This episode of the Livin’ the Dream Podcast will be an opportunity to test how well you know your health, fitness and wellness information. I will start by asking a quiz question and giving you a few multiple choice answers. Feel free to pause the episode after I’ve asked the question, if you’d like a little more time to think about the answer. Once the correct answer is given, I’ll dive a little deeper into the topic. Offering more information, along with some tangible and actionable suggestions…ideas… recommendations… on how we can use this information to live happier, healthier more fit and long lifespans. 

Keep track of how many you got right, and feel free to share your score with me and your network once you’ve completed your quiz. 
 
 So if you’re ready, let’s begin!
 
Quiz Question #1:
Which of the following is not an effect of caffeine supplementation?
a. Enhance focus and alertness
b. Enhance athletic performance
c. Reduce pain related to overexertion
d. All the above are an effect of caffeine.


Quiz Question #2:
True or false? After resistance training exercise, while in a fasted state, muscle protein breakdown DECREASES. 


Quiz Question #3:
True or False, being older makes you gain weight. You will naturally want to hold on to more weight because you are getting older. 


Quiz Question #4:

Which type of cardio is best for fat loss?
a.     High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
b.    Moderate intensity steady state (MISS)
c.     Low intensity steady state (LISS)
d.    All three have their pros and cons, it depends. 


Quiz Question #5:
True or False? You have over 100,000 calories of energy stored as carbohydrates in your body and only 2,000 calories of energy stored as fat. 


References:

Dr. Bill Campbell – University South Florida
 IG: @billcampbellphd

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In this MEGAphone episode… we will be shouting out the team at the Ultrawellness Center and Dr. Mark Hyman. They have a great newsletter and project called the Longevity Roadmap which I learn a ton from. In a recent newsletter they gave some really helpful information surrounding the topic of fruit, that I’d like to share with you. 

You may have noticed that fruit is a hot topic in the health and wellness world these days. Some experts claim that fruit is an essential part of a balanced diet, while others state that it is just as bad for our metabolic health as any other form of sugar. So, what’s the deal? Is fruit good for us or not? Well, the truth is not so black and white.

If you’re confused about where fruit lands on the spectrum of diet and health, with this episode, the goal here to clear up the confusion and to help take away any “fruit phobia.” 

 In certain circumstances, fruit has a lot to offer—it’s a rich source of polyphenols, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. But when you start messing with its whole-food form, that’s where you start running into problems. 

This will be a no-nonsense guide to fruit, so you can feel confident choosing the types that work best for you and the kinds you are better off limiting or avoiding completely.

References:

IG: 
@drmarkhyman
@theultrawellnesscenter

Longevity Roadmap: 
https://longevityfilm.com

Newsletter: 
https://drhyman.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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“You’re either with me, or you’re against me.”
This kind of binary mindset fuels plenty of heated debates. Especially when it comes to one topic in particular: “calories in vs. calories out,” or CICO.

So what is it… Calories in vs. calories out? Or is it Hormones? The debate is finally over. Here’s who won.

CICO is an easy way of saying:

·       When you take in more energy than you burn, you gain weight.

·       When you take in less energy than you burn, you lose weight.

This is a fundamental concept in body-weight regulation, and about as close to scientific fact as we can get.

Then why is CICO the source of so much disagreement? 

It’s all about the extremes. At one end of the debate, there’s a group who believes CICO is straightforward. If you aren’t losing weight, the reason is simple: You’re either eating too many calories, or not moving enough, or both. Just eat less and move more.

At the other end is a group who believes CICO is broken (or even a complete myth). These critics say it doesn’t account for hormone imbalances, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and other health problems that affect metabolism. Some also claim that certain diets and foods provide a “metabolic advantage” that helps people lose weight without worrying about CICO.

Whether you’re a health and exercise professional tasked with helping clients manage their weight—or trying to learn how to do that for yourself—adopting an extreme position on this topic is problematic; it prevents you from seeing the bigger picture.

This article adds some nuance to the debate.


References:

ACE Fitness Website
https://www.acefitness.org/

Precision Nutrition
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/
 
 
 

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In this MEGAphone episode we will be shouting out Stanford professor of neuroscience Andrew Huberman. 
We all have trillions of microorganisms living inside our gut—not just our stomach but our intesti­nes and throat and mouth, and on our skin, in our eyes and nasal passages. There are living things, living on us… in ALMOST every imaginable place ON.. and IN our bodies. Maybe that sounds bad or gross, but… it turns out these microbiota are essential for our immune health, our brain health and our hormonal health—in part because they make chemicals that immediately impact how the rest of our body functions, including neurotransmitters like serotonin. The bottom line is: we need to nurture these living microbiota cargo to best support our mental and physical health. 


References:

 The Huberman Lab Podcast
 “How to enhance your gut microbiome for Brain and Overall Health”
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000552424090

“Dr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to build, maintain & repair gut health.”
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000553144505

 
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The energizing breath, we are going to take some time to do a few rounds of breath work so we can continue on with our day in an energized way. 
 With this technique that we are about to do, we are going to wake up your mind and energize your body. Great for when you’re feeling tired or sluggish in the morning or during an afternoon slump. 
 This is a step up from a basic breath work practice, and if you’ve never done any style of breath work before it may benefit you to start with our relaxing or balancing breath sessions before trying this exercise. 

Shortening your breaths… and breathing rapidly… with longer inhales and shorter exhales, helps release adrenaline and increase oxygen flow in order to help you feel more awake, energized, and alert. 

In this MEGAphone episode we will be shouting out a very passionate and knowledgable doctor, Dr. Mark Hyman.
More than a third of Americans have prediabetes, and 68% of Americans struggle with sleep. Nine out of every ten of us… pretty much everyone has some metabolic dysfunction going on.

While our numbers might be “normal,” we may not be as healthy as we think. Because the word normal is relative right? If we were talking about being in the NBA… being over 6’5” is normal… 
 But can we stop things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes well before we’re diagnosed? 

The answer according to Dr. Mark Hyman is yes. 

So, If you’re about to get your annual labs or you know you’re going in for a check up soon, this one is for you! You’ll probably want to take notes on this episode or re-listen when you can jot down some numbers to know what the optimal ranges are for each blood work test. This will be a more technical episode with lots of acronyms and unfamiliar blood work terms. This may be an episode you might want to listen to with no distractions. 

References:
 Dr. Mark Hyman
 IG: @drmarkhyman

Drmarkhyman.com

Longevity Roadmap 

 I didn't mention this in the episode... but I am currently working with the company LEVELS,  who I use for my continuous glucose monitor, who has a new blood work panel option. I will keep the team updated with what my blood work says and how you can use LEVELS to get your blood work panel done. 
www.levelshealth.com
Discount codes:
DHRU
HYMAN
BEN
 
 

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IG: 
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 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

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This episode of the Livin’ the Dream Podcast will be an opportunity to test how well you know your health, fitness and wellness information. I will start by asking a quiz question and giving you a few multiple choice answers. Feel free to pause the episode after I’ve asked the question, if you’d like a little more time to think about the answer. Once the correct answer is given, I’ll dive a little deeper into the topic. Offering more information, along with some tangible and actionable suggestions…ideas… recommendations… on how we can use this information to live happier, healthier more fit and long lifespans. 

 Keep track of how many you got right, and feel free to share your score with me and your network once you’ve completed your quiz.
 
 So if you’re ready, let’s begin!

Quiz Question #1:
When going on a weight loss journey. Which of the following percentages is considered the fastest rate of weight loss, that you should strive for when dieting for long term weight loss?
a. .5% of your body weight each week
b. 1% of your body weight each week
c. 3% of your body weight each week
d. 5% of your body weight each week

 Quiz Question #2:
Losing weight can slow down your metabolism?
True or false?

Quiz Question #3:
Which of these foods is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids?
a. Sardines
b. Mango
c. Cucumber
d. The “Baconator” from Burger King

Quiz Question #4:
Does exercise influence your immune system?
a. No, there is no link between the immune system and exercise.
b. Yes, exercise contributes to a health immune system
c. We don’t know yet if there is a connection between exercise and the immune system. 
d. Exercise suppresses the immune system, which is why we should avoid it at all costs… especially when we are sick.

Quiz Question #5:
If your diet consists of eggs, multiple days a week, this can contribute to high unhealthy cholesterol levels.
 a. True
 b. False
 c. True, but if you remove the yolk you’re fine.

Quiz Question #6: BONUS
 
References:
Dr. Bill Campbell
IG: @billcampbellphd



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In today’s MEGAphone episode… we will be shouting out the podcast Stronger by Science. Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler. They did a great episode labeled “Weight loss plateus, tough love, and energy audits.” 

This conversation covers topics including metabolic adaptation (how your body adapts to all the processes that use up energy), energy compensation, (how your body compensates when you lack energy or have way too much energy), and a LONG list of other factors that may lead us to overestimate our energy expenditure (like exercise and daily movement), and/or underestimate our energy intake through our diet and nutrition. 

Even if you’re not currently going through a weight loss journey, this information will be super helpful to have as you navigate your future endeavors with health, fitness and wellness. 

References:
 Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler from Stronger By Science
 Stronger by Science Podcast:
 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-stronger-by-science-podcast/id1463054544

IG: @strongerbyscience

https://instagram.com/strongerbyscience?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Affiliates:

Brain.fm App
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 Discount Code: coachdamien_sd
 
 
 Links:

IG: 
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 @damienrayevans
 @livinthedream_podcast

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 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS6VuPgtVsdBpDj5oN3YQTg

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In this episode we are going to share a meditation that I discovered on the App “Calm.” There is a series called “Radical Self-Care which is very well done. Lama Rod Owens is the meditation guide and he does a 10 part series that I think everyone listening to this could benefit from. The one I’m going to focus on today is called “The Natural Breath.”

Let’s reflect on the necessity of breath. Breath sustains our lives and supplies our body with needed oxygen. When we don’t get that oxygen, we die. Because of the respiratory systems central role in sustaining life, many of us rightly experience some discomfort around our breath. The practice of focusing on our breath is a fundamental part of mindfulness. However, the breath can be deeply triggering for some of us. The breath invites us inside our own body which can be difficult. Many of our most challenging emotions and sensations reside in the body. Focusing our breathing may remind of moments of crisis… and how we may have struggled to catch our breath during challenging times. 

For me, part of my self-care has meant learning to focus my breath by just allowing it to be. Just allowing has helped me understand the power of my breath and the pain and trauma associated with it. Natural breath means, we notice our breath, in the moment and allow it to be just as is. 

In this MEGAphone episode we will be shouting out one of the leading experts in brain health and brain study, Dr. Daniel Amen. He has seen as many brain scans as anyone in the world, and when you see that many scans… over the period of time that he has… you start to see trends and you start to piece some of the puzzle together.

As the executive control center of the entire body – and the supervisor of every thought, mood, memory, and action – your brain makes you you.

That’s why you must do everything you can to take care of your brain. 

Ask yourself this… How Fit Is YOUR Brain? 
After listening you will know 8 ways to keep your brain healthy and fit. 

References:
Dr. Daniel Amen founder of Amen Climics and Brain MD Health
IG: @Doc_amen
@amen_clinics
@brainmdhealth

www.amenclinics.com

Brain Health Quiz: What type of brain do you have?
 brainhealthassessment.com
 
 
 

Affiliates:

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 (First month Free, then 20% off subscription)
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IG: 
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 @damienrayevans
 @livinthedream_podcast

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