-out.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -How Dr. Tan discovered Annatto and became interested in Vitamin E...9:05

• Began while an assistant prof at U of Mass in Amherst
• Palm oil in his native Malaysia is orange; is bleached out when it's processed
• Received grant from Malaysian government to research
• Research process on palm oil:
  • Remove all fats and oil
  • Remove all kerosene colors (orange)
  • 25% of what was left was alpha-tocopherol, the most common variant of Vitamin E
  • Remainder was tocotrienol
• Led to research on different forms of lung cancer (stopped soon after)
• Prince of Thailand hired him to research
  • Buddhists don't like anything mitochondrial related
  • Wanted plant-derived, not animal-derived research
  • Most beneficial results came from rice bran oil (contained tocotrienol)
  • Research funding slowed due to a slow economy in 1987
• Needed a break in 1998 from studying tocotrienol; this led to studying treating macular degeneration
• Vitamin E is made up 8 different compounds
  • 4 of them are tocopherols; 4 are tocotrienols
  • The most common are tocopherols, particularly alpha-tocopherols
  • Tocotrienols are less common, and is the locus of Dr. Tan's research
  • Research on the efficacy of Vitamin E as it pertains to exercise was primarily done on tocopherols
• Vitamin E was discovered in 1922 at Berkeley
  • Was extracted from spinach
  • Assisted in bringing fetus to full-term
• Alpha-tocopherol is the "currency" of Vitamin E; all other strains (delta, gamma tocopherol) is converted into alpha during processing
  • Even "all-natural" alpha-tocopherol is partly synthetic
• How to undo the damage from an alpha-tocopherol heavy supplement:
  • Best thing is to stop taking alpha-tocopherol supplement
  • Ideal intake of alpha-tocopherol is 15 mg per day, derived from natural foods
• If you didn't get all that, get this... A Vitamin E supplement is not derived from what we would find in nature. It is only a few strands of tocopherol, mostly alpha-tocopherol. The original use of alpha-tocopherol has long outlived its purpose. Dr. Tan advocates for the other strands, particularly tocotrienols for humans to derive the full benefits of Vitamin E.

-The major differences between alpha-tocopherols and tocotrienols...30:55

• Tri = 3; E = double bond
• Tocopherol has a head with an OH group; tail is saturated
• Tocotrienol tail has 3 double bonds, so it is unsaturated; head is smaller than tocopherol
• Lipid antioxidants is the low-hanging fruit for our body to be oxidized
• Astaxanthin is a powerful singlet antioxidant (efficacious in an environment that is oxygen-deficient)
• >90% of antioxidants in the phospholipid cells are Vitamin E molecules
  • Remaining ~10% are hydro carbon caratonoids
  • Beta carotene and and lycopene contain nothing else than hydrogen and carbon
• 1995 study by Dr. Lester Packer of UC Berkeley:
  • Used electron-resonance spectroscopy to compare alpha-tocopherol and tocotrienol
  • Concluded that both capture free radicals, to protect the lipid from oxidation
  • However, tocotrienol is 50 times more effective in protecting the cell
  • Comparison: Tocopherol is like municipal police within a small jurisdiction; tocotrienol is like a state trooper with far larger jurisdiction
• Tocotrienol recruits to cancer cells 10X more than tocopherol
• Critics say that only alpha-tocopherol is found in the blood; therefore all advocacy for tocotrienol is moot
  • Only alpha-tocopherol has a "transport protein", which chaperones a particular molecule to a site of action
  • The transport protein ensures the conservation of alpha-tocopherol (which is why supplementation is bad news)

-Dr. Tan's discovery of the amazing Annatto plant while living in South America...43:20

• Went to find lutein and zeaxanthin
• Discovered the Annatto while searching for marigold flowers in Brazil
  • It was nicknamed the "lipstick plant" due to its intense red color on the inside
  • South Americans called it "achuite"; is used as a food coloring
• Dr. Tan recognized the Annatto to be a caratenoid:
  • Carotene in nature has to be protected by something due to its instability (plants changing color in the spring)
  • Because the Annatto did not change color, he realized it was a potentially powerful antioxidant
  • Biggest surprise of his research:
    • Did not contain polyphenols, nor any type of tocopherol.
    • It contained primarily delta-tocotrienol, which had been shown to be the most potent form of Vitamin E.
  • The plant is naturally free of any type of tocopherol

-How the Annatto plant is used to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)...52:30

• NAFLD is the new name for "metabolic syndrome"
• 20% of youth, and 40% of adults in America are obese
• 3 of 5 risk markers:
  • Elevated triglycerides
  • Reduced HDL
  • Increased weight circumference
• 80-100 million Americans have NAFLD in some form
• The liver is very intolerant of fat
• Symptoms resemble those of alcoholics, hence the name "non-alcoholic"
• Notable data from Dr. Tan's study:
  • Gave people 600 mg of tocotrienol Vitamin E; 300 mg twice daily
  • 70 patients; double blind; placebo controlled
  • Did at the beginning, 3 months after, 6 months after
  • 3 months: lost average 10 pounds
  • 6 months: lost average 17 pounds
  • Waist circumference dropped 3 cm
• Use caution when purchasing products using the words "liver support" in its packaging

-The other compound Dr. Tan found in the Annatto plant in addition to tocotrienols...1:03:10

• GG: geraniol geranial
• It's an endogenous nutrient, naturally produced by the human body
• Helps with the synthesis of testosterone
  • Older folks take it, not for the sex drive, but to have zest for life
• Required for the synthesis of caratenoid
• GG is a prerequisite for the synthesis of CoQ10
• GG is currently in development; not currently on the market
• Its use as a pain management tool is complimentary, but not similar to, CBD

-And much more! Resources from this episode:

-Designs For Health Annatto-E

-Book: Tocotrienols: Vitamin E Beyond Tocopherols

-Book (edition 2): Tocotrienols: Vitamin E Beyond Tocopherols, Second Edition

-Article: Annatto: Delivering tocotrienols from Amazonia

-Article: Vitamin E: A closer look at tocotrienols

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Trusii: Contains a host of anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-allergy benefits. For this reason, I have decided to now make consumption of hydrogen-rich water an important part of my daily nutritional routine...and I highly recommend it! Save 30% off your order when you use discount code: BEN

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Barrie or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's podcast, I am joined by my friends Kyle Thiermann, Chris Ryan and Mark Healey for witty banter, philosophizing, and intellectually stimulating conversation straight from the island of Hawaii, where we - along with several others mentioned in this podcast episode, such as Dr. Peter Attia, Kyle Kingsbury and Hawaii hunting guide Justin Lee - took a break from hunting, hiking, spearfishing and dressing meat to gather round the podcasting mics.

In this conversation, you'll hear... -Recap of the trip...6:47

• Chris was a last minute substitute
• Primal surroundings: goat head in the back of the pickup
• They were all dropped off by helicopter on various spots on the Big Island
• Ben engaged in spearfishing; caught Hawaiian lobster, opi'i fish
• Impossible to replicate their meals in a restaurant

-Ben is asked about consuming energy bars while facing dehydration...12:17

• If you're in an extreme dehydration situation, you're probably starving to death, so don't throw them out
• They could potentially be used as a water filter because they're so thick
• Coffee and beer don't actually dehydrate you
• Energy bars have moisture in them
• Depends on salt content, moisture level, etc.

-How ranchers on the island of Kaho'olawe used goats to prevent sharks from attacking their herd...14:05

• Sharks would attack as they were loaded onto ships for transport
• Ranchers pushed a herd of goats tied to each other off a cliff
• The cattle was transported while the sharks feasted on the goats

-Discussion about the sustainability of humans hunting their own meat in the modern world...15:30

• Hunting is necessary in Hawai'i for sustainability of the land
• It's not cheaper when you factor in ammo, time spent hunting, obtaining permits, etc.
• Large amounts of money from hunting is invested into environmental sustainability
• Eradication vs. management
• Killing an animal is a deeply personal experience
  • Everyone who eats meat should hunt at least once
• We are what we eat: cruelty, apathy, torture, etc.

-How do our thoughts shape our health?...

• Book: The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
• Book: Mind to Matter by Dr. Dawson Church
• Epigenetics: Behavior of parents/ancestors affects their children's behavior and instincts
• Do humans have instincts?
  • Going for the nipple
  • Fear of snakes
  • "Comparing notes" after a hunt separated humans from other animals
  • Coordinated hunting

-Our understanding of human history as it pertains to resilience toward stress...

• Research suggests we become more sensitive to stress rather than more resilient
• Chronic stressors (business responsibilities) our ancestors didn't deal with
• Experiencing stress without realizing it, or thinking you're relaxed
  • Practice makes automatic
• Difference between stress and excitement
• Alpha vs. beta brain waves
  • Alpha: what you experience in "the flow"; familiar, happy, focused
  • Beta: Higher level of excitement; less predictability
• Parasympathetic vs. sympathetic nervous system
  • Sympathetic: fight and flight nervous system
  • Parasympathetic: rest and digestive nervous system
  • Vagus nerve feeds into the sinoatrial node of the heart
• You want high heart rate variability (HRV)
  • Vagus nerve is operating the parasympathetic system properly
• Meditating, chanting, cold water assist with maintaining high HRV

-How stress affects rigor mortis (in hunted game) and cramping

• Deer reach rigor mortis in 20 minutes when corralled (stressed) and over an hour when killed in the wild
• You cramp in stressful situations while exercising due to calcium release
• Sour, spicy taste overrides neuronal reflex
• Golgi tendon organ limits the contraction, but is overridden by neuronal reflex
  • Other animals don't have this, and put far more stress on their muscles
  • When mom lifts a car to save the baby, the brain, because of extreme stress, overrides the golgi tendon organ
  • Brain over brawn: why humans have the golgi tendon organ and other animals don't

-The evolving understanding of convenience vs. an appreciation of our history...

• Infant formula: no colostrum, fatty acid,
• Breast milk is a fatty, highly addictive food; you'd be obese if you drank it all your life
• The microbiome is a gift to the environmental movement
  • Your surroundings impact your gut health

-Is bottled water really cleaner and safer than tap water?...

• FDA treats bottled water as a food product; tap water is treated as water, so it's tested far more often
• Chlorine, fluoride is in the tap water
• Bottled water comes from a filtered source

-Why Hawai'i is so freaking amazing...

• Hawai'i had cattle ranchers before California
• Beach as well as mountain culture
• Cultural holocaust: Christian missionaries
• Hawaiian language stayed alive in the cattle ranchers:
  • It was more functional
  • Perhaps reflective of the number of colors, sights and scents in Hawai'i
  • Akin to why podcasts are popular: you can break down concepts you can't on CNN

-How Mark Healy narrowly escaped death while surfing in Fiji...

• Grew up on North Shore of Oahu; got noticed by important surfer dudes
• Ended up going to Fiji for his first professional trip at age 14; had visualized Fiji for years
• Was in one of the most iconic surfing photos in history

-Is Nature really the violent, nasty, brutish force we're led to believe it is?...

• Hobbes: Everything eats life
• Things that appear to be important are not in evolutionary terms
  • Human chin - where two bones come together
• An arrow is a much better way to die than dying in nature
• We speak of death as though it's not going to happen
  • Non-Western cultures celebrate death
  • Perhaps explains animosity surrounding hunting

-Differing perspectives on how we relate our life experiences to others...

• Narrative: knowing which dots to connect, and what to leave out
• Being present and in the moment vs. on auto-pilot
• Writing the story before it happens
• Specificity is key. Too much information is overwhelming, prevents people from taking action (for example, charity donations)

-The role of fire and water in the history of human evolution...

• Source of food, amusement, protection, comfort
• Movement of fire is reflected in the nature of human consciousness
• They can alter landscapes, be very destructive
• Large swaths of the Amazon have been cleared by fire
• Podcasts around a fire never work well
• Water is the greatest source of "awe" that we know of

-Perceived scarcity vs. real scarcity...

• People with nothing live as though they have everything. People with everything live as though there's not enough
• Perspective, born of experience, helps to understand the disparity between real and perceived scarcity
• We spend money to isolate ourselves from others as soon as we get it
• Inconvenience puts you in touch with other people (hitch-hiking, taking the bus)

-Mark describes his business, Healy Water Ops...

• Many of the clients are very wealthy and successful in business and life
• They know a red herring when they see or hear it
• They enjoy having Mark run the show, tell them what to do; it allows them to relax for a bit

-Running a business, unschooling, and why we need to restore boredom in our culture...

• Treat your business like a big dog; assert dominance
• We don't have boredom anymore with social media, smartphones, etc.
• Silence often precedes a maturation in a relationship
• Learn how to hunt without a guide; self-taught
• Allow kids to work out conflict on their own
• Preventive medicine

-And much more. Resources From this Episode:

-Book: The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton

-Book: Mind to Matter by Dr. Dawson Church

-Kion Energy Bars

-Kion Coffee

-Podcast: 32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve, Fine-Tune Your Nervous System & Self-Hack Your Hormones

-Article: The History of Hawaiian Cowboys

-About the Hawaiian Language

-Book: Ni'ihau: The Last Hawaiian Island

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Organifi Gold: A new take on an ancient secret: Pain-soothing herbs, incredible antioxidants, and phytonutrients all in one delicious, soothing “Golden Milk” nighttime tea! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20.

-Pura Thrive: Combines pure ingredients in targeted dosages through a superior delivery mechanism that is unrivaled by any other supplement on the market today. Get 15% off a bottle of the Keto Balance when you order using my link.

-Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order PLUS free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code: BENG.  

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for this podcast episode? Leave your comments below and I'll reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to your hormone balance, your sleep, your mood, your gut function, your physical performance, your cognitive power and nearly every other body and brain variable you want to optimize, nothing beats addressing the health of your vagus nerve.

Outer order contributes to inner calm.

And for most of us, a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution doesn't work.

The fact is, when we tailor our approach to suit our own particular challenges and habits, we're then able to create the order that will make our lives happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.

My guest on today's show - Gretchen Rubin - has found that getting control of our stuff makes us feel more in control of our lives.

By getting rid of things we don't use, don't need, or don't love, we free our minds (and our shelves) for what we truly value. With a sense of fun, and a clear idea of what's realistic for most people, Gretchen suggests dozens of manageable steps for creating a more serene, orderly environment—one that helps us to create the lives we want.

Gretchen is the author of several books, including the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers: Better Than Before: A Day by Day Journal The Happiness Project Happier at Home

And most recently: Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness.

She has an enormous readership, both in print and online, and her books have sold more than three million copies worldwide, in more than thirty languages.

She makes frequent TV appearances and is in much demand as a speaker. On her weekly podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, she discusses good habits and happiness with her sister Elizabeth Craft. Rubin started her career in law and was clerking for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor when she realized she wanted to be a writer. She lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -What inspired Gretchen to write her book...7:40

• Began with The Happiness Project (link)
• Disproportinate connection between outer order and inner calm (clutter blind)
• Getting control of our "stuff" makes us feel in control of our lives
• Empowers you to tackle the big projects we might otherwise avoid

-If there has been scientific research to substantiate Gretchen's findings...9:00

• Yes, but there's a problem:
  • People want to know what's "best" way to clear clutter, when to do certain tasks
  • People are different; they have strengths where others have weaknesses
  • Some people thrive in a little bit of clutter
  • No one size fits all approach

-The criteria one can use to decide what goes and what stays...11:15

• "Don't get organized"; Start by getting rid of things
• Marie Kondo's guidance (does this spark joy?) is slightly lofty in its aspirations
• Three questions to ask:
  • Do I need this?
  • Do I love this?
  • Do I (or will I) use this?
• Be realistic about what "someday" means in the context of if and when you'll use something
• Ask yourself, "Have I thought about getting rid of this more than 3 times?"
• We often overestimate what we can do in a short time, and underestimate what we can do in a longer period of time

-Whether decluttering is the same as minimalism...18:20

• Minimalism as we know it is a bit extreme in Gretchen's view
• There are simplicity lovers and abundance lovers
• It all goes back to there's no one size fits all approach

-How to mentally "let go" of things...20:25

• The "fantasy self"
• Be honest with yourself: will you really use that thing?
• It frees up mental guilt, as well as space for other goals and desires
• Nostalgia, past self
• The best way to clear clutter is to not buy stuff in the first place
• Have a box of clutter, put a date on it, then throw it away after one year without looking inside it
• Imagine someone else enjoying the stuff
• Give away or recycle when possible
• "You created the donation to the landfill when you bought it"
• "Store it at the store"

-Best practices in shopping online and offline to avoid unnecessary clutter...30:07

• There are under buyers and over buyers
• Always shop as a guest; helps cut down on impulse buying
• Unsubscribe to all promotional newsletters
• Don't subscribe in the first place
• Force yourself to hold things in your arms whenever possible
• Break the impulse by intentionally making things inconvenient
• Don't touch, don't taste
• Book: Why We Buy
• Set limits and check with a partner (spouses) before purchasing
• Make lists

-What a "clutter magnet" is, and why it's important...39:25

• Identify the spot where clutter tends to accumulate; make a point to keep it clean every day
• It's easier to maintain once you take it back to "clear"
• It will spark joy

-How to train children to declutter their personal spaces...43:15

• Don't think of yourself as the potter who's molding the clay
• Help them to be honest about what they need, or use
• Everything sparks joy for children

-Whether or not it's important to make your bed every morning...48:00

• Establishing a bit of order in the environment is a morale boost
• Your bed is much closer to you than a chair; you may feel in better order
• Christian Gratitude Journal

-Whether or not it's wise to find others to do your decluttering for you...53:25

• Difficult due to the personal nature of your own stuff
• Maybe to help stay on task, help with the heavy lifting
• If you have to ask if it looks good, it probably doesn't

-And much more! Resources from this episode:

-Book: "Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness" by Gretchen Rubin

-Book: Why We Buy

-Book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo 

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion:  My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount “bgf10”. https://getkion.com 

-JOOVV: After using the Joovv for close to 2 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. Order using my link and receive nice bonus gift with your order! joovv.com/ben

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Gretchen or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I recently posted the following to my newsletter weekly roundup:

"I only did two workouts this week and was sore as hell. You can view both my workouts in .pdf format by clicking here for Workout 1 and clicking here for Workout 2. The workouts were supplied to me by the wicked smart guys over at Neu.fit and I performed them while wearing the NEUBIE, which is NeuFit’s patent-pending electro-stimulation device.

NEUBIE is an acronym for “NEURO-BIO-ELECTRIC STIMULATOR.” The NEUBIE can find neurological deficits in the human body with incredible precision, and has two main benefits – 1) it provides direct current (DC), and 2) it matches the signals the nervous system already sends naturally on its own. Using DC is important because it has numerous, positive biological effects. DC fields accelerate the body’s own physiological processes of healing, repair, and regeneration.

Although this has been known for a long time, most devices out there are alternating current (AC). These devices are cheaper and easier to engineer, and most people don’t know the difference. Unfortunately, they don’t have anywhere near the effect at the cellular level. The NEUBIE is admittedly expensive but incredible for rehab or for training. It now holds a hallowed place in my gym. You can contact NEUFit here and mention my name for $1000 off your purchase, or you can travel to Austin, Texas to have these guys work on injuries or re-train your muscles in their gym. Ask for Chaz or Garrett if you call these folks."

Here are a few video demos of me using this very unique electrical muscle stimulation device:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ3rlCw5o50

https://www.facebook.com/BGFitness/videos/im-here-with-the-folks-at-neufit-neufitben-trying-out-this-high-intensity-leg-wo/10157149029659179/

Known as "The Health Engineer," my guest on today's show Garrett Salpeter has taken his training in Engineering and Neuroscience and used it to create NeuFit. By combining next-generation technology with protocols from physical therapy and functional neurology, NeuFit helps people tap into the power of their neurology.

For most people, that leads to improved function and a quicker recovery from an injury/surgery or reaching fitness goals faster than they ever thought possible. For a few, this work has even meant being able to get out of a wheelchair and walk again.

Now practitioners all over the country are adding the technology into their medical, physical therapy, and fitness practices, and Garrett is passionate about teaching NeuFit to them so that this work can impact as many lives as possible.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -What exactly is a "NEUBIE" and some history behind Garrett's business...7:50

• A NEUBIE is a Neuro Bioelectric stimulator
• NEU Fit speaks to Garrett's conviction that if we upgrade our nervous systems, it has many positive consequences in our lives
• Why NHL. Player Duncan Keith Calls Himself a Biohacker

-How the NEUBIE is different from other EMS devices...11:15

• Direct current rather than alternating current
  • Better for regeneration and healing in the body
• The Body Electric by Dr. Robert Becker
•  Focused on sensory (afferent) rather than muscle contraction (efferent)
• "Russian Current" is a particular wave form based on tests conducted in the 1980's, in Russia
• Less motor output, more sensory input
• Neuro muscular reeducation
• Being able to move through the contraction expedites the healing process

-Ben and Garrett's thoughts on suppressing Heart Rate Variability (HRV) during the stimulation, and the resultant high HRV after...24:00

• You want to stress the body, then let it recover and super compensate
• SAID Principle: Specific Adaptation to an Imposed Demand
• You need real time feedback
• Suppressed HRV during most intense workout is ideal
• Auto regulating training based on the nervous system

-A scanning procedure that allows you to figure out which muscles need the most work...28:40 -What a typical rehab program looks like, and what to expect in terms of sessions and results...32:08

• Address the dysfunction, not the symptom
• Active treatments; not lying down
• Reincorporating the movement patterns
• Creating other feedback to the brain; reduces threat response
  • Go higher on the current, sometimes in the same session

-How to use the NEUBIE for a full body workout...35:00

• You gain more recruitment with less external load and less strain on the joints
• Allows to train without pain, makes exercise safer
• Simple bodyweight movements: bands, joint movements
• Progress to heavier weights, kettle bells

-Why you're so sore after using the NEUBIE; if and when you should use it while you're sore...38:08

• Most often used by professionals, under professional supervision
• Body builders are pleased with the results after just a few sets vs. a long workout in the gym
• Not required to be sore to build strength
• Stimulate yourself into a depressed state; when recovered, do it again
• Typical schedule: 2x/week, sometimes multiple daily in extreme cases

-How the device can be used for neurological issues...43:30

• Book: The Wahl's Protocol
• MS patient experienced very positive results after 2 days working with Garrett
  • Had enough muscle control to lift legs, tie shoes
  • Took several steps holding her husband's hand
• TBI and concussions:
  • Woman with TBI, making slow progress for 7 years; made remarkable progress with the neubie

-How easy is it for a lay person to obtain and use the neubie...50:15

• Recommended to work with a trained professional, preferably in a clinic
• Find a directory of therapists who use the NEUBIE at neu.fit
• Not often covered by insurance
• You can own one with doctor's approval (FDA covered device)
• Packages designed for clinics as well as for individuals

-And much more

Resources from this episode:

-The NEUBIE (you can contact NEUFit here and mention my name for $1000 off your purchase)

-Why NHL Player Duncan Keith Calls Himself a Biohacker

-The Body Electric by Dr. Robert Becker

-Oura ring

-NatureBeat HRV app

-Viiiva HR Monitor

-The Wahl's Protocol book

-My podcast with Terry Wahls

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion:  My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount “bgf10”. https://getkion.com 

-Organifi Green Juice: Now you can get all your healthy superfoods in one glass...with No Shopping, No Blending, No Juicing, and No Cleanup. Use discount code “beng20” at checkout and get a 20% discount on your entire order! organifi.com/ben

-Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order when you use discount code “BenG” PLUS free shipping on any order over $99.  

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Garrett or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Dr. Joseph Mercola, my friend, multiple-time podcast guest, a guy who thinks way outside-the-box and seems to always be discovering some new cutting-edge way to enhance human health and longevity, and one of the world's foremost authorities on alternative health has just written a guide to using the principles of ketogenic eating, meal planning, and timing to treat disease, promote weight loss, and optimize health.

The new book is called "KetoFast: Rejuvenate Your Health with a Step-by-Step Guide to Timing Your Ketogenic Meals". In the book, he explores the profound health benefits that result when ketogenic living and well-planned fasting are combined. Topics include:

-How our food is making us sick and what we can do about it...

-The physiology and mechanisms of fasting, including stem cell activation...

-How the cyclical ketogenic diet--with fasting included--differs from the conventional keto diet...

-How fasting works and how safe it is for you...

-How regular one-day fasts support fat burning and detoxification while minimizing hunger and side effects...

-How to monitor your progress with lab tests...

-And much more...

During our discussion, you'll discover: -The fascinating history of fasting among different religions and cultures...8:25

• Dr. Mercola's book was originally written to learn to optimize multiple day water fasting
• Most religions integrate fasting into their practice (speaks to its efficacy throughout history)
• It's one of the best ways to express care for your spirit, especially when combined with meditation, gratitude, solitude, etc.
• Therapeutic fasting:
  • Calorie restriction to activate metabolic processes to catalyze the healing process
  • Fasting didn't become popular in the U.S. until the 1800's with the natural hygiene movement
  • Became more popular when Herbert Shelton popularized it in 1911
• TrueNorth Health Center

-Autophagy, and why Dr. Mercola thinks of a fast as a "free stem cell transplant"...16:45

• Different varieties of fasting:
  • Intermittent (the foundation)
    • Dr. Satchin Panda found that 90% of people don't do this (listen to my podcast with Dr. Panda)
  • You need more than intermittent to get the max effect of autophagy
  • Fasting mimicking diet, water diet
  • Hybrid of the two, minimize the harmful effects
• Autophagy:
  • 3 types
    • Micro
    • Macro
    • Chaperone mediated
  • You activate autophagy with the keto fast
  • Dr. Mercola does not recommend a long-term water fast
  • Free stem cell transplant is what happens during the regeneration phase, after the autophagy phase
  • The magic happens during the refeed and strength rebuilding; similar to a growth hormone injection
  • Do a 42 hour fast, in which you eat 300-500 calories 2x per week

-How fasting affects intestinal stem cell function...24:20

• Extended fasting helps reduce gut permeability by stimulating brain/gut pathways
• Consider fasting before other treatments or supplements for repairing the gut
  • Certain supplements will inhibit autophagy: colostrum, B12
• AMP-k and mTOR
  • It's your friend; The higher the better
  • A nutrient sensor
  • Puts your body in "repair mode"
  • See Saw: AMP-k up, mTOR down, vice versa

-What nutrients you need to optimize autophagy...34:08

• Berberine
• ECGC from green tea and European wild apples
• Pomegranate peel powder
• Urolithin A
• Pomegranate Pulled Apart podcast from ATP Science
• Dr. Mercola’s “autophagy tea” before my nightly fast to also limit mTor activation and increase autophagy:
  • 1 tsp Pau d’ Arco powdered tea
  • ½ tsp hydroxycitrate and garcinia (HCA/Garcinia powder)
  • ½ tsp quercetin powder
  • ½ tsp glycine powder
  • ½ teaspoon chamomile powder
  • Lakanto monkfruit sweetener to taste
• You don't want to take exogenous ketones when you want to activate autophagy while fasting

-How ketones protect the brain excess hydrogen peroxide...46:00

• Fats and carbs are fuel sources; broken down by enzymes
• Oxygen receives electrons from the food you're digesting in the form of hydrogen (which is converted to water)
• Most people are metabolically inflexible; can't burn much fat for fuel
• Ketones increase Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (nADPH)

-Why Dr. Mercola changed his mind about the power of water fasting as a metabolic intervention...50:55

• We in the 21st century are exposed to chemical and industrial toxins not historically known to humans
• Toxins are stored in our fat
• When you fast, you release these toxins
• Cause unpleasant side effects and symptoms
• 2 phases:
  • Convert fat soluble to water soluble (not a problem)
  • Attach molecules to the toxin
• You need frequent refeeds to fuel the process of eliminating the toxins and enhancing detox pathways
• A keto fast (42 hours, 300-500 calories) 2x/week is far more powerful than an occasional multi-day water fast or even fast mimicking diet

-What Dr. Mercola views as the "dark side of fasting"...55:00

• Detoxification impairment
• Compliance: people just won't do it
• How Dr. Mercola recommends Ben improve his own fasting strategy:
  • Ben takes essential amino acids for protein during extended fasts
  • Don't eat meat protein (branch chain amino acids)
  • Take collagen protein
• Drawbacks to long-term ketosis
  • Requires significant calorie restriction
  • Women can develop thyroid impairment
  • You simply weren't designed to do it
  • Fasting primes your body for improvement; the real magic happens in the refeeds

-What is "keto fasting," and how cyclical ketosis addresses the above issues...1:00:13

• You must be metabolically flexible
  • Eat in a 4-6 hour window per day for 4 weeks
• Branch chain aminos: lucine, isoleucine, valine
  • Eat these on the refeed, not during the keto fast
  • Don't activate mTor along with autophagy
• Cyclical approach:
  • Keto fast 2x/week
  • Every day intermittent fast
• Strategies to deal with hunger or appetite cravings:
  • Vast majority of metabolically flexible people won't feel hungry
  • Coconut oil, MCT oil, aloe gel
  • Nicotine gum and sparkling water

-How sauna use supports a fasting protocol, an ideal sauna setup, and sauna do's and don't's...1:07:45

• Brian Richards' Sauna Space
• Near infrared is the best
  • 40% of energy from the sun is infrared
  • Near infrared heats you up very quickly
  • Penetrates much more of the body than far infrared
• Book: Sauna Therapy for Detoxification and Healing
• Compounds prior to sauna use:
  • Niacin (small doses)
• Use low EMF

-And much more! Resources from this episode: 

-My previous episodes with Dr. Mercola:

• Killing Fat Cells, Fixing Mitochondria, Growing Superfoods & More: The Official, Much-Anticipated, Mind-Blowing, Geeked-Out Podcast With Dr. Mercola

• High-Fat Fudge Balls, The Best Fruits For Blood Sugar, Egg Allergies & More With “Fat For Fuel”

• How To Reverse The Damage From Cell Phone Radiation, Hidden Sources Of EMF, The Best Way To Measure Your EMF Exposure & Much More

-KetoFast: Rejuvenate Your Health with a Step-by-Step Guide to Timing Your Ketogenic Meals

-Meta.org for research studies

-Ben's Switzerland healing retreat at Paracelsus

-The Complete Guide To Fasting by Jason Fung

-TrueNorth Health Center

-My interview with Dr. Satchin Panda

-SEED Probiotic blend

-ATP science

-Dr. Mercola’s “autophagy tea” before my nightly fast to also limit mTor activation and increase autophagy:

• • 1 tsp Pau d’ Arco powdered tea
  • ½ tsp hydroxycitrate and garcinia (HCA/Garcinia powder)
  • ½ tsp quercetin powder
  • ½ tsp glycine powder
  • ½ teaspoon chamomile powder
  • Lakanto monkfruit sweetener to taste

-Pomegranate Pulled Apart podcast from ATPScience

-HVMN Ketones

-"The Longevity Diet" by Dr. Valter Longo

-Kion Aminos

-Kettle & Fire Bone Broth

-Aloe Gel

-Lucy Nicotine gum

-Saunaspace sauna

-Near infrared bulbs

-Dr. Lawrence Wilson's book "Sauna Therapy For Detoxification & Healing"

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount “bgf10”. https://getkion.com 

-Trusii: Contains a host of anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-allergy benefits. For this reason, I have decided to now make consumption of hydrogen-rich water an important part of my daily nutritional routine...and I highly recommend it! Enter code “ben” at checkout and get 30% off your order! trusiih2.com/ben 

-Clearlight Saunas: You can be sure that I researched all the saunas before I bought mine and Clearlight was the one that stood out from all the rest because of their EMF and ELF Shielding and their Lifetime Warranty. Use discount code “bengreenfield” to get $500 off your sauna and a free bonus gift! https://healwithheat.com 

-FitVine Wine: Don’t let the word “less” fool you – FitVine wines offer rich flavor profiles and the alcohol content (13.4 - 13.9% alcohol) you’d expect from a fine wine. Use discount code “greenfield10” for 10% off your order. https://fitvinewine.com 

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Mercola or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over half of the world’s population is afflicted with some form of chronic or degenerative illness. Heart disease, autoimmune disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, cancer, Lyme disease―the list goes on.

The conventional, allopathic, treat-the-symptom-with-pharmaceutical-drugs model is rapidly falling out of favor as patients are searching for nontoxic, advanced prevention and healing modalities that actually work.

Bioregulatory medicine involves fixing this issue with a model that has proven effective for decades in forward-thinking developed countries, including Switzerland and Germany.

Our bodies have many bioregulating systems, including the cardiovascular, digestive, neurological, respiratory, endocrine, and so on.

Bioregulatory medicine is a comprehensive and holistic approach to health that advocates the use of natural healing methods to support and restore the body’s intrinsic self-regulating and self-healing mechanisms, as opposed to simply treating symptoms with integrative therapies.

Bioregulatory medicine is about discovering the root cause of disease and takes into account the entire person from a genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, energetic, and emotional point of view.

So while patients may have the same disease or prognosis, the manifestation of illness is entirely bioindividual and must be treated and prevented on an individual level.

Bioregulatory medicine addresses the four pillars of health―drainage and detox, diet, mind-body medicine, and oral health―using a sophisticated synthesis of the very best natural medicine with modern advances in technology.

In addition to identifying the cause of disease, bioregulatory medicine promotes disease prevention and early intervention of illness through noninvasive diagnostics and treatments, and incorporates the use of over 100 different non-toxic diagnostics and treatments from around the world. Forward-thinking patients and integrative practitioners will find bioregulatory medicine invaluable as they seek to deepen their understanding of the body’s many regulating systems and innate ability to heal itself.

My guest on today's podcast, Dr. Dickson Thom, is the author of the new book Bioregulatory Medicine: An Innovative Holistic Approach to Self-Healing.

He graduated from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry in 1974. He obtained his first Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1986, and in 1989 he completed a second Naturopathic degree from the National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Thom was a full-time professor and the past Dean of Naturopathic Medicine at NCNM where he taught clinical and physical diagnosis, gastroenterology, neurology, practical endocrinology, x-ray practicum and business entrepreneurship for almost 25 years.

In addition, he was a clinic supervisor to hundreds of students and managed care for thousands of patients. Dr. Thom is now the medical director at the American Center for Biological Medicine and the American Center for Alternative Medicine in Scottsdale, AZ. These clinics are state of the art and uniquely manage care for patients from around the world. For a complete description of these unique offerings, visit the web site TheBiomedCenter.com.

Dr. Thom lectures extensively on health and business topics and has written and collaborated in the writing of many articles and books dealing with drainage, nutrition and business. Dr. Thom studied extensively with Gérard Guéniot, MD and incorporates Dr. Guéniot’s work into his seminar lectures and his private practice in Scottsdale, AZ. In August 2009 he received The VIS Award from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in recognition of one who represents the Vis, the Healing Power of Nature, as demonstrated through their work, life, and community service.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -Dr. Thom's daily diet...9:30

• Intermittent fasting
• Keto, paleo
• Better for biochemistry and balancing metabolism
• Homeostasis: what biological medicine is at its core
• A typical breakfast: Eggs, turkey bacon, avocado

-What exactly is "bioregulatory medicine"?...11:50

• "In reality, it's the only type of healing that's existed since man has been on the earth."
• Ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, Chinese, Indians: All about balancing energy flows
• Biofields: Energies the body is associated with
• Body is one huge electromagnet
  • Gives off energy
  • Movement creates electrons
  • Some people can read other people's energies
  • Electron transport chain in mitochondria
  • Electricity interacts with human body and vice versa
  • Deleterious effects of wifi, cell towers, etc.
• Physiology, biochemistry, physics
• Newton's Law: Conventional medicine still believes that's how the body heals itself
• 1927: Einstein and Planck came out with quantum mechanics; led to utilization of atomic bomb
• Multiple organ systems within our body
  • We think of them individually: heart, cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, etc.
  • All the "specialties" don't communicate with the other specialties
  • You must have all the pieces to rebuild a house; same with the body
• Dr. Thom describes himself as a specialist in health, not necessarily in disease

-More on bio fields and the practice of Kirlian photography...20:45

• Our energy is not confined by our skin the way our body is
• People transfer energy with each other without physically touching them (long term relationships)
• Kirlian photography:
  • Microscopes allow us to see what before was not visible
  • Measures the body's bio fields
  • Use electromagnetic spectrum on all levels; subtle energies that can't be seen or felt
  • Capturing ability of cells to communicate

-The self-healing qualities of the body that can be enhanced by bioregulatory medicine...25:30

• The cast didn't heal a broken bone; it simply immobilized and made it possible to heal itself
• "Chi", or bio field energy is necessary for the bone to heal
• Every part of our body - bones, organs, skin, etc. - self-heal and regenerate
  • You can replace a child's liver with a portion of a full-grown liver; both will grow and regenerate to full size

-How the Flexner Report, published in 1910, laid the foundation for mainstream medicine...29:35

• The Flexner Report, published in 1910
• American Medical Association formed in 1857
• Bloodletting and homeopathy were common practice at that time
• Bloodletting wasn't effective (it killed George Washington) but homeopathy was proven to be effective
• AMA excluded practitioners of homeopathy and other "unapproved" methods from their organization
• Abraham Flexner, who was not a doctor, a scientist, nor a medical practitioner, was commissioned by the Carnegie Foundation to examine 155 medical schools
• The good in the report:
  • Not enough education
  • Need prerequisites
  • Need standardization
  • Suggested reducing 155 schools to 31 schools
• The bad in the report:
  • Blacks were inferior, diseased; schools teaching black students should be closed
  • Schools can no longer teach homeopathy, electrotherapy, etc. simply because Flexner didn't believe in them
  • In 1900, there were more homeopathic doctors than conventional; by 1953, they were all closed
  • Western medical students are still taught based on the Flexner Report; although they've likely never heard of it
  • Rockefeller and Carnegie foundations' influenced pharmaceutical industry, as well as who got accepted into the 31 schools

-The science behind a seasonal diet and how it works with bioregulatory medicine...42:15

• Weston A. Price
  • Foods consumed are indigenous to the location the people lived
• Ancestral approach to diet
• Eating cold food in summer, hot food in winter
• Normal body temp is 98.6
  • Enzymes necessary to digest food function at ~98.3 degrees
  • Put 40 degree food in your body; requires tremendous energy to digest
• Master fuel sensors:
  • mTOR more active under sunlight in summer
  • AMPKα in the winter
• Look for foods indigenous to your ancestors, as well as your current locale
• Book: 100 Million Years of Food by Stephen Lee
• Book: The Jungle Effect by Dr. Daphne Miller
• Book: Return To An Ancestral Diet by Dr. Michael Smith

-How mistletoe is a component of bioregulatory medicine...50:34

• Mistletoe has historically symbolized life in religion and mythology
• You'll often find mistletoe in European cancer treatment centers
• Used in all deliveries: IV, injectable, inhaled, etc.
• Its use in autoimmune issues:
  • In nature, the antidote is right next to the poisonous plant
  • Autoimmune issue means out of balance
  • Not trying to suppress; try to support, make it more in balance
  • Allopathic = opposite medicine
  • You get a fever when you're sick; support the fever, don't suppress it
  • Go beyond the symptoms; support the physiology
  • A headache is not due to a Tylenol deficiency

-How to find a practitioner in bioregulatory medicine...58:30

• No central directory at the moment
• Dr. Thom is creating a curriculum to teach clinic staff to make them available
• Marion Institute, Marion, MA
• Bioregulatory Institute, Louisville, KY

-Protocols unique to bioregulatory medicine...1:00:00

• Contact Regulation Thermography (CRT)
  • Diagnostic tool to measure 119 points in the body
  • Link to 15 different organ systems
  • Stress the body (cold)
  • Remeasure same points
  • Graph before stress and after
  • Can quickly and effectively track how your body reacts to stress
  • Measuring specific points on the skin that are related to the various internal organs in the body
• Zyto Scan
  • Put hand on a plate, running an electrical program; reads the energy coming from your hand onto the plate
  • Can see how you're being affected by foods, microbes, etc.
  • Tracks specific areas of the body that are out of balance
  • It's a "soft diagnosis" for Lyme disease
• Vega Analysis
  • German company formed in 1950's
  • Electrodermal testing
  • Measure on acupuncture points different electrical energies

-Clinical research behind the efficacy of bioregulatory medicine...1:11:06 -Tissue cell salts: what are they, and what are they used for...1:13:30

• Developed by Dr. Schuessler
• Analyzed ash of human bodies
  • Same 12 minerals in the ash, regardless of where they were from
• 12 different mineral diluted compounds (3x)
• Tissue cells themselves don't have the minerals in them
• Orally ingested via small pills

-The practice of neural therapy...1:19:00 -And much more! Resources from this episode:

-TheBiomedCenter.com

-Book: Bioregulatory Medicine: An Innovative Holistic Approach to Self-Healing

-My Switzerland Biological Medicine retreat

-Kirlian photography

-Book: 100 Million Years Of Food by Stephen Le

-Book: The Jungle Effect by Daphne Miller, MD

-Book: Return To An Ancestral Diet by Dr. Michael Smith

-Dr. Jason West's clinic in Pocatello, Idaho

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount “bgf10”. https://getkion.com 

-Organifi Green Juice: Now you can get all your healthy superfoods in one glass...with No Shopping, No Blending, No Juicing, and No Cleanup. Use discount code “beng20” at checkout and get a 20% discount on your entire order! organifi.com/ben

-Vuori Clothing: Activewear and athletic clothing for ultimate performance. Vuori is built to move and sweat in, yet designed with a West Coast aesthetic that transitions effortlessly into everyday life.Enter discount code “ben25” and receive 25% off your first order! https://vuoriclothing.com 

-Birdwell Beach Britches: Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch we sew. 100% money back guarantee. Get 10% off your order when you use discount code “beng” PLUS free shipping on any order over $99. https://birdwell.com  

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Thom or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jack Dorsey dropped out of college to start Twitter, and is now a billionaire businessman. He is the CEO of Twitter, CEO & Chairman of Square, and a co-founder of both.

But what most people don't know about Jack is his keen interest in all things fitness, nutrition and health. So in today's episode we dive into Jack's daily routine, diet, stress management strategies, workout and fitness habits, and much more.

In this interview, you'll discover... -The 3 core ways Jack handles the tremendous amount of stress he deals with in his life and work...6:45

• Vipassana meditation (10:10)
  • 10 day "retreat"
  • No reading, writing, devices
  • No talking, no eye contact
  • 2 meals a day; wake at 4; meditate 4:30 am thru 9 pm
  • Vegetarian diet; can't eat after noon
  • Primary objective: Being in control of your reactions
• Exercise and sleep (16:53)
  • Walk 5 miles to work (in 1 hour 15 minutes)
  • Listen to podcasts, audio books
  • Walk in the sun
  • Work from home Tuesday and Thursday
  • 1-3 iterations of the 7-Minute Workout every day
    • Seven workout app
    • VT Body Weight app
  • Tabata sets on a stationary bike
  • Hyperwear Vest
  • Book: Body by Science by Doug McGuff and John R. Little
  • Sauna and cold
    • Clearlight Sauna
    • Barrel sauna and ice bath
    • Near infrared sauna (Sauna Space)
    • "Nothing has given me mental confidence like going from room temperature into the cold."
    • No more hot showers
  • Jack prefers walking over running: more predictable, less stress on the body
• Diet (35:56)
  • The only supplement Jack takes is a multivitamin and lots of Vitamin C
  • Learn to make your own medicine (meditation, sleep, etc.) before delving into supplements
  • Technology is a "crutch"
  • Jack was vegan for 2 years
    • Didn't understand the diet
    • Mom told him he was "orange" - way too much beta kerotene
  • Switched to paleo diet for one year
  • Listened to lots of Wim Hof podcasts (2 years ago)
    • One meal per day: 6:30-8:30
    • Drink red wine
    • 28 oz. of water in the morning
    • Drink water all day long
    • Take vitamin with dinner
    • Protein, greens, mixed berries and dark chocolate for dessert
    • Eat at home as much as possible

-Other facets of Jack's health and fitness regimen...49:45

• Self-quantification: Oura Ring
• Fast Friday evening thru Sunday evening
• Hormesis; autophagy based
• Desires to do a Spartan race someday
• Pros and cons of working out with other people
• My podcast on free diving
• Jack was extremely shy as a kid
  • Took a speech class; improv and speak on a topic you know nothing about
  • Pushed him out of his comfort zone
• Journaling since age 14 - end of day

And much more... Resources from this episode:

-Jack's twitter account

-New York Times Seven Minute Workout

-"Seven" Workout App

-"VT" Bodyweight App

-Hyperwear Vest

-Book: Body By Science by Doug McGuff and John R. Little

-Infrared sauna - Use code BEN for $500 off

-Ben's article on how to build your own cold tub

-Athletic Greens

-Ben's podcast on "Ancestral Wisdom vs. Modern Science"

-Ben's podcast with Ray Cronise

-My podcast with Todd White of Dry Farm Wines in which we discuss "one-meal-a-day"

-The Oura ring - Use Greenfieldoura for $50 off

-My podcast with Ted Harty on freediving

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount “bgf10”. https://getkion.com 

-JOOVV: After using the Joovv for close to 3 years, it's the only light therapy device I'd ever recommend. Give it a try: you won't be disappointed. Order using my link and receive nice bonus gift with your order! joovv.com/ben

-State and Liberty: Whether you're sitting in an office, traveling for work, or looking to dress it down, these are the best possible dress shirts from style, to fit to comfort. Type in discount code “BEN” to get 10% off your first order, or head to one of our store locations in New York City, Boston, or Chicago and mention this podcast to get 10% off your order! stateandliberty.com 

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Jack or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prepare yourself for the most epic, deep dive into the carnivore diet that you've ever heard.

I recently listened to a physician named Paul Saladino debate research scientist Layne Norton about the carnivore diet on my friend Mark Bell's podcast. I was so intrigued by the episode that I decided to get Paul on my show to explore the science behind the carnivore diet, carnivore diet do's and don'ts, and whether the carnivore diet is a true, sustainable, natural, ancestral nutrition approach or just a dietary fad.

During this show, we cover: -Why Paul is a raving fan of salmon roe...17:15

• Humans cannot make Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Omega 3's in salmon roe are in the phospholipid form
  • Salmon roe crosses the blood brain barrier more efficiently than in the triglyceride or ethyl ester form (which you'll find in most fish oil capsules)
• Two tbsps of salmon roe gives you the DHA without being exposed to the metals
• Benefit of getting a nutrient from a food vs. from a supplement
• Concern with oxidation in fish oil:
  • Look for certificate of analysis
  • Look at levels of lipid peroxides
  • Not nearly as much oxidation in eggs than the fish

-Why Paul doesn't consume black pepper...21:15

• A central principle of the carnivorous diet: plants are not put on the earth to serve humans
• Develop potentially toxic compounds to defend themselves from other animals
• A peppercorn is the seed of a plant
  • The seeds are where a higher concentration of pesticides and toxins reside
  • Pepper contains a compound called piperine, which inhibits UDP glucuronosyltransferase
• In essence: black pepper inhibits our body's natural detoxification process.
• Piperine is added to curcumin supplements to increase the level of curcumin you can absorb
• We don't actually use these molecules in human biochemistry
  • Used to activate certain pathways to produce our own antioxidants (which is glutathione)
• Plants induce Nrf2, while simultaneously doing toxic things to our bodies
• Sulforaphane is considered to be a highly beneficial molecule as a precursor to glutathione pathways
  • But is known to be a goitrogen (meaning it can induce hypothyroidism)
• Key take away: You can simulate the benefits of eating plants by eating meat and living a healthy lifestyle

-Why Paul refused a cup of Kion Coffee when offered by Ben...30:45

• Coffee is felt to be beneficial because of a couple of polyphenolic compounds: chloragenic acid and caffeic acid
  • These have been found to be clastogenic (DNA damage)
• A coffee bean is the seed of a plant, which contains toxins as a natural defense mechanism
• Very few animals eat those seeds

-Aren't plants like exercise, where you need them, but too much can be harmful?...26:05

• Hormesis is potential benefit of plants
• Sulforaphane:
  • Is linked to hypothyroidism
  • Depends on one's baseline level of iodine consumption
  • Does not exist in a plant
  • Glucoraphanin is converted into sulforaphane by Myrosinase
    • Highest levels are found in broccoli seeds and sprouts
• Humans are "facultative carnivores" meaning we can get everything we need from meat without ingesting the toxins found in plants.

-Storage organs in plants that result in larger brains and smaller guts...46:35

• Richard Wrangham
• Tubers
  • Fairly toxic generally speaking
  • Ancestral (non-hybridized) tubers aren't as valuable to humans due to size, appearance, etc.
  • Developed big brains by eating bone marrow and brains of animals (as scavengers)
  • No DHA, or fatty acids in a tuber
  • Macronutrients for short term survival; micronutrients for long term survival
  • Tubers have macronutrients, but not micronutrients
• Fossils of homo erectus found near water: algae, DHA, other micronutrients
• Just because tubers were efficacious for our ancestors doesn't mean we should choose them today
  • Animals provide all the micronutrients we need in the most bioavailable forms
  • The ultimate multivitamin for a human would be an animal

-Why plants may not be necessary, could be harmful to the gut, and are "survival food"...50:50

• Vilhjalmur Stefansson: Lived with Inuit people for a year
  • Observed they ate plants only when "real foods" i.e. animals weren't available
• Book: 100 Million Years of Food by Stephen Lee
• Even though humans have made plants more digestible via sprouting, fermenting, etc. we should still opt for the ribeye steak.

-Whether a carnivorous diet is sustainable or ethical...53:53

• Eat the animal "nose to tail"
• Book: The Whole Beast by Fergus Henderson
• Muscle meat is high in methionine but low in glycine
• Best results come when we eat organs and tendons along with the muscle meat
  • Different nutrients in different parts of the animal
• Why Ben called the carnivore diet "lazy" on the Joe Rogan podcast
• Carbohydrate availability for the thyroid
  • Ancestors would eat the thyroid immediately after killing an animal
• Do you need plants to consume adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals?
  • Good amounts of Vitamin C in liver and in brain; whale blubber
  • Liver also has large amounts of carotenal, a precursor to Vitamin A
  • Quercetin doesn't directly contribute to human biochemistry
  • You may not be able to get flavonoids from meat, but you may not need them at all

-How we would consume fiber on a carnivore diet, or if we even need it at all...1:06:40

• The debate between Paul Saladino and Layne Norton on the Mark Bell show
• Fiber is a "fairy tale"
  • Physician named Burkett in Tanzania
  • Tanzanians did not have as many cases of diverticulosis as Westerners
  • Erroneously equated high amounts of fiber intake with low cases of diverticulosis
  • The reverse is true
  • Applies to insoluble and soluble fiber
• "Healthy user bias" affects studies on fiber
  • People who eat less meat and more fiber, and engage in healthy activities
  • Stereotypical "meat eater": Steak, fries, cake, etc.

-Why Ben Greenfield is hesitant to embrace a full-on carnivore diet...1:13:50

• Variety is the spice of life (colors of food, tastes, etc.)
• Humans are "facultative carnivores"
  • Meant to eat animals, but can eat plants when animals are not available
  • Plants can contribute to life enjoyment if you choose to use them in your diet

-The carnivore diet and longevity...1:23:30

• Fallacy: centenarians live longer because of genetics. They live long in spite of what they eat.
• Theory of "blue zones" has been incorrectly interpreted
  • Not caused by diet (plants, legumes, etc.)
  • Clusters of longevity mutation in certain genes; improves insulin sensitivity, antioxidants, etc.
• High insulin sensitivity when carbs are cut out

-Carnivore vs. ketosis...1:28:45

• Three micronutrients: carbs, protein, fat
• We can run on two fuels: fat or carbs
  • fat that is stored or that you're eating
  • No such thing as an "essential carbohydrate"
• You can have a ketogenic diet that includes some plant foods that are potentially immunotoxic
• Carnivorous diet is by default a ketogenic because you're not eating plant-based carbs (trace amounts in meat)
• What about coconut oil and coconut cream?
  • Coconut has salicylates
  • Oil doesn't have actual coconut particles, but can have some salicylates
• Dairy: addictive to humans because it's the combination of fat and sugar; great for infants
  • It's why we crave ice cream
  • Rewarding but not satiating
  • Some cut out dairy, and find they're more satiated when eating meat

-The carnivore diet and amino intake...1:37:53

• Paul typically eats 3 pounds of meat per day
• No risk of developing cancer
  • Eating methionine without glycine becomes problematic
  • Bone broth and collagen are good sources of glycine

-Concern about constant activation of mTor on the carnivorous diet...1:41:00

• Concern about IGF-1 (insulin growth factor) levels raising on the diet
• Paul has found the opposite to be true
• Caloric restriction benefits come from sirtuin family of genes, which is activated by beta hydroxy butyrate
• Balances out because of the ketogenic state of the diet

-Whether a carnivorous diet is sustainable or ethical...1:45:30

• It's not practical for everyone to hunt their own meat
• Look at it from a population vs. individual basis
  • Answer questions pertaining to the individual before the population
  • Advances in technology contribute to increases in greenhouse gases (fossil fuel emissions)
  • Agriculture contributes ~8% of greenhouse gases; 3-4% is animal agriculture

-And much more... -Who is Paul Saladino?

Throughout the course of his life Paul Saladino has embarked on many adventures that have shaped his personal interests - including his unique, individualized approach to medicine. After studying chemistry at College of William he spent 6 years traveling and exploring. Highlights included a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada, a summer in the New Zealand backcountry, and 2 years skiing and climbing in Wyoming's Teton Mountains. He returned to academic studies after these adventures, first becoming a physician assistant and practicing in cardiology before training at the University of Arizona, obtaining his M.D. in 2015.

He is a certified Functional Medicine practitioner (IFMCP) through the Institute for Functional Medicine and will complete his residency in psychiatry at the University of Washington this June. When he is not researching connections between nutritional biochemistry and chronic disease he can be found in the frigid waters of the pacific northwest in search of the perfect wave.

Resources from this episode:

-My Facebook post on my "bastardized version" of the carnivore diet

-Paul Saladino's website

-Paul Saladino's YouTube channel

-The debate between Paul Saladino and Layne Norton on the Mark Bell show

-USWellnessMeats ribeye steaks - Use GREENFIELD for a 15% storewide - Offer good for up to 2 orders per customer. Excludes orders over 40 lbs, sale items, volume discounts, and gift certificates.

-Salmon roe

-Fred Provenza's book Nourishment

-Fiber and Colon Health On A Well-Formulated Ketogenic Diet: New Insights Question Its Role As An Unconditional Requirement

-The Kettle & Fire bone broth Ben drinks - Use code GREENFIELD for 10% off

Additional resources/research from Dr. Paul Saladino:  -Curcumin Curcumin (No RCTs which show benefit, potential toxicity)   "The Dark Side of Curcumin" -Piperine   Curcuminoids inhibit multiple human cytochromes P450 (CYP), UDP- glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), and sulfotransferase (SULT) enzymes, while piperine is a relatively selective CYP3A4 inhibitor

Impairment of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase and glucuronidation activities in liver and small intestine of rat and guinea pig in vitro by piperine

Plant pesticides (claustogenicity of safrole[also in black pepper], caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, glucosinolates [sulforaphane precursors])   -Cyanogenic glycosides in food   Cyanogenic glycosides in plant-based foods available in New Zealand

A Review of Cyanogenic Glycosides in Edible Plants

No association with meat consumption and colorectal cancer in Asia   No association of saturated fat and animal protein with colorectal cancer -Fiber -Diverticulosis study (worsened with increased fiber) Low fiber no association with constipation, diverticulosis Removal leads to improvement in constipation Lack of benefit in adenoma recurrence 

• Lack of benefit colorectal adenoma/cancer in women (NEJM)

• Dietary fiber lack of benefit in japanese populations with low fat intake

• Lack of effect of cereal supplement

• Lack of effect of high fiber/low fat diet

• Associated increase adenoma recurrence when combined with isphagula/calcium

Soluble fiber increases colon cancer in rodents Fiber does not increase alpha diversity -BHB and signalling/anti-aging mechanisms: Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Ketogenic Diet: New Perspectives for Neuroprotection in Alzheimer's Disease

Ketone bodies as signaling metabolites

β-hydroxybutyrate: Much more than a metabolite

D-ß-hydroxybutyrate: an anti-aging ketone body

Estrogenic properties of quercetin Effects of phyto-oestrogen quercetin on productive performance, hormones, reproductive organs and apoptotic genes in laying hens Dangers of excess omega-6 (especially from seed oils)   Centenarians and genetic advantage   Salicylates (coconut)   Removal of flavonoid containing foods results in improved markers of oxidative stress   Green Tea catechins at obtainable dosing connected with liver injury (rise in transaminases) Oxalate toxicity -Casomorphin: A naturally occurring opioid peptide from cow's milk, beta-casomorphine-7, is a direct histamine releaser in man -Methionine/glycine ratio: Effect of dietary glycine on methionine metabolism in rats fed a high-methionine diet

Methionine restriction decreases mitochondrial oxygen radical generation and leak as well as oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA and proteins

Methionine and choline regulate the metabolic phenotype of a ketogenic diet

-Ketogenic Diet Improves Lifespan:

Epigenetic mechanisms underlying lifespan and age-related effects of dietary restriction and the ketogenic diet

A Ketogenic Diet Extends Longevity and Healthspan in Adult Mice

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion Aminos: Building blocks for muscle recovery, reduced cravings, better cognition, immunity, and more. Get 10% off your order of Kion Aminos, and everything at the Kion site when you use discount code "bgf10" at checkout. https://getkion.com

-Organifi Green Juice: Now you can get all your healthy superfoods in one glass...with No Shopping, No Blending, No Juicing, and No Cleanup. Use discount code “greenfield” at checkout and get a 20% discount on your entire order! organifi.com/ben

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Paul or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.