Jim Goetz

Dr. Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

The big announcement is that our BiohackHumans website now has an Insiders Only Section. Be the first to see world class workout programs, high quality recipes, videos, how Dr. Mike Brandon lost 30 lbs in 5 days step by step and m uch much more!!!! 

 

New Theories Behind The Real Cause of Lymes Disease and Possible Natural Treatments

Jim Goetz

 

Since the 1970's in the town of Lymes, Connecticut, individuals have been coming down with a mysterious illness diagnosed as many things. The symptoms are pretty much the same. They include: fatigue, muscle pain, weakness, twitching, spasms, restless leg syndrome, mental fog, joint pain, swelling, and tingling in the extremities. (These symptoms sounds seriously like every night after my three times per day workouts).

Because of the grouping of symptoms, health officials believed they needed to find the cause of this new "disease". A few years later, an individual who had these symptoms stated they reported having a tick on them a few weeks prior to the symptoms occurring. Researchers found this specific type of tick to carry the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and "hallejuia" an answer was found (though it was based on mere observation).

Lymes has traditionally been treated by using a very large dose full spectrum anti-biotic. Patients often get better at first giving doctors the impression that the drugs are working. This is called a Herxheimer reaction. That is symptoms reverse. Now with this dose of antibiotics, your body is also losing beneficial bacteria that your body needs to function and yes, even think. Unfortunately antibiotics at times casue viruses to strengthen. In this case, this is true. 

Recently there has been some speculation that Lymes disease is also caused by other bacteria such as Bartonella or parasites such as Babesia. None of these however or Borrelia actually seem to be responsible for the actual symptoms of Lymes disease. Someone may test positive for one of these bacteria or parasites and have Lymes disease but this again may only be another observational study and the two may have nothing to do with another. This is like someone observing an individual with a cold having eaten a pizza just the day prior and no other foods. Therefore colds must be caused by pizza. This simply is not the truth. 

The symptoms of Lymes disease are the same as those who have Epstein-Barr, HHV-6 and it's varous strains. Some also test positive for cytomegalo virus. These are all viruses!!! Exactly!!!!!

Lymes disease may actually be a virus that most of us have that is actually triggered by events in life. 

All of these items in some way or another lower ones immune response. As a result, a dormant virus can take over. These possible causes include (but not limited to:

-mold

-mercury based dental mamlgam fillings

-mercury in general

-emotional events such as the loss of a loved one or traumatic event

-bites or stings

-virus enabling prescripton medications (see benzodiazepines)

-overprescribed medications

-recreational drug abuse

-overly stressful chronic situations such as finances

-lack of sleep

-poor nutrition

-chemicals in ones environment such as carpets or carpet cleaning products, paint, etc.

-runoff

-swimming (chlorine is highly toxic in pools as are red algae blooms in the ocean)

 

Some natural treatments include but are not limited to:

-thyme (kills viruses on contact). I often use this in a diffuser and breathe it in the room, especially in fall and winter. I have no proof it works but know I do not get sick often.

-lemon balm (kills co-factors of viruses). It's also naturally soothing and used in many good bed time/ relaxation formuals.

-zinc (lowers inflammation and may raise immune levels) If you put a zinc losenger in your mouth though and it tastes highly metallic, your zinc levels may already be normal and therefore risk toxicity.

-licorice root (impairs viral movement and ability to reproduce)

-L-lysine (same

Jim Goetz

Dr. Mike Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

The big announcement is that our BiohackHumans website now has an Insiders Only Section. Be the first to see world class workout programs, high quality recipes, videos, how Dr. Mike Brandon lost 30 lbs in 5 days step by step and m uch much more!!!! 

 

New Theories Behind The Real Cause of Lymes Disease and Possible Natural Treatments

Jim Goetz

 

Since the 1970's in the town of Lymes, Connecticut, individuals have been coming down with a mysterious illness diagnosed as many things. The symptoms are pretty much the same. They include: fatigue, muscle pain, weakness, twitching, spasms, restless leg syndrome, mental fog, joint pain, swelling, and tingling in the extremities. (These symptoms sounds seriously like every night after my three times per day workouts).

Because of the grouping of symptoms, health officials believed they needed to find the cause of this new "disease". A few years later, an individual who had these symptoms stated they reported having a tick on them a few weeks prior to the symptoms occurring. Researchers found this specific type of tick to carry the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and "hallejuia" an answer was found (though it was based on mere observation).

Lymes has traditionally been treated by using a very large dose full spectrum anti-biotic. Patients often get better at first giving doctors the impression that the drugs are working. This is called a Herxheimer reaction. That is symptoms reverse. Now with this dose of antibiotics, your body is also losing beneficial bacteria that your body needs to function and yes, even think. Unfortunately antibiotics at times casue viruses to strengthen. In this case, this is true. 

Recently there has been some speculation that Lymes disease is also caused by other bacteria such as Bartonella or parasites such as Babesia. None of these however or Borrelia actually seem to be responsible for the actual symptoms of Lymes disease. Someone may test positive for one of these bacteria or parasites and have Lymes disease but this again may only be another observational study and the two may have nothing to do with another. This is like someone observing an individual with a cold having eaten a pizza just the day prior and no other foods. Therefore colds must be caused by pizza. This simply is not the truth. 

The symptoms of Lymes disease are the same as those who have Epstein-Barr, HHV-6 and it's varous strains. Some also test positive for cytomegalo virus. These are all viruses!!! Exactly!!!!!

Lymes disease may actually be a virus that most of us have that is actually triggered by events in life. 

All of these items in some way or another lower ones immune response. As a result, a dormant virus can take over. These possible causes include (but not limited to:

-mold

-mercury based dental mamlgam fillings

-mercury in general

-emotional events such as the loss of a loved one or traumatic event

-bites or stings

-virus enabling prescripton medications (see benzodiazepines)

-overprescribed medications

-recreational drug abuse

-overly stressful chronic situations such as finances

-lack of sleep

-poor nutrition

-chemicals in ones environment such as carpets or carpet cleaning products, paint, etc.

-runoff

-swimming (chlorine is highly toxic in pools as are red algae blooms in the ocean)

 

Some natural treatments include but are not limited to:

-thyme (kills viruses on contact). I often use this in a diffuser and breathe it in the room, especially in fall and winter. I have no proof it works but know I do not get sick often.

-lemon balm (kills co-factors of viruses). It's also naturally soothing and used in many good bed time/ relaxation formuals.

-zinc (lowers inflammation and may raise immune levels) If you put a zinc losenger in your mouth though and it tastes highly metallic, your zinc levels may already be normal and therefore risk toxicity.

-licorice root (impairs viral movement and ability to reproduce)

-L-lysine (same as licorice root). However, L-lysine is used during herpes outbreaks as it appears to be directly inverse to L-Arginine, a vasodialator. L- Arginine and foods containing this amino acid are to be avoided during times of outbreaks.

-Lomatium root (removes pathogens from the body).

-reishi mushrooms (increases lymphocytes, and neutrophils, which are white blood cells responsible for immune function).

-silver hydrosol (kills viruses on contact)

-astaxanthin (restores neurological function) This is found in krill supplements and Green Vibrance. Both area a staple in the diet of the madscientist himself.

-nascent iodine (strengthens the encocrine system)

 

Swing Away Depression and Anxiety

Dr. Mike Brandon

Jumping on a trampoline, swinging in the park, running in circles, and rolling down hills may sound like a day's summer schedule for a child, but what about as a way to help combat depression, anxiety, and memory deficits in us all.Our body's vestibular system is what helps us with our balance and equilibrium and allows us to do things like walking and standing upright, standing on one leg, walk across a tight rope etc. The majority of this system is small structures buried within our ears which works with our eyes and specific regions of our brain. It gets strengthened via body and head movements like rolling, jumping, spinning, and so forth. We rarely think about it unless there's an issue like becoming dizzy or losing balance, but clearly this system is important for us. Could you imagine trying to go through a day without being able to walk 10 feet without falling to the side?Science has found however that having a healthy balancing system may also help with stress, anxiety and depression. It appears that having vestibular dysfunction, like dizziness or vertigo, can cause increased anxiety and stress, and even the reverse with having excess stress or anxiety disorders could cause dizziness or vertigo. So clearly they are related, but why does that matter?​

There was a study that took college students and gave them “swing time” every day, meaning they literally went to a park, sat on a swing and swung back and forth for a while. This caused all participants to have a positive change on their emotional state with depression, stress, and anxiety.

This led me to think about children and the importance of recess. Its been over the news the past few years when it was shown that increased play time increased academic performance. This could be a big part as to why. Children's brains are still developing, so having kids “just be kids” and run, roll, and jump, is quite important so they have a better chance at staying happy and coping with the stress that inevitably arises in life. Currently, kids don't play as much as they used to due to tv, video games, and similar activities, so their vestibular system which is linked to strong emotional control and satisfaction may not get fully developed.

Add to that then how most of us as adults live rather sedentary lives and sit most of the day, so we aren't strengthening our equilibrium and balance systems either. The good news is, that it appears that even as adults we can help ourselves by “just being a kid”. So maybe I wouldn't advice grandpa to go hop on a merry-go-round or start doing flips on the trampoline, but gently rocking in a chair or standing on a wobble board for a while may help his occasional panic attacks or make him smile a bit more. It shouldn't be surprising then that most people enjoy things such as swinging and spinning. Everybody wants to stay young, and though we have yet to biohack a secret for that, there's clearly benefits by following a child's example in this case. So go make yourself a little dizzy, a little happy, and as always, BioHack on!

 

References:Dalton, S. (2016, May 11). Youth Fitness: Exercise Helps Children Excel in School. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from http://www.healthline.com/health/youth-fitness-exercise-helps-children-excel-school#5Eisenbarth, C. A. (2013). Influence of Optimism on Appraised Stress, Depression, and Anxiety Among College Students. Journal of Psychology Research, 3(6), 295-297. doi:10.17265/2159-5542/2013.06.003 Gurvich C., Maller J. J., Lithgow B., Haghgooie S., Kulkarni J. (2013, in press). Vestibular insights into cognition and psychiatry. Brain Res. [Epub ahead of print]. 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.08.058 Halberstadt A. L., Balaban C. D. (2006). Serotonergic and nonserotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus send collateralized projections to both the vestibular nuclei and the central amygdaloid nucleus. Neuroscience 140, 1067–1077 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2006.02.053 Mukkadan, J., Rajagopalan, A., Jinu, K., Sailesh, K., Mishra, S., & Reddy, U. (2017). Understanding the links between vestibular and limbic systems regulating emotions. Journal of Natural Science, Biology and Medicine, 8(1), 11. doi:10.4103/0976-9668.198350 Smith, P. F., & Darlington, C. L. (2013). Personality changes in patients with vestibular dysfunction. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2013.00678 

 

biohackhumans.com

 

Find us:

Instagram (@biohackhumans) 

Facebook (@biohackhumans)

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Jim Goetz

Chantea Goetz

Dr. Michael Brandon

 

After our usual disclaimers, we discuss the wonderful services offered at Functionised Integrative Therapeutics (F.I.T.). To relieve pain and become healther from a genetic level, visit Functionised Integrative Therapeutics and make an appointment TODAY!!!

 

Biohacking Flat Feet

By Dr. Michael Brandon

 

In general, people love shoes, and it's evident by the number of pairs that we have in our closets and the price we pay for them. We make our choices of which shoe to buy based on the brand, features they may have, and even simply just how they look. Unfortunately the reasons why we pick out a specific pair, many times are also the exact reasons that we shouldn't be wearing them.

 

There has been a plethora of research out recently showing the benefits of slipping off the shoes and walking around barefoot, especially outside. Being barefoot regularly improves our gait and foot kinematics, and well as strengthens and prevents damage to all of our joints, not just in the lower extremity. Firstly, it's well known that flat hard surfaces aren't the best for us, and most of us can go all day without ever even touching the ground. We go from our home's floors, to the side walk, pavement, and then more hard floors at work. Let alone the fact that our shoes, are still just hard flat surfaces! The ground isn't flat, and it has a spongy give to it that makes us use the intrinsic muscle of the foot to stabilize as we move.

 

Then, when we are barefoot, our feet get to feel and be aware of the environment to help with balance and decrease the risk of injuries like ankle sprains; this is called proprioception. It's also been shown that as we age, our feet anatomically and functionally change shape compared to habitual barefooters. Shoes confide our feet into small areas and constrict the movement, especially laterally, of the tarsals and metatarsals.

 

Most running shoes brag about having a thick sole and heel for comfort, and this as well has been shown to create a negative impact. A big difference in running between barefooters and those who routinely wear shoes, is that when we run, shoe runners have a predominate heel strike, that is landing with their heels, where as barefooters tend to land with their forefoot. The issue here is that with heel striking, there is a 7x increase in the impact on the foot, and that is with the cushioned sole. The thick sole actually promotes heel strike, so though it may be more comfortable, its causing more damage of the lower extremity. Barefooters have a much lighter impact while running with forefoot strike because now the calf and lower leg is used as a shock absorber and uses that to propel us forward as opposed to taking the impact in the inch thick sole, ankle, and mid foot which can damage the medial longitudinal arch and promote a “flat foot” as well as increase the impact of the knee, hips, and low back.

 

Something interesting is that those who typical don't wear shoes, keep that decreased impact even on hard surfaces. So the myth that hard surfaces are bad, isn't as true as first thought; it all depends on the kinetics of your gait.

 

Though just walking and running around barefoot can help increase the strength of the foot, there's a quick 5 minute exercise protocal that can be done which has been shown to strengthen the feet, and help to both prevent and heal issues such as ankle sprains, shin splints, and flat feet. Below is a case study that was performed on these 6 foot drills.

 

Hello Biohacker Nation! Today is all about the foot. Roughly 1 out of 3 of us have at least 1 flat foot and it's believed that it can lower balance ability and increase the likelihood of various injuries like ankle sprains, knee, hip, and back pain.We ran into the lab to see if we could biohack a way to a less flat foot using a few simple drills that was taught to me by Dr. Russ Ebbets, D.C.

 

They were done every day for 1 month, bare foot in the grass

Jim Goetz

Chantea Goetz

Dr. Michael Brandon

 

After our usual disclaimers, we discuss the wonderful services offered at Functionised Integrative Therapeutics (F.I.T.). To relieve pain and become healther from a genetic level, visit Functionised Integrative Therapeutics and make an appointment TODAY!!!

 

Biohacking Flat Feet

By Dr. Michael Brandon

 

In general, people love shoes, and it's evident by the number of pairs that we have in our closets and the price we pay for them. We make our choices of which shoe to buy based on the brand, features they may have, and even simply just how they look. Unfortunately the reasons why we pick out a specific pair, many times are also the exact reasons that we shouldn't be wearing them.

 

There has been a plethora of research out recently showing the benefits of slipping off the shoes and walking around barefoot, especially outside. Being barefoot regularly improves our gait and foot kinematics, and well as strengthens and prevents damage to all of our joints, not just in the lower extremity. Firstly, it's well known that flat hard surfaces aren't the best for us, and most of us can go all day without ever even touching the ground. We go from our home's floors, to the side walk, pavement, and then more hard floors at work. Let alone the fact that our shoes, are still just hard flat surfaces! The ground isn't flat, and it has a spongy give to it that makes us use the intrinsic muscle of the foot to stabilize as we move.

 

Then, when we are barefoot, our feet get to feel and be aware of the environment to help with balance and decrease the risk of injuries like ankle sprains; this is called proprioception. It's also been shown that as we age, our feet anatomically and functionally change shape compared to habitual barefooters. Shoes confide our feet into small areas and constrict the movement, especially laterally, of the tarsals and metatarsals.

 

Most running shoes brag about having a thick sole and heel for comfort, and this as well has been shown to create a negative impact. A big difference in running between barefooters and those who routinely wear shoes, is that when we run, shoe runners have a predominate heel strike, that is landing with their heels, where as barefooters tend to land with their forefoot. The issue here is that with heel striking, there is a 7x increase in the impact on the foot, and that is with the cushioned sole. The thick sole actually promotes heel strike, so though it may be more comfortable, its causing more damage of the lower extremity. Barefooters have a much lighter impact while running with forefoot strike because now the calf and lower leg is used as a shock absorber and uses that to propel us forward as opposed to taking the impact in the inch thick sole, ankle, and mid foot which can damage the medial longitudinal arch and promote a “flat foot” as well as increase the impact of the knee, hips, and low back.

 

Something interesting is that those who typical don't wear shoes, keep that decreased impact even on hard surfaces. So the myth that hard surfaces are bad, isn't as true as first thought; it all depends on the kinetics of your gait.

 

Though just walking and running around barefoot can help increase the strength of the foot, there's a quick 5 minute exercise protocal that can be done which has been shown to strengthen the feet, and help to both prevent and heal issues such as ankle sprains, shin splints, and flat feet. Below is a case study that was performed on these 6 foot drills.

 

Hello Biohacker Nation! Today is all about the foot. Roughly 1 out of 3 of us have at least 1 flat foot and it's believed that it can lower balance ability and increase the likelihood of various injuries like ankle sprains, knee, hip, and back pain.We ran into the lab to see if we could biohack a way to a less flat foot using a few simple drills that was taught to me by Dr. Russ Ebbets, D.C.

 

They were done every day for 1 month, bare foot in the grass and doing all 6 of them took roughly 4 minutes each day. They are meant to strengthen the foot to rebuild the fallen medial longintudinal arch which is characterisitc of flat feet (also known as Pes Planus).These foot drills consist of simply walking up to 80ft 6 times with slightly different foot positions on each pass.The foot positions are walking: 1) on your heels 2) on your toes 3) on the onside edge of the foot (Inverted) 4) on the inside edge (everted) 5) with toes pointing inward 6) toes pointing outwardHere is a quick sample of what they look like when done while marching in place:

 

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE AT BIOHACKHUMANS.COM

So what do these results mean?With my case study, both of my feet became slightly less pronated after the drills with the right one having a larger change. The 2 of them equalizing by the end of the study at 24 degrees. Good start, but the evidence on the importance of this mild at best, but there was a change noted. By week 3 I could feel while walking that the right foot was turned in more (less pronated and more supinated), so the measurement change was no large surprise.With the Navicular drop test, the avergae person has the bone drop by about 0.6cm and most literature on the topic agrees that 1cm or more of a drop declares a flat foot. My results show that both feet had a positive change by 0.3 cm and the left foot even dropped below the 1cm mark showing a significant change for both feet.Next, the foot pressure evaluation. What we are looking for is to have no areas of high pressure (dark red) showing that it is evenly distributed across the foot. With a “perfect” foot, weight should be evenly distributed from the heel, to the whole outside edge until it gets to the “knuckles” or balls of the toes with no high pressure areas seen. The post foot drill scan showed a change heavily into that desired weight pattern.So what does all of this mean? Did I fix my flat feet? Not completely, but all signs show that both of my feet noticeably improved, and again, this was only done for 1 month. What if this is done for 3 months straight? 6 months? A full year? If someone is trying to increase their bench press, they never stop after one month, but expect a strength change by then, and that is precisely what these drills have done for my feet.This appears to be a good way to strengthen the foot and rebuild the fallen arch, instead of just constantly wearing orthotics for the rest of one's life.​So final thoughts? These foot drills were fast, easy, free, and work! I liked them before and now that I began to see results in such a short period of time, I think they're a fantastic way to help one's foot health. I plan to continue these drills indefinetly and BioHack my feet literally 1 step at a time

“Flat Feet More Common Than You Might Think.” Cbslocal.com, 2013, baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/06/13/flat-feet-more-common-than-you-might-think/.What Are Fallen Arches? (n.d.). Retrieved August 23, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-are-fallen-arches#1 Winter, Gregor, and About Gregor WinterHi, I run ATG.Follow me on instagram @gregorwinter (and ATG @atginsta). “Russ Ebbets Foot Drills to Fix Flat Feet.” All Things Gym, 17 Feb. 2013, www.allthingsgym.com/russ-ebbets-foot-drills-to-fix-flat-feet/. Zhai, Jun Na, et al. “Effects of Orthotic Insoles on Adults with Flexible Flatfoot under Different Walking Conditions.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, vol. 28, no. 11, 2016, pp. 3078–3083., doi:10.1589/jpts.28.3078. 

Biohacking Crossfit

By: Jim Goetz​Having the title, "Fittest on Earth" is straight up awesome!!! Being the best at anything on this planet is awesome! Being the fastest on earth is pretty cool. Being the strongest on earth is also cool. But cross fit is a sport that is a combination of the biggest, fastest and strongest all into one. Cross Fit is a sport that measures pure athletic ability. It is athletic ability at it's most raw state. To be the top baseball player in the world, you have to spend countless hours honing your talent and skills to be able to pick up a ball, react to it's movement and future location and move the bat swift and powerful through that path of the ball. It's a learned skill. Cross fit is simply pure and unadulterated athleticism.What does Cross Fit have to do with BioHacking? Everything!!! As seen in our article on exercise, it's now common knowledge that humans were meant to move. We were hunters and gatherers turned sedentary by our own technology and laze. In order to unlock the utmost in human performance, we must move. Cross fit is movement. Doing it properly will enhance long term ability of movement and health. Doing it improperly will assure injury and poor daily performance.Perhaps the greatest Cross Fit athlete to date has been Rich Froning. He won the Reebok Cross Fit games in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 and then retired from the open competition and won the team competition in 2015 and 2016. He could be considered the Babe Ruth of Cross Fit. He says that he does not adhere to any strict nutrition regimen and works out multiple times per day. On the surface, it makes him appear to be some alien or someone on insane amounts of HGH or steroids. While allegations in the sport are rampant, I do not think the latter is entirely the case. How then does he not burnout if he participates in multiple workouts daily?Cross Fit incorporates multiple elements of training from high intensity interval training (HIIT), Olympic lifting, plyometrics, powerlifting, gymnastics, girevoy, calisthenics, strongman elements, swimming, and middle distance runs. It literally incorporates the training elements of all sports and combines them into one. But training for Cross Fit competitions must be done in a manner that allows the competitor to be at their strongest and not fatigued or broken down in any way. ​A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research entitled "Crossfit-based high intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition" followed 54 participants for 10 weeks of CrossFit training. The study said that "...a notable percentage of our subjects (16%) did not complete the training program and return for follow-up testing." The authors said "This may call into question the risk-benefit ratio for such extreme training programs..." This study resulted in a lawsuit by Cross Fit against the NSCA, to which this article and company will not touch with a ten foot pole. The purpose of mentioning this is the idea of overtraining as could easily occur in Cross Fit's WOD (workout of the day) without any variation would appear that burnout could easily happen. Even worse, the disease of rhabdomylosis is present within the sport. This is the breakdown of muscle tissue due to exercise exertion. Remember that most studies show positive benefits of exercise are achieved through moderate exercise. Cross Fit is a tad bit more than moderate. On the positive side, Cross Fit has been proven to lead to dramatic gains in fitness in a very short period of time. So let's take a BioHacker's perspective to this sport to be the fittest you can be and perhaps for one of the few of you, the Fittest on Earth. First, we must avoid injury. Second we must perform to the highest of our ability while training the body to adapt to changes in exercises while simultaneously experiencing gains whereas the result is an increase in athletic strength and conditioning. In order to achieve this we must ensure adequate rest, recovery and proper adaptation to the program we participate in. The human body is extremely resilient in how it adapts. The body will adapt to the stresses put upon it. Repetitive and reasonably intense stimulation strengthens the nerve impulse to the muscles involved, creating greater muscular strength and endurance. However, I did say, "reasonably intense". If the stress is too much and too fast, the body will break down resulting in injury. Another concept to become successful in Cross Fit is practice. Movements such as Olympic lifting, muscle ups, kip up pull ups, rope climbs and the such take coordination and skill. The Hebbian theory is a neuroscience theory that is best summarized by Siegrid Löwel's phrase: "Cells that fire together, wire together." Yes, perfect practice makes perfect.

In order to continue to progress while as the same time rest, it's best to follow a technique called, Periodization, as written about by Tudor Bompa. This technique "mixes it up" while allowing an athlete to peak at the right time. As with Cross Fit one may have to peak over the course of a few days; proper implementation of this will allow for success. As there are multiple types of periodization (linear, daily undulating and block), using the right one  or a combination thereof is crucial. This will allow for increases in performance while allowing the body to rest and recover. Working with a highly trained strength and conditioning coach who is fluent in this is suggested. Nutrition is key to recovery as well. Without the right ratio of nutrients, the body cannot properly recover and improve. I will get more into this in what will most likely be future BioHacker Talk entries. If done right, Cross Fit can be a fun and enjoyable way to challenge yourself and achieve new heights of fitness. If done wrong, it can be a miserable way to the hospital.

BioHacking is more than simply taking a pill for a specific purpose and hoping for a biophysiological change. BioHacking is habits and ways of doing things differently than you have done before. Following the proper principles and progressing properly along with adequate rest and nutrition are key to your biohacking success. Who knows, perhaps you may be the next one to be recognized as, "Fittest on Earth". ​​#BioHackHumans #BioHacker #edtech #BioHackthePlanet #crossfit #sixpack #fitness #training #playground

 

References1. Muscle & Fitness magazine Live Chat with CrossFit Games Champ Rich Froning2.  Dehority, Sam. "The Fittest Man on Earth". Men's Fitness. Retrieved 21 April 20173. Smith, MM, Sommer, AJ, Starkoff, BE, and Devor, ST. Crossfit-based high-intensity power training improves maximal aerobic fitness and body composition. J Strength Cond Res 27(11): 3159 –3172, 20134. Robertson, Eric (2013-09-20). "CrossFit's Dirty Little Secret: Everyone has an uncle they'd rather you not meet., A Tale of Rhabdomyolysis, Rhabdomyolysis: As Told By CrossFit?, The Impact of Rhabdomyolysis". Medium. 5. The disease attacking super fit athletes. Stuff6. CrossFit: Can the Popular Extreme Workout Be Dangerous?. ABC News.7. Hebb, D.O. (1949). The Organization of Behavior. New York: Wiley & Sons8. Löwel, S. and Singer, W. (1992) Science 255 

 

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Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon, DC

Chantea Goetz

Introduction

This episoide is a very special episode as we discuss not only carb cycling and whether this does or does not improve performance and fat loss and how it may be done but also how UFC fighters can drop three weight classes in just five days.

As some extreme events have occurred in order to bring you this podcast, we do tell you not to every try or think of trying this on your own. It's pretty dumb and may cause health problems or even death. Dr. Michael Brandon was under direct one on one medical supervision for the duration of his experiement. 

Carbohydrate Cycling

The keto diet involves getting the majority of your calories from fat, some protein, and very few (5% or less) from carbohydrates. There are modifications to the full keto diet, including carb cycling and overall increased carbohydrates. However, in reality these modifications are not a real and true ketogenic diet. One will not garner the benefits of a ketogenic diet by having days of high carbohydrate intake. 

Although most people are in it for the weight loss, science shows keto has a ton of other benefits, like lowering inflammation, imroving cognitive function, and keeping siety in check.

While your body is shifting from burning sugar and carbs to burning fat for fuel, you experience a range of symptoms for a few days up to two weeks, called “keto flu.”  While this may be improved by the consumption of exogenous ketones, it should level out. 

Based on the extensive research of Dr. Michael Brandon and Jim Goetz (the biohackers), no reliable peer reviewed evidence exists showing any benefit of a carbohydrate infused ketogenic diet. Once high amounts of carbohydrates are introduced back into the body, one no longer operates on ketones but glucose. One will no longer benefit from a keto diet. 

If takes up to a week to get into full ketosis. By having varying days of carbohydrates throughout the week, the entire idea of a keto diet is pretty worthless.

When it comes to performance, the madsicentist himself noticed a 50 lb decrease in his deadlifts by using carbohydrates for the first time in almost three years. 

Websites and so called experts write many articles that appear well reasearched and "smart" when it comes to carb cycling. However, in reality, there is no real research and everything written and stated on other podcasts are purely subjective. 

If one decides to life a ketogenic lifestyle; it is a commitment to this lifestyle and truly changing ones physiological responses for life.

UFC Weight Cutting

There are times when mixed martial artists are injured before a championship fight. In order to ensure the pay per view buys, the UFC (or other MMA promotion) will have another fighter step in. To step in on a championship fight, the fighter must make weight to qualify to earn a belt. As a result, they may have to drop significant amounts of weight in order to accomplish this.

Dr. Michael Brandon decided to put this to the test and accomplish a 30 lb weight drop in two weeks. In reality, this weight was actuall dropped in just 5 days.

To begin, Dr. Michael Brandon was put through a modified Cross Fit Open 18.2 and 18.2 a baseline workout. He completed the initial workout in 7:52 and did a deadlift (as opposed to the power clean) of 335 lbs.

Two hours after the weight cut (as opposed to the next day as done in the UFC and other MMA promotions such as Bellator), Dr. Michael Brandon did the exact same workout in 8:04. While his time was slightly slower, his deadlift was 375. It was interesting of his increased deadlift as Dr. Mike has not practiced deadlifting or even work on any accessory deadlift movements such as bent rows, good mornings, hyperextensions or Romanian Deadlifts. 

Read specifically how Dr. Michael Brandon DC completed this extreme weight cut and his thoughts by visiting our website at Biohackhumans.

 

biohackhumans.com

 

Find us:

Instagram (@biohackhumans) 

Facebook (@biohackhum

Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon, DC

Chantea Goetz

Introduction

This episoide is a very special episode as we discuss not only carb cycling and whether this does or does not improve performance and fat loss and how it may be done but also how UFC fighters can drop three weight classes in just five days.

As some extreme events have occurred in order to bring you this podcast, we do tell you not to every try or think of trying this on your own. It's pretty dumb and may cause health problems or even death. Dr. Michael Brandon was under direct one on one medical supervision for the duration of his experiement. 

Carbohydrate Cycling

The keto diet involves getting the majority of your calories from fat, some protein, and very few (5% or less) from carbohydrates. There are modifications to the full keto diet, including carb cycling and overall increased carbohydrates. However, in reality these modifications are not a real and true ketogenic diet. One will not garner the benefits of a ketogenic diet by having days of high carbohydrate intake. 

Although most people are in it for the weight loss, science shows keto has a ton of other benefits, like lowering inflammation, imroving cognitive function, and keeping siety in check.

While your body is shifting from burning sugar and carbs to burning fat for fuel, you experience a range of symptoms for a few days up to two weeks, called “keto flu.”  While this may be improved by the consumption of exogenous ketones, it should level out. 

Based on the extensive research of Dr. Michael Brandon and Jim Goetz (the biohackers), no reliable peer reviewed evidence exists showing any benefit of a carbohydrate infused ketogenic diet. Once high amounts of carbohydrates are introduced back into the body, one no longer operates on ketones but glucose. One will no longer benefit from a keto diet. 

If takes up to a week to get into full ketosis. By having varying days of carbohydrates throughout the week, the entire idea of a keto diet is pretty worthless.

When it comes to performance, the madsicentist himself noticed a 50 lb decrease in his deadlifts by using carbohydrates for the first time in almost three years. 

Websites and so called experts write many articles that appear well reasearched and "smart" when it comes to carb cycling. However, in reality, there is no real research and everything written and stated on other podcasts are purely subjective. 

If one decides to life a ketogenic lifestyle; it is a commitment to this lifestyle and truly changing ones physiological responses for life.

UFC Weight Cutting

There are times when mixed martial artists are injured before a championship fight. In order to ensure the pay per view buys, the UFC (or other MMA promotion) will have another fighter step in. To step in on a championship fight, the fighter must make weight to qualify to earn a belt. As a result, they may have to drop significant amounts of weight in order to accomplish this.

Dr. Michael Brandon decided to put this to the test and accomplish a 30 lb weight drop in two weeks. In reality, this weight was actuall dropped in just 5 days.

To begin, Dr. Michael Brandon was put through a modified Cross Fit Open 18.2 and 18.2 a baseline workout. He completed the initial workout in 7:52 and did a deadlift (as opposed to the power clean) of 335 lbs.

Two hours after the weight cut (as opposed to the next day as done in the UFC and other MMA promotions such as Bellator), Dr. Michael Brandon did the exact same workout in 8:04. While his time was slightly slower, his deadlift was 375. It was interesting of his increased deadlift as Dr. Mike has not practiced deadlifting or even work on any accessory deadlift movements such as bent rows, good mornings, hyperextensions or Romanian Deadlifts. 

Read specifically how Dr. Michael Brandon DC completed this extreme weight cut and his thoughts by visiting our website at Biohackhumans.

 

biohackhumans.com

 

Find us:

Instagram (@biohackhumans) 

Facebook (@biohackhumans)

Twitter (@biohackhumans)

Tumblr (@biohackhumans)

 

Contact Us: [email protected]

Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

We are joined by special guest Dane Cuccinello (Great Dane) to discuss night time eating, acid reflux and answer some questions on sugar alcohols.

We begin as the Mad Scientist, Jim Goetz fills us in on how both diet and timing of what and how much we eat can cause acid reflux, and he shares his woes of what prompted him into addressing this issue. We delve into possible natural and easy remedies to help offset the burning and other symptoms that are related to stomach acid imbalances.It's overall touted that we want to eat more in the morning and less at night. There's a phrase that states eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. In general this appears to hold true, though there are a few exceptions as always, but the bigger question is, why? Why shouldn't we eat large meals at night as opposed to the morning? Usually I've been told it's because we burn most of our calories during the day so on facial value that makes sense, but once we digest, our bodies store the food as fat, so it's all there none-the-less as calories to burn. So is there a real advantage to eating earlier in the day?There have been multiple studies done inquiring this exact information. One study took 2 groups of people, gave both groups identical meals each day for 3 months. They had 1 large meal at 700kcal, 1 small meal at 200kcal, and then the last was 500kcal; breakfast was 9am, lunch was 1pm, and dinner 6pm. The only difference between the 2 groups was that half of them had the 700kcal meal for breakfast and 200kcal for diner, and the other group had the opposite. A few things were found, mostly in favor of the large breakfast group. The average weight loss over the 12 weeks tripled for the large breakfast group over the large dinner squad (9lbs and 3lbs respectively). The large breakfast group also had decreased fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance scores, which all can contribute to weight loss and preventing/assisting to treat some conditions such as type 2 diabetes.PennState University did a large study to delve into this topic further to see more benefits of front loading calories. They found similar results as above, but also found that larger evening meals raised total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, slowed down fat metabolism, increased the desire for sugary foods, and slowed down gastric emptying which can lead to constipationDiet induced thermogensis, which we talked briefly about in a previous podcast about brown fat, is simply how many calories we burn off as heat as opposed to mechanical energy to make us move, think, etc. If we can burn more kcal off as heat from sitting around, why wouldn't we desire this? Eating food after 8pm, shows to decrease this thermogensis, so more food gets stored as fat of burning off as heat. The idea of timing what you eat for specific results is known as circadian rhythm eating. The circadian rhythm also plays a factor in satiety as well with people feeling fuller longer when eating more in the morning/daytime, which is known as front loading calories. If one isn't as full for as long, they are more likely to take another snack before bed, with an increased chance of choosing a high carb snack, which will turn into more total calories and sugar which could be easily avoided. On a less physiological stand point, but still important, is it's affects on sleep quality. Many studies have suggested that eating food late at night increases the chance of having nightmares which obviously disturbs sleep, increases morning anxiety, and lowers the overall quality of the sleep that is gotten. This occurs because the boost of metabolic activity from late eating causes more REM sleep activity. Mix this with the increased internal anxiety, and nightmares can develop. This appears to be more severe with sugary foods, but can occur with fat or protein based foods as well.Also a common issue with sugar at night, is it's a

Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

We are joined by special guest Dane Cuccinello (Great Dane) to discuss night time eating, acid reflux and answer some questions on sugar alcohols.

We begin as the Mad Scientist, Jim Goetz fills us in on how both diet and timing of what and how much we eat can cause acid reflux, and he shares his woes of what prompted him into addressing this issue. We delve into possible natural and easy remedies to help offset the burning and other symptoms that are related to stomach acid imbalances.It's overall touted that we want to eat more in the morning and less at night. There's a phrase that states eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper. In general this appears to hold true, though there are a few exceptions as always, but the bigger question is, why? Why shouldn't we eat large meals at night as opposed to the morning? Usually I've been told it's because we burn most of our calories during the day so on facial value that makes sense, but once we digest, our bodies store the food as fat, so it's all there none-the-less as calories to burn. So is there a real advantage to eating earlier in the day?There have been multiple studies done inquiring this exact information. One study took 2 groups of people, gave both groups identical meals each day for 3 months. They had 1 large meal at 700kcal, 1 small meal at 200kcal, and then the last was 500kcal; breakfast was 9am, lunch was 1pm, and dinner 6pm. The only difference between the 2 groups was that half of them had the 700kcal meal for breakfast and 200kcal for diner, and the other group had the opposite. A few things were found, mostly in favor of the large breakfast group. The average weight loss over the 12 weeks tripled for the large breakfast group over the large dinner squad (9lbs and 3lbs respectively). The large breakfast group also had decreased fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance scores, which all can contribute to weight loss and preventing/assisting to treat some conditions such as type 2 diabetes.PennState University did a large study to delve into this topic further to see more benefits of front loading calories. They found similar results as above, but also found that larger evening meals raised total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, slowed down fat metabolism, increased the desire for sugary foods, and slowed down gastric emptying which can lead to constipationDiet induced thermogensis, which we talked briefly about in a previous podcast about brown fat, is simply how many calories we burn off as heat as opposed to mechanical energy to make us move, think, etc. If we can burn more kcal off as heat from sitting around, why wouldn't we desire this? Eating food after 8pm, shows to decrease this thermogensis, so more food gets stored as fat of burning off as heat. The idea of timing what you eat for specific results is known as circadian rhythm eating. The circadian rhythm also plays a factor in satiety as well with people feeling fuller longer when eating more in the morning/daytime, which is known as front loading calories. If one isn't as full for as long, they are more likely to take another snack before bed, with an increased chance of choosing a high carb snack, which will turn into more total calories and sugar which could be easily avoided. On a less physiological stand point, but still important, is it's affects on sleep quality. Many studies have suggested that eating food late at night increases the chance of having nightmares which obviously disturbs sleep, increases morning anxiety, and lowers the overall quality of the sleep that is gotten. This occurs because the boost of metabolic activity from late eating causes more REM sleep activity. Mix this with the increased internal anxiety, and nightmares can develop. This appears to be more severe with sugary foods, but can occur with fat or protein based foods as well.Also a common issue with sugar at night, is it's affects on insulin, cortisol, and ultimately our sleep. This occurs more with diabetics or anyone in a hypoglycemic state at night, which is very common and is indicated by a sweet tooth in the evening. Typically cortisol slowly raises throughout the night and it helps to break down sugar in our body for all visceral functions in our sleep. People who have erratic blood sugar, which is far more than just those diagnosed with type 2 DM, don't have enough cortisol stored up in the adrenal glands to release the sugar we require. For this reason, our adrenals than release epinephrine/norepineprhine (adrenaline) to release glucose instead. This activates our fight or flight response, and causes us to wake in the middle of the night around 3 or 4am, and/or wakes anxious and nauseous in the morning.There are some methods however that allows you to eat at night without major repercussions, as well as a few possible benefits depending on how much and what precisely you eat. Firstly, previously mentioned adverse effects of delayed eating is minimized if it is under 150kcal, if it's 1 macronutrient instead of mixed meals. So having a tablespoon of butter would affect you less than buttered toast due to the carb and fat combo. However, it has been shown that if you exercise at night either before or after the snack, this can help negate the negative side effects.. This appears to be more significant for those that are obese.For those that just have a knack for a midnight snack, there are some potential benefits depending on what you eat, how much, and who you are. For example, active males who ate 1 macro nutrient within 30 minutes of bed under 200kcal (whey protein, bread, etc) actually had an increased in metabolism in the morning, but this didn't appear to hold true for elderly, diabetics, or overweight men. Another group is overweight and obese adults who ate whole grain cereal with skim milk 90 minutes before bed (totaling 190kcal) had decreased body weight after 1 month compared to no pre-bed snack. An interesting side note, is that it appears that if these late night snack were liquid based (whey protein shake compared to protein bar), the positive effects were slightly enhanced.   

 

biohackhumans.com

 

Find us:

Instagram (@biohackhumans) 

Facebook (@biohackhumans)

Twitter (@biohackhumans)

Tumblr (@biohackhumans)

 

Contact Us: [email protected]

Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

This episode was recorded from our brand new studio at Functionised Integrative Therapeutics (FIT) (Get #functionised) in Colts Neck, New Jersey. We want to thank FIT for allowing us to use their facility for this and future podcasts. We look forward to a very healthy and productive relationship with their world class staff.

Gyms are often though to be a place to achieve prime health. With the proper goals, plan and accountability, this is quite possible. Unfortunately, 95% of people will fail at their goals and 100% of the 95% believe that they are different than others. They will assuradely achieve their goals without having any actual goals or any aclue in what they are doing.

What is even crazier, is the dangrous conditions that exist int he first place. Flooring and equipment often have PCB's emitted that is a high toxin. Combine that with excedd carbon dioxide emitted from heavier breathing and the air becomes quite unhealthy. Many gyms do not have proper ventalation causing severe respiratory problems for members. Solutions are large fans, HEPA filters and plants.

Many gyms now have smothie bars, which is seen as a healthy thing. The amounts of protein and sugar often added to these smoothies is no better than having a banana split from Baskin Robins after ones workout. Even the protein bars are often no better than glorified candy bars with added protein. It is counter productive to put in such an effort at the gym only to pour sludge back into your body.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is being touted at the most efficient way to train due to the shortened duration of exercise. The unfortunate part of this is that most novice fitness enthusiasts are in no condition to put forth such a hard effort that often utilizes ballistic movements. To truly adhere to HIIT, one must raise their heart rate to 90% of their max for a short period and then allow it to go back to resting. The efforts one must put forth in order to do this should be monitored (which most do not) and adhered to (which most do not). HIIT training has indeed been shown to be of benefit to many. One must understand what they are doing though to not only train optimally but to avoid injury.

Classes such as spin abuse equipment leading to injury. Push ups on a bike for instance put a strain on the equipment, which can beak and cause injury to the participant. I have seen it happen and it coudl be avoidable. 

Controversey often exists over machines as the novice flocks to machines. This is due to the fact that machiens appear simple to use. There are picutres and the machines move in only one plane of motion Unfortunately they move in only one plane of motion. Repeated movements such as this lead to a decreased range of motion, a build up of fibrotic tissue and ultimately injury. Proprioception is in no way developed and an individual ultimately will decline in their potential. 

Some may say that machines are better than using nothing. That is like the idea that eating crisco and drinking motor oil is better than eating nothing. I am not saying never to use machines. What I am saying is that there is a time and place for everything and relying on only one thing is most likely going to lead to burnout, injury, and failure. 

One does not need to only workout in the gym. The human body can move in places such as the beach, parks, etc. The quality of air should be better, and full body calisthenics (weight can be added by means such as a vest or bringing some weights with you), have been used for centuries to create the most fiece and dominant of humans.

Gyms were designed to help individuals discover better health. If done properly, they may do just this. On the flip side, if one goes into a gym with blind ignorance, money and time will be lost and frustration and the bad kind of pain will be gained.

Jim Goetz

Michael Brandon

Chantea Goetz

 

This episode was recorded from our brand new studio at Functionised Integrative Therapeutics (FIT) (Get #functionised) in Colts Neck, New Jersey. We want to thank FIT for allowing us to use their facility for this and future podcasts. We look forward to a very healthy and productive relationship with their world class staff.

Gyms are often though to be a place to achieve prime health. With the proper goals, plan and accountability, this is quite possible. Unfortunately, 95% of people will fail at their goals and 100% of the 95% believe that they are different than others. They will assuradely achieve their goals without having any actual goals or any aclue in what they are doing.

What is even crazier, is the dangrous conditions that exist int he first place. Flooring and equipment often have PCB's emitted that is a high toxin. Combine that with excedd carbon dioxide emitted from heavier breathing and the air becomes quite unhealthy. Many gyms do not have proper ventalation causing severe respiratory problems for members. Solutions are large fans, HEPA filters and plants.

Many gyms now have smothie bars, which is seen as a healthy thing. The amounts of protein and sugar often added to these smoothies is no better than having a banana split from Baskin Robins after ones workout. Even the protein bars are often no better than glorified candy bars with added protein. It is counter productive to put in such an effort at the gym only to pour sludge back into your body.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is being touted at the most efficient way to train due to the shortened duration of exercise. The unfortunate part of this is that most novice fitness enthusiasts are in no condition to put forth such a hard effort that often utilizes ballistic movements. To truly adhere to HIIT, one must raise their heart rate to 90% of their max for a short period and then allow it to go back to resting. The efforts one must put forth in order to do this should be monitored (which most do not) and adhered to (which most do not). HIIT training has indeed been shown to be of benefit to many. One must understand what they are doing though to not only train optimally but to avoid injury.

Classes such as spin abuse equipment leading to injury. Push ups on a bike for instance put a strain on the equipment, which can beak and cause injury to the participant. I have seen it happen and it coudl be avoidable. 

Controversey often exists over machines as the novice flocks to machines. This is due to the fact that machiens appear simple to use. There are picutres and the machines move in only one plane of motion Unfortunately they move in only one plane of motion. Repeated movements such as this lead to a decreased range of motion, a build up of fibrotic tissue and ultimately injury. Proprioception is in no way developed and an individual ultimately will decline in their potential. 

Some may say that machines are better than using nothing. That is like the idea that eating crisco and drinking motor oil is better than eating nothing. I am not saying never to use machines. What I am saying is that there is a time and place for everything and relying on only one thing is most likely going to lead to burnout, injury, and failure. 

One does not need to only workout in the gym. The human body can move in places such as the beach, parks, etc. The quality of air should be better, and full body calisthenics (weight can be added by means such as a vest or bringing some weights with you), have been used for centuries to create the most fiece and dominant of humans.

Gyms were designed to help individuals discover better health. If done properly, they may do just this. On the flip side, if one goes into a gym with blind ignorance, money and time will be lost and frustration and the bad kind of pain will be gained.