wise athletes

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

Healthspan is all the rage now but beyond a healthy lifestyle what does that really mean? How can it be done? And what can I do now to ward off problems before the illness shows up?

Today on episode 126, I am joined by Nathan Price, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Thorne HealthTech and co-author of the book, The Age of Scientific Wellness (2023). If there is anyone on the planet who can tell us how we can make this shift from merely treating illness to keeping ourselves healthy for a long, active life......Dr Price is just that person.

Dr Price has been at the forefront of creating Precision Medicine as a co-founder of Arivale and Associate Director of the Institute of Systems Biology, and now he is helping Thorne to bring Precision Medicine to you and me.

In case you don't remember, Arivale was that way ahead of its time company that offered ongoing wellness and nutritional coaching tailored to the results of each person’s genetic, blood and microbiome tests. Actual personalized medicine.

Today, most doctors wait for clinical symptoms to appear before they act, and the ten most commonly prescribed medications confer little benefit to most people taking them. Nathan Price (and his co-author Leroy Hood) argue that we must move beyond this reactive, hit-or-miss approach to usher in real precision health―a form of highly personalized care they call “scientific wellness.” Using information from our blood and genes and tapping into the data revolution made possible by AI, doctors can catch the onset of disease years before symptoms arise, revolutionizing prevention. They say this approach is just getting started but has already had amazing results: diabetes reversed, cancers eliminated, Alzheimer’s avoided, autoimmune conditions kept at bay.

All right, let's talk to Nathan Price about the technologies emerging this year and his thoughts on what wise athletes can do right now to slow the rate of aging.

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

I haven't given my kidneys a second thought until now. It's easy to take care of your kidneys as long as you start early enough.

Today on episode 125, Glen and I are speaking with the amazing Rick Johnson MD about all things kidney and more. This is Dr Johnson's third time on the show...this time to drill down into how to keep our kidneys healthy (and a little bit about avoid Alzheimers). Declining kidney function is a normal feature of aging...perhaps it is a driver of agings. I am trying to age as slowly as possible, which means I must keep my kidneys healthy. Are you taking care of your kidneys? Do you even know how to take care of your kidneys? Do your blood tests show a dropping eGFR year after year? Is your blood pressure going up as you get older? Do you ever get dehydrated? Do you ever take ibuprofen? This episode is for you

Take care of your kidneys so they can take care of you!

Dr. Richard Johnson is a practicing physician and clinical scientist and a world expert on sugar, and especially fructose, and its role in health. His research has been largely supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is one of the most cited scientists in his field and has published more than 750 papers and lectured in over 45 countries.

He has authored three books on sugar and its health effects--The Sugar Fix with Timothy Gower in 2008; The Fat Switch in 2012, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat (2022) in which Dr Johnson details his group's discovery of a switch that controls obesity and how it can be turned on and off.

He is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver. He lives in Aurora, Colorado with his wife, Olga, children, Tracy and Ricky, and two goldendoodles, Charlie Brown and Apollo 11.

For more information, visit www.drrichardjohnson.com

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

Pain is a terrible word. Four little letters that I used to believe mean I can't or I'm broken or worse. But, today on episode 124, I speak with Ryan Whited and Matt Fitzgerald, co-authors of Pain and Performance, to hear the origin story behind "Training as Treatment" and the 3-step process that we all can use to get on the path to better performance and less downtime and less hassle with pain solutions that don't work. While pain is communication, it does not mean "injury" or "imbalance" or "wear and tear"...and we can be more self sufficient in managing pain.

Pain and Performance on Amazon

If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES

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Fullscript for WiseAthletes

This isn’t the sort of topic I usually cover on the Wise Athletes podcast but it should be.  Enjoy my talk with Lauren Hurst, author of North of Forty.

In North of Forty, senior fitness expert Lauren Hurst and photographer Nick Cinea tell the stories of over 50 senior athletes ranging from ages 54 to 103, marathoners to martial artists to mountaineers, ordinary and extraordinary people. Told through captivating interviews and illustrated by stunning black and white portraits, their stories will inspire anyone who's made it "north of forty" and kept climbing.

https://www.northfortyfitness.com/

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

I often say I don't want to LIVE forever, I just don't want to stop having fun.

Today on episode 122 I am speaking with Bill Gifford, the author of “Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (Or Die Trying)” and the co-author of the recent best-seller "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity" written with Peter Attia MD. Bill wrote Spring Chicken back in 2015 when he was just beginning on his exploration of healthspan and longevity, and used his journalistic skills to share his findings with us all. And more recently, Bill worked with Peter Attia to write the latest longevity blockbuster with the latest, best scientific knowledge about how each of us can slow the rate of aging ...and keep having fun for a long, long time.

Spring Chicken is a super fun read and a rip-roaring journey into the world of anti-aging science - a murky place filled with extraordinary breakthroughs (new) and dangerous deceptions (new and old).

Bill Gifford is a journalist comfortable writing for periodicals on lifestyles and health, who has the chops to tackle an in-depth look at the complexities surrounding aging and what we can (and can't) do about it. Gifford leaps deftly into the fray, sifting through both the nonsense and the sensible, all while learning some things about his own aging body along the way. Gifford’s analysis takes into account the fact that the concept of old age has changed over the millennia, with life expectancy expanding, meaning more old people are alive now than ever before. Unfortunately, with longer lives has come the increased need for a daily medication of some sort, and heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are acting as the inevitable escorts down the last stretch to the pearly gates.

If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES

Thanks.

I just re-listened to this episode from 3 years ago with Charlie Merrill, PT as a part of my preparation for another amazing episode I will publish very soon. I was stunned at how great this episode was. It is no wonder that this chat with Charlie is the #1 episode of all time on the Wise Athletes podcast. Do yourself a favor....listen to Charlie.

Today, Glen and I are joined by Charlie Merrill, PT in Boulder, Colorado. Charlie is a Physical Therapist who has been serving the Boulder community and athletes for over 20 years.  Over the past few years, Charlie has added pain science and more psychologically informed modalities to his manual therapy and biomechanical toolkits. He emphasizes the body and mind in identifying physical AND psychological/social factors that result in physical symptoms, like pain.  Charlie says the source of most athlete’s pain is often not what you’d expect and you can now work with him remotely at Lin Health, a new pain management platform.  

Charlie's website is Mperformance.com

Charlie's new pain management platform: https://www.lin.health/

Charlie's Youtube channel has nearly 200 videos with free content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCinoyk46RyzA1v6PqbUl8_w

I learned from Charlie that there is a disconnect between pain and structural damage in the body.  What regular people think is true is that pain indicates something wrong, something damaged...that pain is a signal to slow down, be careful, let the damage heal.  But that is not always true.  Pain comes from the brain.

Listen in as Charlie explains the science and practice of solving pain issues for athletes.

The twin peaks model I referenced from the book "Explain Pain"Which can be downloaded here.  It's excellent for anyone to read: https://www.noigroup.com/product/explain-pain-second-edn-epub/

Wise Athletes Recovery Deep Dive

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

As we kick off the new year in 2024, I continue my pursuit of better stress management with one of the legends in the space.

Today on episode 121, Glen and I speak with the great Brian MacKenzie...a best-selling author and recognized expert on stress adaptation…to help me to better understand how to rebalance my ability to perform well under stress and recover quickly to create greater performance longevity.   

Brian explains his practice of stress adaptation to improve performance AND the quality of life. Brian says we have to see what we really want so that we will be willing to do what it takes create sustainable performance. Higher HRV is not enough; know your why to have the motivation and staying power needed to make it happen. And, if you do it right, you'll get higher HRV.

Brian is the Founder & CEO of Shift. He is also the President and Co-Founder of The Health and Human Performance Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching how breath and innate tools can optimize and help health and human performance.  Brian has also co-authored the book Power Speed Endurance, The New York Times Best Seller UnBreakable Runner, and UnPlugged. And, Brian is the co-founder of The Art of Breath, a course he teaches through SH//FT that teaches a principles based approach to breath & performance.

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

It’s that time of year when my carefully manicured and effortless diet of healthy foods with just the right amount of calories is destroyed in an orgy of holiday indulgence.  But that’s okay, the trick is to get back on track quickly. 

To help me I thought I would talk with an absolute expert, a true genius in helping to build a solid defense against the relentless whisperings of my more primal self…the emotional brain that worries about impending famine and the need for deep fat stores to survive the winter.   

Today in episode 120 I talk with Dr Glenn Livingston, the author of Defeat Your Cravings, who has developed a program that gives us control while not making us feel deprived. It’s not a weigh loss program; it’s a how to stick with your plan program.

So, enjoy your holiday celebrations, but be sure to listen in to make your New Year’s resolutions easier to keep. 

If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

HRV or heart rate variability has made a come-back in my pursuit of health, longevity, and athletic performance. Years ago I discarded HRV as one-less-thing-to-fuss-with, but I have been reborn as believer in the power of HRV to guide me in rebalancing my nervous system for the benefit of better stress management and better sleep. All thanks to Marco Altini, PhD

Today on episode #119, I am speaking with the one and only Marco Altini, PhD. Marco says he is a scientist and developer mainly working at the intersection between health, technology and performance. He is also the founder of HRV4Training, which is trusted by more than 150 000 athletes, including olympic medalists and professional teams, to measure physiology and quantify stress, helping people of all ages and athletic pursuits to better balance training and lifestyle stressors. 

In our discussion, Marco illuminates the many factors that impact the calculation of heart rate variability, how stress impacts the autonomic nervous system, and how we can use HRV as a biofeedback tool with deep breathing exercises to help us learn or re-learn how to self-regulate and better cope with stressful situations. 

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

Intense exercise takes a biochemical toll. Research has shown that intense activity results in decreased levels of glutathione, our body’s homemade master antioxidant. And, that happens even when you start the day with enough glutathione despite the naturally declining levels found in the older athlete.  Without sufficient glutathione, the oxidative stress associated with exercise can reduce athletic performance and delay recovery.   Heck, low glutathione can make you look and feel old.

Today we have invited Ross Pelton the Natural Pharmacist to educate us about Glutathione, the master antioxidant and a key biomarker of aging. Glutathione is made by the body to act as the master regulator of other antioxidants....when you have enough glutathione, your body can make or recycle all the antioxidants it needs. What's more, low glutathione is a marker for aging and a higher likelihood of disease. The older we get, the less glutathione our bodies make, and the more glutathione our bodies need.  Glutathione IV drips are all the rage these days, but do we need it?

Ross is the Natural Pharmacist and his website, bio and blog are at naturalpharmacist.net. He is passionate about life extension and anti-aging science and technology. He has written 12 books including “Rapamycin, mTOR, Autophagy & Treating mTOR Syndrome” and in 1999, he was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Pharmacists in the U.S. by American Druggist magazine

The Critical Roles of Glutathione

A few of the benefits an athlete can expect from glutathione.

Considering how important glutathione is to health, researchers have looked for ways to increase intracellular and intramitochondrial levels. Here are the effective approaches: