Life By Design with Dr. Jamie Richards

We know you know that exercise is good for you, that's no longer even debatable. Unfortunately, most health professionals downplay how powerful meeting the movement requirement is for your body. Exercise positively influences cancer, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, etc... basically every health condition is affected in a positive way. Yes, it's a panacea. Every possible function you can think of in your body improves when you've been exercising. Most people leave a lot of the benefits of exercise in the tank - meaning... they're not meeting all of the requirements for exercise and could be benefiting even more. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss where the biggest gaps are in your training and to give you suggestions and tips on how to fill them and get even better than you already are. What we cover:

• How does exercise have such a widespread effect on the human body? What are the mechanisms and why is this important for you to know?
• The main benefit of exercise is not weight loss. It might be surprising to you, but the amount of exercise you need to do in order to lose weight is staggeringly low compared what you might think.
• The biggest thing holding you back from exercising on a regular basis.
• The most important thing you're not doing enough of at the gym.
• What is periodization (nothing to do with hockey), why you care and why you have to have it in your training program.
• Why it's important to understand that fitness is not something that just happens in the gym, it's something you do every day.

It's important that you spot a bad idea as soon as possible. Ideas (linked together they are called a philosophy) form the basis of your life. It is only your ideas that can drive your actions. If you're not getting what you want in life, you should first and foremost look at the ideas that you hold. Today we examine an article on the Forks Over Knives website from a doctor who has spent "hundreds, if not thousands of hours, over the past several years understanding human biology, evolutionary medicine, and anthropology" to tell us why the paleo diet is bunk. We're sure he is honest in his assessment and work ethic - however, millions of hours of work done under an incorrect idea - still leads to the same dead-end - error. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss the evidence presented in the Forks Over Knives Article and point out the errors in reasoning. What we covered:

• It's important to remember that evolution is a linear process and it doesn't end. The amount of time humans ate meat doesn't matter, all that matters is that we have changed to eat meat. In another 40,000 years maybe we will be adapted to grains, we just aren't right now.
• The time spent eating a certain food substance matters very little.
• We're not sure who's saying that 'humans evolved to eat meat' as evolution occurs because of the environment - it doesn't cause the environment. Whether early homo sapiens were forced to eat meat or chose to eat meat doesn't matter. What matters is they did and because of that choice it changed (not forever but for now) our genetic expression.
• Saying that chimpanzees share 99% of their DNA with a human is a throwaway statement. It oversimplifies the context of genetics and completely disregards epigenetics. It should not be used as proof of anything.
• We love eating plants and vegetables, and we recommend eating a ton of them. However, eating plants still does not absolve your body from ALL genetic requirements.

Despite CrossFit being an overwhelming success with more people joining the CrossFit community every single day, CrossFit still has it's share of haters and people who try their best to discredit it.

It's important to note, that CrossFit is not the first or only model of training with the same general set of these principles.

CrossFit encompasses most of the same principles you would find in the majority of strength and conditioning facilities.

'Overtraining' is one of those concepts used to create uncertainty and even fear.

Of course overtraining is real and it exists… but does every crossfitter engage in overtraining? Does everyone lifting weights and training with intensity experience overtraining?

What we covered:

• What is overtraining? How do you know if you are being affected by it?
• Where does CrossFit's bad rap come from?
• Signs of overtraining and what to look out for.
• The accumulation of stresses and the role of the central nervous system.
• What you can do to recover from overtraining.

Do you want to be the healthiest you possibly can be? What about the rest of your family? Would you like your children to live a long healthy life? What about your parents...do you want them to be around for another 20-30 years? Let us let you in a little (not really) secret to the one key ingredients that the healthiest (it actually applies to ALL levels of success) have that no one else does: Responsibility. The health challenges that faced Canada in 2017 will only get worse in 2018. Suicide rates, opioid deaths, cancer, heart disease, ALL increased in 2017 (opioid deaths rose by a staggering 70%) and are all on schedule to keep climbing in 2018. What can we do about this? We are tired of the answer to this question being something to the tune of "more support, more awareness, more intervention, more funds, more testing, etc." The answer is... and this is not going to be easy to read or hear for some...more responsibility. It's tragic that people are suffering, it's heartbreaking that help doesn't exist for those who need it, however, more of what isn't working only makes things worse. If the most successful people on the planet are the most responsible, then the lesson for you is practice responsibility. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss the challenges, and virtues of practicing one of the 6-pillars of self-esteem, Personal Responsibility. What we cover:

• The psychological need for self-esteem and how personal responsibility plays a role.
• How our modern society is destroying self-esteem and why that is dangerous for you.
• How this lack of responsibility plays out in health care.
• What needs to happen to you and your family to thrive and be the best you can be.

January 31st was Bell Canada's #bellletstalk day. The purpose of the day is to talk about something that ALL of us are far too familiar with... mental health, and more specifically 'mental' disease. Do yourself a favor and search the hashtag #bellletstalk and read all the amazing stories of bravery, courage, and survival in the face of the most horrifying of opponents, your abyss. As comforting as it is to read the heroic efforts of individuals who continue to survive against increasing odds there is one thing we think is unacceptable and is rarely seen on #bellletstalk day - solutions. It is true that awareness is the first step to solving a problem. However, there is a massive gap between knowing about the problem of mental health and solving that problem. We want to help solve the problem. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss mental health and help give tips and practical strategies to help improve yours no matter your starting point. What we cover:

• There is a vast difference between creating health and fighting disease. The gap is the largest in the field of mental health/psychology. Since bad ideas result in 'bad' actions, if you're ever truly going to get a grasp on mental 'health,' it's vital to start here. The difference between creating health and just not getting sick is a big one.
• Your brain, mind and body do not exist in a vacuum isolated from one another - they coexist. If you can positively influence one, by default, you can positively influence the other one. It's impossible to say my body's healthy, it's just my mind that's not. Healthy means all or none. You are not three separate things but one combined whole.
• Real life, scientifically based strategies you can start to do right now that will positively impact your mental health no matter where you're starting from.

On Today's Show, we welcome our guest: Kate Kordsmeier.

Kate was a writer (she still writes, just no more freelancing) in the food and travel space. It sounds amazing and parts of it were, but having to go out to eat at restaurants, and eat all that tasty yet unhealthy food, 3-4 nights a week will take its toll on your health.

Her health was suffering. She was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), leaky gut, and thyroid issues. Worse, she felt unheard and not carried for by her medical team.

Kate decided that it was up to her to take her health into her own hands, so she stopped all medical treatment and found help elsewhere. After trying an anti-inflammatory diet for one week, her health dramatically improved. She was so excited about her results that she decided to tell everyone and channel her energy into starting a blog, writing a book, and coaching other people to health.

Listen in to this episode to learn how Kate did it (and how you can do it too!)

What we covered:

• How nutrition impacts and influences everything about your body. Most people only consider body composition and weight, but it goes much deeper than that.
• How the worst things that happen to us can evoke our greatest passions.
• What you can do if you're completely stuck with your health. Often it can seem overwhelming, you're not feeling well, you've done everything, and you have no idea where to start. Kate's blog could help you.

*** As it turns out, the video upon which this episode is based was a hoax but the concept of sports without implements is not. The principles discussed on this episode remain relevant, important and valuable *** 'Double take' does not sum up our reaction when reading the article that prompted this week's episode. There was a Facebook video posted on the CBC Facebook page about a Washington State Youth Sports Organization that has stopped using the ball while playing soccer. Yes, you read that correctly, they are still getting together on a soccer field (apparently we can't remove that), wearing cleats and soccer outfits, but are playing with an imaginary ball. The purpose of this is to remove the 'pressures' of competition, stop proclaiming winners and losers and therefore protect the child's self-esteem. This is not the first time a story like this hit the news. In 2013 The Soccer Association Of Midlake Ontario did similar claiming "We want our children to grow up learning that sport is not about competition, rather it's about using your imagination. If you imagine you're good at soccer, then you are." The purpose of this podcast is to discuss why ideas like this are harmful, should be avoided and that by implementing them, they are in fact crushing your child's self-esteem. What we cover:

• Things are what they are; this is Aristotle's law of identity. Reality, at times, is not pleasant and you are free to ignore it if you want to. However you are not free to avoid the consequences of avoiding reality. Pretend your child is going to touch a hot stove, you would never tell them "Just pretend the stove isn't hot" as a way to help them avoid getting burned.
• Humans (children are humans) are different, teaching them to be the same stifles the very thing that makes your child who they are - their uniqueness. No, not every child will be good at soccer, so what and who cares? Some kids have a more vivid imagination, so what's next, telling children to stop imagining because someone might feel left out?
• Children are honest - and this type of behaviour hurts them in the long run.

Health Canada is warning that this year's flu could be the worst in years. The CBC said that both Canada and US are both being strongly affected, even more so than last year. So what can you do about it? The purpose of this podcast is to discuss how your immune system works and what you can do to ensure that you do everything you can to not get the flu this year or ever! Wouldn't it be nice if you could finally set aside all the fear and concern about sickness and illness? That's not to say that you'll never get sick, but I think Jim Rohn gave us the secret to fighting colds and the flu when he said... "Don't wish it were easier, wish you were better." Revised in this context it would be "... wish your immune system was stronger." What we covered:

• Your health is not stagnant it is dynamic. The myth that is destroying your health is that once you're healthy, you will be like that forever. The tragic example being a cancer patient told they are 'cancer free,' only to have the disease return and kill the patient. Your health is an active process; you must constantly add to it or, by default you will be taking away from it.
• What things rob you of your health and what you can do to ensure that you are looking after yourself and not letting these things stop you in your tracks.
• Research on how the role chiropractic played during the most deadly case of the flu in American history. No chiropractic is not a cure for the flu, but chiropractic patients tend to have stronger immune systems and get sick less often. Learn the reasons why.
• The flu shot. Whether we get it or not and why. The reasoning is much more important than you would think. And no, we are not against it.

We can't believe it, but 2018 is already here. One of the books and people we've been obsessed with lately is Ray Dalio and his book entitled "Principles." If you don't know who Ray Dalio is: he founded Bridgewater, a financial institution that manages the world's largest hedge fund, he has worked with governments and economic policy makers on all levels and he has pioneered new ways to manage and grow financial portfolios. In fact, if you have any money under current financial management, it's safe to say that the techniques Ray Dalio developed are being used to grow your money. So why do you care? In his latest book Ray writes exclusively of the power of principles and principled thinking in helping live what seems to be a charmed live. One quote that we've been thinking about and discussing a lot lately is his simple equation in the title: Failure + Reflection = Progress We're fascinated with how successful people handle failure, or their perception of failure. Unlike most of us, they are not embarrassed when they fail, in fact, they expect it, especially when trying out new ideas...some of them even enjoy it because they know it's part of progress. If you're not embarrassed by your 'failures' you enjoy spending time reflecting on what they taught you and how you can improve the next time you try. This where progress happens. Ray also writes about how successful people learn from others failures and apply the lessons to their own lives. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss the lessons that 2017 has taught us and how our thoughts/failures/takeaways can be leveraged by you, to improve your life. What we covered:

• The biggest 'failure' of 2017 and what we learned
• Other lessons along the way
• How we plan on implementing what was learned in our lessons and moving forward

A new and improved Think By Design Manual has been released!!

What was interesting was, at it's core, the message didn't change.

All of the principles are still in tact. If anything, they've become stronger as time has tested some of the theories in the real world and in real time.

What has changed is the description of those principles and the strategies to action Think By Design as your operating system for creating an extraordinary life.

Most importantly, we've improved the process to help you make Think By Design practical and easier to implement.

The purpose of this podcast is to uncover the new Think By Design Manual and share with you all of the ways that it will help you to create the life you deserve.

Enjoy!

What We Covered

• Where are your biggest gaps? We've been at this a while, had the pleasure of witnessing many improvements in people's lives and have seen others who remain stuck no matter what they try to do. What are the major things for you to focus on and pitfalls to avoid that will deliver the results you're looking for.
• What's different in Think By Design 2.0 and why should you care?
• What's the same and why? It might seem like a trivial question but if something is the same why is it the same? Why does 'Hey Jude' still sound amazing even though it was written over 40 years ago?