Boundless Life

"The TED of Transformation..."

My friend Vishen Lakhiani’s exploration of peak human potential began in 2001, when he took meditation classes to remedy his crushing work stress in a New York technology company. This soon inspired him to launch Mindvalley: a publisher and marketer of online self-help programs.

For detailed show notes, including links to everything that Vishen and I talk about in this episode, head on over to bengreenfieldfitness.com/quest.

If you read this week's article "What Is The Perfect Human Diet? ", then you are aware that I'm not a big fan of a myopic "one-size-fits-all" approach to diets.

And yet, despite the enormous amount of biochemical individuality that exists from person to person, there is still a plethora of diet books published each year (particularly close to swimsuit season or the New Year) that promise to be the de facto final solution for everything from fat loss to banishing acne to beating cravings and building muscle when, in fact, the same ketogenic diet that helped your neighbor shed twenty pounds can result in rampant inflammation, brain fog and oxidized cholesterol for you.

The same could be said for a vegan diet, a carnivore diet or many of the other currently popular eating approaches. In today's podcast, Part 1 of a 2 part series on customizing your diet to you, you're going to discover more about the concept of biochemical individuality, along with how to test your body to determine the perfect diet for you, and a range of dietary options to choose from that have been vetted by yours truly. Enjoy!

During this solosode discussion, you'll discover: -The concept of biochemical individuality...7:35

• Book: Biochemical Individuality by Roger Williams
  • No such thing as an "average" person.
  • Nutrition and environment can affect our outcome.
• Some people do not need to supplement Vitamin C, A, Riboflavin, etc.
• Others are resistant to things such as Vitamin D; taking the recommended amount damages their system.
• What worked for someone else may be damaging for you.
• Ketogenic Diet
  • I used this when racing in Ironman triathlons; I still use it for days I need endurance.
  • Some are high in cholesterol, high liver enzymes.
  • Familial hypercholesterolemia; negative response to high intake of fats.
  • Low amount of Alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA) is converted into usable DHA or EPA
  • Elongation of Omega 6 fatty acids
• Thrifty gene hypothesis (James Neal in 1962): Why humans build fat mass
  • Some people possess genes that cause them to accumulate fat faster than others.
  • FTO and PPRA genes are responsible for storing fatty acids.
  • Consider a low fat, or plant-based diet vs. a ketogenic if you have these genes.
• Book: Wired to Eat by Rob Wolf

-Differences in methylation between individuals...30:20

• Meat eaters: most meat has high amounts of methionine, which is a high methyl donor
• Methylation occurs when a methyl group is taken from one compound or molecule and is transferred to another.
• If you're undermethylated, you would benefit from a high intake of muscular meats.
• Folate acts as a serotonin reuptake promoter. Good for undermethylators.
• Overmethylation: last thing you need is a bunch of meat for every meal.
  • Consume protein, but don't be an extreme carnivore.

-How to eat according to your ancestry...35:05

• Northern European: Access to fish, Vitamin D
• Mexicans, Hispanics, Chinese: More folate rich foods, leafy greens.
• Japanese, Continental Europeans: High starch consuming
• Lactase persistence gene
• If of European descent, more likely to be lactose intolerant.
• Genes help determine biochemical individuality

-The best types of tests to figure out what diet is right for you...

• Get a good blood test:
  • Wellness FX Longevity Panel
  • Cyrex test for food allergies
• Stool testing:
  • Viome
  • Genova Diagnostics
• DNA testing:
  • Youtrients (listen to my podcast with Kharim Dhanani, Youtrients founder)
  • 23 and Me
  • Genetic Genie
  • Use Dr. Google
• Urine testing:
  • Dutch test
  • Organic amino acids test
• Arresting metabolic rate test

-The best diets and books I've come across over the years...44:05

• Regardless of the diet you follow, follow basic practices.
• Auto-Immune Paleo diet
  • Good for healing inflammation and leaky gut
• Specific Carbohydrate Diet
  • Breaking the Vicious Cycle by Elaine Gottschall
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GaPS)
  • Book: Gut and Psychology Syndrome
• Swiss Detox Diet
• Colorado Cleanse
• Elemental Diet
  • Book: SIBO Info
  • Book: Healthy Gut, Healthy You by Dr. Michael Ruscio
• Walls Protocol
• Plant Paradox Diet
• Lower carb, lower sugar Mediterranean diet
• Weston A. Price Diet
  • Closest to how I and my family eat
  • You can customize it to your ancestry
•  Book: The Jungle Effect by Daphne Miller (listen to my podcast with Daphne)

-And much more... Episode Sponsors:

-Blue Apron Choose your meals. Unpack your box. Create magic. Get your first 3 meals for FREE when you order using my link.

-JOOVV Order your JOOVV light using my link and get a special bonus gift.

-Birdwell Beach Britches Quality is our Gimmick isn’t just our slogan, it’s a commitment we honor with every stitch sewn. Get 10% off your order when you use code "ben" at checkout. Free shipping for orders over $99.

-Kettle and Fire Bone Broth. Support skin, join and gut health. Save 15% and get free shipping on orders of 6+ cartons when you use my link.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for me about customizing and personalizing your diet? Leave your comments at http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/fdiets and I will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm not a big fan of a myopic "one-size-fits-all" approach to diets.

And yet, despite the enormous amount of biochemical individuality that exists from person to person, there is still a plethora of diet books published each year that promise to be the solution for everything from fat loss to banishing acne when in fact, the same ketogenic diet that helped your neighbor shed twenty pounds can result in rampant inflammation and oxidized cholesterol for you.

http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/fdiets

These days, when people ask me the #1 book I recommend for all things gut, it is, hands down "Healthy Gut, Healthy You" by Dr. Michael Ruscio. This book takes a deep dive into topics such as:

• How the gut works and its role in your body,
• Practical diet and lifestyle advice to support your gut health,
• Simple and actionable tools to repair your gut, and
• An innovative, user-friendly plan to heal, support, and revitalize your gut.

This is Dr. Ruscio's third appearance on the podcast.

The first one, titled Why Healthy People Get Broken Guts, And What You Can Do About It talked about why apparently healthy people, especially athletes and exercise enthusiasts, get broken guts, and what they can do about it.

Then, the second podcast, titled Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, High Carbs, Low Carbs & More: Clearing Up Carbohydrate Confusion, was an in-depth discussion on carbs and their effect on your body.

What will his third appearance on the podcast reveal???

Quite a bit, as you will hear.

About the guest:

Michael Ruscio is a doctor, clinical researcher and best-selling author whose practical ideas on healing chronic illness have made him an influential voice in functional and alternative medicine. His work has been published in peer-reviewed medical journals and he speaks at integrative medical conferences across the globe. Dr. Ruscio also runs an influential website and podcast at DrRuscio.com, as well as his clinical practice located in northern California.

During my discussion with Dr. Ruscio, you'll discover: -What small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is...6:40

• Dr. Ruscio's interest in this goes back 5 years.
• Focused on improving the health of bacteria.
• Observations don't always translate into practical action inside a clinic.
• You differentiate the discrepancies when you separate the large and small intestine.
  • What's going on in the large intestine isn't indicative of the small.
  • A lot of "gut advice" is large intestine-centric.
  • Small intestine comprises 56% of gut activity.
    • Most prone to leaky gut
    • Most immuno active
    • Where 90% of calories are absorbed
• Bacterial overgrowth is either an overgrowth of or the wrong type of bacteria in the small intestine
  • Not a parasite
  • Native to your system; either in the wrong place or too much of it.

-How SIBO affects the thyroid...12:33

• Many people who think they have a thyroid condition actually do not.
• 60% of people who were rechecked were found not to be hypothyroid.
• Symptoms of hypothyroidism can be mistaken for other problems in the GI tract.
• Study done on people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
  • Higher incidence of fatigue, depression and anxiety found
  • They were not hypothyroid
• Another study looking at 1800 patients
  • Looking for drug use, medication use, prior intestinal surgery; expected these to increase risk of SIBO
  • Two most correlated conditions: being hypothyroid and being on thyroid medication.
  • 290 were taken off medication and retested; 60% were not hypothyroid
  • Neither antibodies, nor weight, nor time on medication dictated whether were hypo or normal thyroid.
• Speak with your doctor to confirm whether you're hypothyroid or not.
• Be wary if you were diagnosed by someone outside of conventional medicine.

-The testing and protocol for SIBO Dr. Ruscio recommends...22:15

• For testing thyroid: test TSH and Free T4
  • If within normal range, you likely don't have a thyroid problem.
• For SIBO, two practical options; breath tests.
  • One uses glucose, the other uses lactulose

-About the elemental diet. What it is and how it works...27:30

• Hypoallergenic, gut-healing meal replacement shake.
• Absorbs in the first part of small intestine
  • Rests the remainder of the small and large intestine
  • Starves overgrowth
• Not as difficult as it may sound.

-The African vs. the Westerner microbiota, and whether or not it's a good idea to try to mimic our ancestors...32:20

• Scientist Gives Himself Fecal Transplant To Try A Hunter-Gatherer's Microbiome
• Challenge lies in excising just one element out of an entire culture, and inserting it into a totally different population.
• Many African tribes have parasites in their bodies.
• Hard to replicate their diet because their bodies have adapted to their specific environment.

-What happened when the Sardinians tried to eliminate malaria...39:07

• Back in 1950's, Sardinia had a high rate of malaria; cases of MS skyrocketed.
• Sardinian immune system learned to function with malaria.
  • Once taken away, the immune system didn't know what to do. Created unforeseen adverse consequences.
• The malaria may have actually strengthened their immune systems.
• Article: Why Ben uses tapeworms and whipworms

-Why we should have more naturally occurring plant life around our home...43:05 -Dr. Ruscio's comments on probiotics...44:55

• Most probiotics do not colonize you.
• Can help reset the microbiota to a healthy equilibrium.
• Works in tandem with a healthy lifestyle.
• Think of it as a "nudge" to complement your lifestyle to reset to a healthy equilibrium
• Should kids use probiotics?
  • The earlier an antibiotic is used, the more detrimental; the earlier a probiotic is used, the more beneficial it is.
• Can probiotics "seed" the gut?
  • A lot of outlandish claims to market the product.
  • The more a product is marketed, the more claims are made about it. May be unsubstantiated.
• Ecoli used as a probiotic?

-Why we would be "surprised" about dietary fiber...56:30

• The amount of data Dr. Ruscio had to sort through almost made him quit writing his book.
• There have been no consistent benefits shown from high dietary fiber intake.
• Fiber enthusiasts cherry pick the data from which they make their claims to its efficacy.
• Carnivore diet: Results are varied on patients Dr. Ruscio has treated who have used it.
• Focus more on simplifying your diet. A "lazy" diet.

-Whether or not melatonin can help with leaky gut...1:03:37

• Focus on sleep quality.
• Use melatonin carefully, to supplement healthy lifestyle.

Resources from this episode:

-Dr. Ruscio's new book "Healthy Gut, Healthy You"

-Thorne Mediclear SGS

-DirectLabs for SIBO testing (2-Hr Glucose/Lactulose)

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion Check out our incredible Black Friday deals! The specials continue through Tuesday, 27 Nov.

-Gainswave The bedroom biohack for men and women who want to upgrade their sexual performance. Purchase 6 treatments, and get one for free!

-Birdwell Beach Britches Board shorts handmade in the USA since 1961. Get 10% off and free shipping on any order over $99 when you use discount code "ben."

-Organifi Green Juice. Get your favorite superfoods in one drink. NO shopping, No juicing, No Blending, No CLEAN UP! Use discount code "greenfield" and get 20% off your order.

-Goshas Organics is giving 20% of every order to victims of the recent California wildfires when you use discount code "ben10%."

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Ruscio or me? Leave your comments at http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/healthygut and one of us will reply!

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These days, when people ask me the #1 book I recommend for all things gut, it is, hands down "Healthy Gut, Healthy You" by Dr. Michael Ruscio.

Michael Ruscio is a doctor, clinical researcher and best-selling author whose practical ideas have made him an influential voice in functional and alternative medicine. Dr. Ruscio also runs an influential website and podcast at DrRuscio.com, as well as his clinical practice located in northern California.

Show notes: http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/healthygut

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/392

Nov 22, 2018, Q&A Episode 392: What To Do When You Can't Exercise, How To Fuel With Ketones For Long Runs, How Endurance Athletes Can Gain Muscle, and Is Heavy Lifting Bad For The Heart?

Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the button at the bottom of the page (or go to SpeakPipe), or use the Contact button in the free Ben Greenfield Fitness app.

News Flashes [00:03:35]

• A new study in humans shows stem cell injections really do work to fight the process of ageing.
• Here’s an interesting predictor of all-cause mortality…how well are you able to sit down on the floor and get up without using your hands?
• It’s actually quite surprising which food is the most satiating…potatoes!
• How to raise a less materialistic child (and a very good reason to visit ChristianGratitude.com if you haven’t yet).

You can receive these News Flashes (and more) every single day, if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Instagram.com/BenGreenfieldFitness, Facebook.com/BGFitness, BenGreenfieldFitness.com/Snapchat, and Google+. Special Announcements [00:17:50]

This podcast is brought to you by:

– Kion Black Friday - No code required just go to www.getkion.com - Kion Intro Gift Bundle (BT, Coffee) - $35.97, Recovery Bundle (Aminos (tablets), Flex, Fish Oil) - $109.97, Daily Kion Life Bundle (Aminos (tablets), Coffee, Bar, Lean) - $139.97

- Clearlight Sauna -  You can see all the Clearlight Jacuzzi saunas at HealwithHeat.com. Use code: BEN – and you’ll get $500 OFF the regular price of each sauna and a gift with purchase.

- FitVine Wine - FitVineWine.com they crush grapes, you crush life! (use discount code BEN)

- GoshasOrganics.com - You get 10% off the entire purchase with the coupon code “ben10%”  plus an additional 20% of each order will be given to the Whoolsey Fire victims in Malibu for the Los Angeles Fire Fighters Department and The Malibu Animal Shelter that saved many of our horses and other domestic animals.

-Click here to follow Ben on Snapchat, and get ready for some epic stories about his morning, day and evening routine! 

Ben's Adventures:

– December 1, 2018: Spartan AT&T Park Stadium Sprint, San Francisco, California. Can you feel the energy, San Fran? Run around the concourse. Rope climb in the outfield. Do burpees in the dugout. Challenge yourself to three miles that will include 20+ signature obstacles. See you there!

– December 2 – 8, 2018: RUNGA Retreat, Dominican Republic. You’re invited to join me at RUNGA in December 2018. Join me in the Dominican Republic, one of the most beautiful places in the Caribbean, for this retreat. In all RUNGA activities, RUNGA invites you to come home to yourself. To see everything you’ll be getting into, just click here. Use code BEN when you register so you get your gift when you arrive! I’ll be there, too. Join the waitlist here.

– December 14 – 16, 2018: World Congress 2018 Hosted by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada. If you attend any conference this year, make it the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine’s 26th Annual World Congress. The fact is, in an era of andropause, low drive and deteriorating men’s health, it’s shocking that both practitioners and the public aren’t aware of ancestral wisdom and modern scientific and medical tactics that can be used to optimize male physiology. It’s time that changed, and I’ll be teaching exactly how to make men, men again. Join me!

– Jan 20 – 21, 2019: Serious Business Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana. This conference is going invoke thought and insight and expose you to new ideas and thinking on self-development and business in the beauty industry. Register here. 

– April 6 – 7, 2019: FitCon Summit, Salt Lake City, Utah. FitCon® encourages everyone to Find Their Fit. It does not matter whether it is powerlifting, Crossfit, bodybuilding, roller derby, or even axe throwing. Be sure to visit the Kion booth in the expo! -View the Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Calendar Here

Giveaways & Goodies [01:05:50]

-Grab your Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle.

-And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - click here to leave your review for a chance to win some!

------------------------------------------

Listener Q&A [00:25:56]

As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick.

What To Do When You Can't Exercise [00:26:04]

Graeme says: I am having an op this week to repair an inguinal hernia. It is keyhole surgery where basically they place mesh over the affected areas. Exercise is my anti-depressant. I know I can’t do anything that stresses the core too much. Thought about indoor cycling and Compex. Any other thoughts on exercises I can do? Have been trying to think of strength exercises that DON'T engage the core but can’t think of many.

In my response, I recommend: -John Ortberg "When The Game Is Over It All Goes Back Into The Box" -Machines -How To Exercise With A Low Back Injury article -Pregnancy exercises -Neu.fit How To Fuel With Ketones For Long Runs [00:38:30]

Jessica says: I am a keto endurance runner and really enjoying the benefits. I am running a 7-day race in Feb (300km) and am wondering how I should be fueling to stay optimal for this? I am supposed to carry 2,200 calories with me per day. I am curious, how I can best get that all in there?

In my response, I recommend: -My "How To Get Into Ketosis" article -Kion Aminos -Kion Clean Energy Bar -MCT or Brain Octane -HVMN and Ketone Aid -Glycofuse -Catalyte -My "Fat-Based Energy Gels" article How Endurance Athletes Can Gain Muscle [00:49:48]

Kennan says: I am a 17-year-old and next week I begin my final High School swim season. In the off-season, I have put mass and muscle (currently at 170 pounds). Is there any way I can continue to put on this muscle and mass while doing long endurance swims. How would I go about doing this? Any supplements I should take? Would a Keto Diet be a good idea to boost my performance and combat fatigue? Is the keto diet even ok for a teenager?

In my response, I recommend: -Alex Viada & The Juggernaut Method of Training -Hybrid Training book -Weston A Price Dietary Guidelines –Thorne Biogest –Quicksilver Scientific Bitters #9 –Superessentials Fish Oil –Kion Colostrum –Kion Aminos –HMB/ATP –Creatine Is Heavy Lifting Bad For The Heart [00:56:49]

Garrett says: I was wondering if heavy weight lifting could, over time, be bad for the heart? We know that it can spike blood pressure - can that cause problems over time? I like heavy lifting and I like what it does for my physique but I am worried about what it might do, long-term.

In my response, I recommend: -Doug McGuff's book "Body By Science"

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Q&A Episode 392: What To Do When You Can't Exercise, How To Fuel With Ketones For Long Runs, How Endurance Athletes Can Gain Muscle, and Is Heavy Lifting Bad For The Heart?

For detailed show notes, including links to resources mentioned in this episode, visit http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/392

Whether you have kids, plan on having kids, or know kids, you live in a privileged era in which you have the ability to enable the kids in your life to be tiny superhumans who look, feel, think and perform like optimized human beings, and you're about to hear exactly how.

Mozart learned to play the piano at the age of four, composed his first piece at age five and wrote his first symphony at age eight.

Pablo Picasso, when he was just twelve, had an astonishing grasp of the fundamentals of art and was producing photo-realistic anatomical sketches.

Giovanni Bernini was churning out intricate, life-like stone sculptures at only eight years old. But these folks aren’t special childhood prodigies, idiot savants, or some kind of unique autistic geniuses.

These are normal human beings.

Sadly, in our modern era, we’ve forgotten how to nurture and grow an amazing human body and mind, and instead settled for a generation of kids that wind up on peopleofwalmart.com - attached to leashes and chewing on Ritalin.

The fact is, we live in a modern era in which we have the capability to enable the child in our lives to become tiny superhumans, and grow up with optimized physical and mental capabilities.

But unfortunately, it’s very easy to make parenting and teaching mistakes that create a host of issues in children, including lack of proper muscle and brain growth, immune system weakness, low IQ, stunted growth, obesity, depression, attention deficit disorder, social anxiety, and other frustrating problems that parents now accept as all-too-common.

In today's podcast, I'm giving you the entire recording of my 2014 book "10 Ways To Grow Tiny Superhumans". In it, you'll learn things like: -Cutting-edge research on how birth methods, bacteria, dirt, germs, farms, pets, and families make a life-long impression on a child’s immune system...9:00

• We're actually hard-wired to eat our own boogers; strengthens our immune systems.
• Babies born via c-section have lower health quality than natural born.
• Colostrum is important.
• Dirt isn't necessarily dirty.
• Natto. Tastes terrible, but it's great for you and your kids.

-Why the modern paradigm of low-fat food is one of the worst dietary practices possible for a growing child’s brain and nervous system...13:10

• You want lots of fat; my kids eat lots of bone broth.
• You want them to eat "brain food." 
• Total cholesterol below 200 is associated with low IQ.

-How to foster an ideal combination of play, healthy competitiveness and a desire to succeed in a child through strategies such as roughhousing and wrestling...15:05

• Rough housing teaches to deal with unpredictable situations; how to lose gracefully; how to deal with pain.
• People who rough house are more socially mature.
• Stronger bond with your kids; releases more oxytocin.
• Gets them more physically active.

-Ways to enable your child to spend more time on their feet and wearing the proper footwear – two important decisions that will affect their posture for life...16:50

• "Think outside the chair."
• Standing work stations for kids.
• Rarely wear shoes.
• Kids with poor posture have poor posture as adults.
• Overprotective modern footwear inhibit foot health for life.
• Kids can reshape and restructure bones in just a few months.
• Choose flexible shoes. Foot games to develop motor skills.
• Massage feet; happy feet socks.

-How to immerse your child in healthy and safe forms of unstructured free play that enables kids to solve their own problems, control their own decisions, and follow an internal moral compass...21:09

• Preoccupation with safety has stripped our kids of independence, risk taking and discovery.
• Feel less in control of their own fate.
• Free schooling, unschooling
• Recommended books: Duct Tape Parenting, Baby Knows Best, Free Range Kids
• We're not creating perfect kids; we're creating kids who can think for themselves.

-Creative methods of exercise and fitness that make your children a part of the process...26:50

• Use your kids as weights while you workout.
• Play "follow the leader"
• Jogging strollers.

-What modern electronics can do to a child’s developing brain and body, and how you can protect a child without completely unplugging or disconnecting them from technology...29:00

• Air Tube Headset
• EMF's hazardous to children's health. Kids absorb more EMF than adults.
• We have a "stupid" home.

-How to enhance a child’s sleep cycles, decrease stress, increase relaxation and even optimize brain waves...31:15

• Have a bedtime routine.
• Kids sleep an hour less than they did 30-40 years ago.
• Lose sleep to go to school.

-Everything necessary to nurture and grow an amazing young human’s body and mind...33:45

• Your child feels your stress levels; hearts are synced.
• Measure heart rate variability (HRV)
• Quick Coherence Technique

Episode Sponsors:

-Kion Coffee 12 oz of coffee carefully selected and roasted for taste, purity, high antioxidants and health. Get 10% off your order today!

-Onnit Bookmark this link for their killer Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals!

-Omax 3 Ultra Pure fish oil supplement. Patented formula with 4X EPA to target inflammation, joint pain, & muscle recovery. Get 60% discount and free shipping using my link.

-Clearlight Sauna Jacuzzi's Advanced technology for your good health. See why Clearlight Jacuzzi Saunas are unsurpassed! Use code "ben" and get $500 off your order and a free gift.

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for me? Leave your comments at http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/superhumans and I will reply!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether you have kids, plan on having kids, or know kids, you live in a privileged era in which you have the ability to enable the kids in your life to be tiny superhumans who look, feel, think and perform like optimized human beings, and you're about to hear exactly how.

For detailed show notes, including links to resources mentioned in this episode, visit http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/superhumans.

It's been awhile since I've talked about the WHOOP self-quantification wristband.

A few things we learned in my last podcast about this unique device, entitled  "WHOOP: The Performance Enhancing Wearable That Tells You When To Sleep, How To Exercise, Your Strain Levels & More!, include:

-The key defining characteristics that set WHOOP apart, including skin conductivity, accelerometer data, and continuous HRV monitoring…

-Why WHOOP is the only company to measure the activity and fluctuations of the cardiac autonomic nervous system, particularly as it relates to recovery, training status, and training readiness…

-The actual hard data being collected by the WHOOP, and HRV, pulse oximetry, temperature, respiration, etc.)…

-Why the WHOOP uses a combination of PPG (photoplethysmography) sensors (4 LEDs and 1 Photodiode) along with 3-axis accelerometer, capacitive touch sensor, ambient temperature sensor…

-How coaches and trainers can use WHOOP to monitor the sleep, training and recovery status of a large number of athletes and clients…

-Why the WHOOP has 90% sleep/wake accuracy compared to gold-standard sleep labs…

-How the WHOOP sleep coach automatically calculates sleep needed based on your sleep baseline, any sleep debt that has accumulated over the last few nights, and any naps taken for that day…

-The technology the WHOOP uses to tell you how much sleep you need and to give you a picture of when you should go to bed based on your habitual sleep efficiency and desired wake up time…

-Why athletes like LeBron James and Michael Phelps are using the WHOOP…

And in the article The World On Your Wrist: How To Track Your Daily Strain, Recovery, Sleep & More (A Nerded Out Review Of The New WHOOP Wearable.), you got a complete user review of exactly how the WHOOP worked out when a member of my team put it through the ringer for sleep, activity, recovery and much more.

Then in the follow-up podcast "The Reebok Crossfit Games, Half-Ironman Nutrition, Elite Athlete Diets & More: A Conversation With The WHOOP Team" we discussed how Crossfit athletes have been getting a ton of value out of the WHOOP.

Today,  Will Ahmed, the Founder and CEO of WHOOP, is back. At WHOOP, Will works with professional athletes across every sports league, college athletes across every conference, Olympians and the U.S. military.

Ahmed has raised more than $50 million from top investors and has an active advisory board that consists of some of the world’s most notable cardiologists, technologists, marketers, and designers. He was named a 2011 Harvard College Scholar for finishing in the top 10% of his class and a CSA Scholar Athlete; he captained the Harvard Men’s Varsity Squash Team. Ahmed was recently named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -What a WHOOP device is, and what makes it so unique...8:00

• Unlock human performance.
• Understanding 3 core parameters about the body:
  • Strain
  • Recovery
  • Sleep
• Focus is on collecting data: 100 mb per person per day.
  • 100x more than other wearables.
  • Much more accurate understanding of the body
• Strong focus on Heart Rate Variability (measured 24/7)
• Triangulating data points.
• Recovery is the most important measurement.
• What is measured in the realm of sleep.
  • WHOOP data is comparable to PSG, considered the "gold standard" of sleep measurement.
  • Used by the NFLPA for recovery wear.

-Why there's a very dim light on the WHOOP device, and whether there's concern about it affecting quality of sleep...19:40

• Blue light stimulates the IPRGC, which tell your circadian rhythm that it's daytime.
  • Don't look at screens at night.
• WHOOP emits green light; less capable of stimulating those cells.
• If wearing correctly, you can't see the light at all.
• Light on the body of the U/V spectrum is problematic.
• Seeing light much more consequential, than light being emitted onto your skin.

-About the actual electricity, Bluetooth, wifi signaling of the WHOOP...23:20

• Two different things at work
  • Frequency
  • Power emission
• Low power emission has very little consequence, even with sustained exposure. 
• Power emission is measured by level of communication. (Cell phones are very high)
• Bluetooth have very low power emission.
• WHOOP is not constantly transmitting data; every 6 minutes.
• WiFi is extremely high power emission.
• If phone is in airplane mode, WHOOP stops transmitting data.

-The research WHOOP has been doing on meditation...32:10

• Partnering with Head Space and Arsenal on a study. (can't discuss details)
• Study involving float tanks.
  • Gives effects of sleep without sleeping.
  • Similar to a meditation session.
  • Monitoring HRV, respiratory rate, heart rate and motion
• Independent woman did a mindfulness study
  • For 3 weeks, had no mindfulness practice.
  • Then for 3 weeks, meditated 3-4 times per day.
  • HRV increased while practicing mindfulness; quality of sleep improved.

-WHOOP's work with Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces...35:45

• Worked with Army ordinance unit.
  • 40 participants
  • Half could see data; half could not.
  • Those with access to data went to bed earlier; slept later than those without access to data.
• Navy SEALS test
  • Sky dove from 14k feet into the ocean.
  • Swam 3 miles to shore
  • Ran 100 miles with 25 lb plates on their back.
  • Focus on preventing overtraining; body wasn't recovering properly.
  • By seeing data, helped with recovery.
  • When they started, averaged ~6 hrs. sleep per night; after 3 months, averaged 7.5 hrs.

-Research Will has done on stress reduction...42:30

• Stress and HRV closely related.
• Less alcohol consumption.
• No caffeine after 4 pm.
• Exercise; but don't overtrain or undertrain.
• Drink more high quality water. (minerals, sea salts, etc.)
• Dehydration plays a large role in lack of recovery.
• Mindfulness.

-The pros and cons of sleep regularity vs. sleep duration...46:45

• Harvard study performed on students showed that consistency in sleep led to higher GPA
• "Sleep coach" within the WHOOP app recommends times to go to bed and to wake up.
• Minimum viable sleep.
• WHOOP takes napping into account (sleep need)

-And much more!!! Resources from this episode:

-WHOOP (use code GREENFIELD for $30 off at checkout)

-AquaTru Mineral Drops

-Quicksilver Scientific Quintron Hypertonic Minerals

-Biohacking movie Ben mentions: Upgrade

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Will or me? Leave your comments at http://bengreenfieldfitness.com/whoop3 and one of us will reply!

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