Boundless Life

I've got one problem with the whole "sitting is the new smoking" movement. There's a lack of practical solutions for how to fix what happens to your body when you sit, how to structure your workday to minimize the damage of sitting, and how to make your body bulletproof to the issues with sitting. So in today's podcast, I interview physical therapists Chad Walding and Brenda Walding, authors of the new book "The Sitting Solution: How To Save Your Spine, Body & Life." During the interview, Chad and Brenda discuss what happens to your body when you sit, why standing may not be the best solution, how to fix the issues that happen to your body when you sit, and the unique set of problems facing athletes who sit. Below is a sample screenshot from The Sitting Solution that shows how you could easily structure your workday using the techniques we talk about in this episode: This podcast is brought to you by Rebel Desk. At RebelDesk.com, you can use code “BEN” to get $40 off their Rebel Crank-Up desk and you can use code “GREENFIELD” to get $20 off the Rebel Chair that comes with their desk. Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to stop sitting from killing you? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and be sure to check out The Sitting Solution!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few months ago, we had an amazingly popular podcast episode with Steven Kotler, author of "Decoding The Science of Ultimate Human Performance". During that podcast, Steven mentioned another book he co-wrote with Peter Diamandis (famous founder of the X-Prize Foundation) called "Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think". Frankly, I thought this other book sounded like a bit of an airy-fairy, positive thinking, Everything Is Awesome (cue Lego movie soundtrack here) type of a book. But then, over the course of just one week, three more people recommended this book to me, including SEALFit commander Mark Divine. So I figured I should probably read it. And I did. Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think is based on a contrarian view that exponentially growing technologies and other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions on our planet, that the gap between the privileged few and hardscrabble majority is closing fast, and that this is drastically affecting human access to everything from water to food, energy, healthcare, education, and freedom. In today's podcast, you're going to learn why Steven believes that the future of health is better than you may think, and how you can help make all this a reality. During our discussion you'll learn: -What the pyramid of abundance is... -What Steven means about your stress levels when he says "if it bleeds, it leads"... -How you can grow enough food to feed 9 billion people using vertical farming, skyscrapers "growing food in water"... -Creative ways to get the world's population more protein... -Where "synthetic life" like algae come in for creating biofuel... -A special new kind of toilet that can power your house with your own feces... -How a Star-Trek like Tricorder and a Lab On A Chip would work... -Whether we can actually use genetics to stop obesity... -What the next steps are, and how can you can take action... Do you have questions, comments or feedback about the book "Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think"? Do you disagree with Steven? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago, my friend Yuri Elkaim (pictured above) published a book. Yuri is a bit of an outlier and renegade in the nutrition and health community. His mission is to empower everyday men and women with proper nutrition and health wisdom so they can take better control of their own health. He also holds High Honors degree in Physical Education and Health/Kinesiology from the University of Toronto, is a former professional soccer player, and for 7 seasons acted as the strength & conditioning/nutrition coach for the nationally ranked men's soccer program at the University of Toronto. Some refer to him as the "health whisperer" for being to get to the heart of what matters and produce amazing health, weight loss, and fitness results where there seemed little hope. I interview Yuri in today's podcast, and in this episode, we talk about protein digestibility, enzyme exhaustion, why most juicing recipes are no good, and much more. I must admit, Yuri's new book "The All Day Energy Diet" is not the kind of book I would not normally read. After all, Yuri - despite being an ex-professional soccer player - is bigtime into juicing, cleanses, detoxing - and I guarantee the guy eats far, far less steak than me... ...so I would *almost* classify him as a Whole Foods hippie. But his book is, frankly, brilliant. It covers dietary concepts that I haven't ever seen discussed in a book - concepts like: -adjusting your blood pH with the foods you eat... -how to test your adrenals without expensive lab tests... -which foods literally exhaust your digestive enzymes... -a new thing called the "PRAL" load of specific meals... -six myths about plant protein -how to choose the best kinds of coconut oil and butter... -and much more. I learned a ton from this book, and Yuri is a fellow athlete, a father, and a very smart dude, so I'm happy to tell you about his new book. Better yet, if you click here to get the book now, you get the following ten bonuses (easily worth way more than what you pay for the book of course)... 1. The All-Day Energy Diet Community Cookbook ($29 value) Features 67 energizing, gluten/sugar/soy/dairy-free recipes that takel ess than 15 minutes to make from some of the industry's leading experts and a few of our very own customers (including two recipes by yours truly). 2. 8 Energy-Boosting Desserts ($19 value) These yummy and healthy desserts will finally allow you to have your cake and eat it too, without the dangers of sugar, dairy, or gluten. 3. Food Labels Made Easy ($39 value) Chances are you will still have some packaged foods from time to time. This walkthrough video and workbook shows you how to understand those tricky food labels so you don’t get taken for a ride. 4. The All-Day Energy Diet Grocery Guide ($19 value) Get the complete list and quantities of foods you’ll need for The All-Day Energy Diet. 5. The All-Day Energy Diet Kitchen Makeover ($49 value) Watch Yuri show you around the kitchen and see what you should and should not include your “energized” fridge and pantry. 6. The Bodyweight Energy Workout ($29 value) Burn fat and get energized with this simple 20-minute follow-along bodyweight workout with Yuri. 7. Yoga for Energy ($29 value) 15-minute yoga routine to relax and rejuvenate your body. 8. The "Energy Sessions" audio series ($199 value) Features 5 audio interviews with Dr. Alan Christianson (endocrine), Mitchell Stevko (sleep), Ben Greenfield (fitness), Dr. Isaac Jones (cellular health), and Brendan Brazier (alkalinity). 9. 1-Hour "Getting Started" Group Coaching Call With Yuri ($99 value) 10. Lifetime Access To Yuri's Private Facebook "Social Support" Group (priceless) If you have questions, comments or feedback about the AJust click here to get the All Day Energy Diet with all the bonuses listed above, and leave your thoughts or questions at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zach Even-Esh - author of the new book the "Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning" - is one of my friends, and one of the few guys who I truly consider to be an absolute beast when it comes to physical strength. But he wasn't always so strong. As a kid, Zach was crippled by self-doubt, low self-esteem, depression and career-ending injuries. L ater in life, he got sidetracked by false prophets trumpeting bodybuilding lies that weakened him and had him beaten down over and over again by stronger, more agile, tougher opponents. Faced by all these failures he could easily have thrown in the towel and contented himself with a comfortable, average role as a so-so athlete and so-so personal trainer. But Zach had a dream and a vision that was more powerful than the army of setbacks and the bouts of despair. So he never quit in his relentless quest for athletic supremacy, and continued to persevere and struggle, through multiple odds and continued setback. T hings finally changed when he was told that he was put on earth to make people strong. And that's what Zach and I talk about on today's podcast - not just his backstory, but also how he's discovered a ton of secret, underground training methods that build strength fast in both men and women. During our discussion, you'll learn: -Zach's amazing story of how he got into underground style strength training... -Zach's favorite body weight training exercises that you rarely see people doing... -How to get fit with nothing more than a picnic table... -How you can make our own sandbag, and the #1 sandbag move that Zach recommends... -The hardest workout Zach has ever done with a rock... -The shocking ways you can get fit by just using a tire (and it goes way beyond tire flippin'!)... -How you can get a keg and how you can use a keg for a workout... -And much more! Some of the world’s toughest—and most successful—men have endorsed Zach Even-Esh’s Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning as a must-have, go-to resource for developing the supreme athletic durability, multi-functional strength and spiritual fortitude they most prize. Men like Joe De Sena, founder of The Spartan Race, who says: “At Spartan, we have always said the world needs a thorough encyclopedia on strength and conditioning. Whether it is our own athletes attending our races, moms, or even the elite special forces we speak to, everyone is looking for an edge. Zach's Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning is exactly what today's society needs to build a stronger mind, body and life, just as we encourage here at Spartan. The inspirational life lessons shared in this book along with these training methods are what make this book powerful and timeless. You owe it to yourself to read this book if you want to change your life.” And men like the warrior-athlete Mark Divine, founder of SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind, NYT bestselling author of 8 Weeks to SEALFIT and The Way of the SEAL, says: “When it comes to functional strength and conditioning—old school style—Zach Even-Esh has been there, done that. Zach is a master at developing young athletes who not only become world class at their sport, but also develop the strength of character to be successful at whatever they choose in life. I highly recommend this book, as it will open your eyes to reality-based training.” So in the comments section at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, feel free to let Zach and I know which of his methods you've tried, be sure to grab his new "Encyclopedia of Underground Strength and Conditioning", and leave any other feedback and thoughts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sep 17, 2014 Podcast: How Many Calories Do You Burn With Cold Thermogenesis, Dangerous Ingredients In Muscle Rubs, Building Muscle On A Vegan Diet, How To Use A Powerlung, and Autoimmune Issues In Kids. Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “Ask Ben” form... but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can receive these News Flashes (and more) every single day, if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Facebook.com/BGFitness and Google+. The fitter the CEO, the more valuable the firm? Could be something to it. Take creatine to control cortisol level? This molecule just gets better and better. Yet another good reason to use creatine (I personally take 5g/day of CreO2 - use 50% discount code MSTBG09) ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/aded - to get Yuri Elkaim's new All Day Energy Diet cookbook for free (with recipes like hemp balls, natural gatorade and green cappuccino)! Visit GotHunts.com if you listened to the recent podcast on bowhunting or read the recent article on hunting fitness and you want the VIP Ben Greenfield treatment from the folks at GotHunts! September 21-23: Ben will be speaking at The 431 Project - where astronauts, technologists, screenwriters, CEO’s, educators and more, will assemble in the picturesque Green Mountains of Vermont to take up a crucial call to action to end inactivity and obesity in the U.S.. Imagine Ted Talks meets Davos meets the National Geographic Channel. Vibrant fall foliage, fresh farm to table cuisine and world-class sommelier-curated wine lists are a bonus of this exclusive summit. If you want to connect, share, learn, have the time of your life AND change the world... get invited by requesting an invitation in the efforts to lead 300 million Americans towards positive choices, healthy living, and simple, sustained changes that will change their lives. September 25-27: Ben will be presenting at The Vermont Traditional Foods and Health Symposium at Shelburne Farms. Inspired by the teachings of the Weston A. Price Foundation, this event explores the core principals of how traditional diets can contribute to health, wellness, and longevity. September 26-28: Ben will be speaking at 2014 Bulletproof Biohacking Conference in Pasadena - Dave Asprey has decided to extend the pre-sale ticket price of $400 until this Friday, August 1st. Dave is stacking this year’s event with an all-star speaker lineup of bestselling authors… entrepreneurs… Olympic athletes… nutritionists… world-class biohackers... and more... Plus, an interactive expo of the latest biohacking ‘tech’ – including cutting-edge gear designed to get you into hyper-productive “flow” state, courtesy of the Flow Genome Project. And YES, that means Dave is making sure all the best ‘toys’ are on display in one place – and you get to play with them… click here to get in now. October 8-13: Ben will be speaking at the Ironman Sports Medicine conference in October during Ironman Hawaii. He will be presenting on nutrition myths and alternative methods of fueling Ironman (and Brock will be there too). Go ask your burning Obstacle Racing questions at ObstacleDominator.com for the brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast. Grab this Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - leave your review for a chance to win some! ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Skywalker Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick and Audio Ninja. How Many Calories Do You Burn With Cold Thermogenesis? Jared asks: He has been searching all over the net for the specific amounts of calories that are burned in an hour long session of all the different forms of Cold Thermogenesis. In my response I recommend: -Cold Temps For A Hot Body T-Nation Article -CoolFatBurner Vest Autoimmune Issues In Kids Andrew asks: His 4-year-old son has itchy skin (visibly fine) and a persistent cough (for 3 years now). He also has "insane mood swings". He eats a real food diet (with some fruits and starches). He has tested positive for mould sensitivity. They dealt with as much mould as possible. They live in Australia so they can't get tests without going through their doctor. What would you suggest they get tested? In my response I recommend: -iGe Food Mold panel from DirectLabs -Autoimmune Paleo Book -Colostrum -Bone Broth -Rebound (curcumin) Building Muscle On A Vegan Diet Mark asks: He is looking for a soy free, vegan, muscle building program. He is a vegan athlete looking to put on some muscle. What food, meal plan, nutrition, supplements that would you recommend to put on some muscle? In my response I recommend: -This article on How To Customize Your Diet -Mass Made Simple -Living Protein or Thorne Vegan Protein -Amino Acids powder or Amino Acids capsules -Aggressive Strength Testosterone Booster How To Use A Powerlung Michael asks: He wants to go "beyond training" with a Powerlung. He has read the book and listened to the interview with Gregg Wells. In it you said you use it twice a week but the instructions say to use it twice a day. What is the best way to use the Powerlung to get maximum benefit? Best sets and reps? Best rest? Should he use it in the morning or will that effect his run or spinning session? Is it better to use after a training session? Should he use it under a cold shower doing static lunges, with a weighted vest, being hooked to am EMS device with training bands on his legs to build up extra lactic acid while reading your book? In my response I recommend: -The podcast interview with PowerLung  -Swim Snorkel + CardioCap-PowerLung-TrainingMask - use BEN2014 to get a 20% discount -Pro2fit inspiratory muscle training -Pranayama app -Warrior Breathing -Conquer The Cold And Get Quantum Leaps In Performance In This Exclusive Interview With The Amazing Iceman Wim Hof podcast -Body, Mind, and Sport: The Mind-Body Guide to Lifelong Health, Fitness, and Your Personal Best book -Runner's World Running on Air: The Revolutionary Way to Run Better by Breathing Smarter book Dangerous Ingredients In Muscle Rubs Mori asks: He came up with an ointment made up of coconut oil, topical magnesium and caffeine. He has been rubbing it on his sore knees, ankles and calves and it seems to be helping. He got the idea from a dream he had... do you think it really is helping or is it all in his head? In my response I recommend: -Magnetic Clay Magnesium Lotion -Lavender Essential Oil -Hammer Balm (15% discount code 80244)-This study on natural anti-inflammatories ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to BenGreenfieldFitness.com/love!-- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. Buy this track now! -----------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Good broth will resurrect the dead," says a South American proverb. I don't know about that, but I still drink bone broth every week for healthy skin, hair, nails, a strong gut lining, good joints, and even a bit of a liver detox. Whether you’re injured, need to heal your gut fast, build muscle, need more natural sources of minerals and electrolytes in your diet, or simply want to drink, sip and cook with some the most nourishing liquid food on the face of the planet, bone broth really is the ultimate solution, and in today's podcast, I interview bone broth expert and chef Lance Roth. Creator of TheBrothery, bone broth and Executive Chef Lance Roll puts his 20-year diverse culinary career and education as a health and nutrition professional into each special batch of bone broth to create the healthiest broth on the face of the planet. Lance actually freezes his broth and ships it around the continental US too, making for the ultimate, easy done-for-you bone broth experience, especially if you don’t have the time or resources to make your own bone broth. In this podcast, you'll discover: -How bone broth can enhance liver detox pathways... -How to make the best kind of broth, including a few of Lance's secret ingredients... -The important difference between broth and stock... -Is it safe for you to ship bone broth around the country without it going bad... -What are the tastiest things you can do with bone broth once you get it... -How to use bone broth during an Ironman triathlon... Each batch of flavorful, nourishing, bone-growing, muscle-building and body and gut-healing organic bone broth from The Brothery is made in small batches using locally-grown, organic produce and free-range, humanely-raised meats and poultry – so you get no harmful hormones or toxins in your nourishing broth. Click here to grab some now. Leave your questions, comments and feedback about bone broth at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and feel free to share any good bone broth recipes you may have!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/293 Sep 10, 2014 Podcast: 5 Ways To Have More Energy At Work, Can Cigarettes Enhance Performance?, The Best Ways To Increase Grip Strength & More! Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “Ask Ben” form... but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can get these News Flashes hot off the presses if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Facebook.com/BGFitness and Google+. Nice - 5 ways to trick your body into being more awesome. Red wine is only good for you if you are physically active (I drink a glass a day). Standing may be the best anti-aging technique. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/aded - to get Yuri Elkaim's new All Day Energy Diet cookbook for free (with recipes like hemp balls, natural gatorade and green cappuccino)! Visit GotHunts.com if you listened to the recent podcast on bowhunting or read the recent article on hunting fitness and you want the VIP Ben Greenfield treatment from the folks at GotHunts! September 21-23: Ben will be speaking at The 431 Project - where astronauts, technologists, screenwriters, CEO’s, educators and more, will assemble in the picturesque Green Mountains of Vermont to take up a crucial call to action to end inactivity and obesity in the U.S.. Imagine Ted Talks meets Davos meets the National Geographic Channel. Vibrant fall foliage, fresh farm to table cuisine and world-class sommelier-curated wine lists are a bonus of this exclusive summit. If you want to connect, share, learn, have the time of your life AND change the world... get invited by requesting an invitation in the efforts to lead 300 million Americans towards positive choices, healthy living, and simple, sustained changes that will change their lives. September 25-27: Ben will be presenting at The Vermont Traditional Foods and Health Symposium at Shelburne Farms. Inspired by the teachings of the Weston A. Price Foundation, this event explores the core principals of how traditional diets can contribute to health, wellness, and longevity. September 26-28: Ben will be speaking at 2014 Bulletproof Biohacking Conference in Pasadena - Dave Asprey has decided to extend the pre-sale ticket price of $400 until this Friday, August 1st. Dave is stacking this year’s event with an all-star speaker lineup of bestselling authors… entrepreneurs… Olympic athletes… nutritionists… world-class biohackers... and more... Plus, an interactive expo of the latest biohacking ‘tech’ – including cutting-edge gear designed to get you into hyper-productive “flow” state, courtesy of the Flow Genome Project. And YES, that means Dave is making sure all the best ‘toys’ are on display in one place – and you get to play with them… click here to get in now. October 8-13: Ben will be speaking at the Ironman Sports Medicine conference in October during Ironman Hawaii. He will be presenting on nutrition myths and alternative methods of fueling Ironman (and Brock will be there too). Go ask your burning Obstacle Racing questions at ObstacleDominator.com for the brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast. Grab this Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - leave your review for a chance to win some!  ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Skywalker Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick and Audio Ninja. Testimonial from Jack: Started off the year using Tri-Ripped (second year on this plan) to prepare for early season races. Switched to the Beyond Training Ancestral plan 12 weeks out from my yearly half. Used the tools and protocols in the book alongside the plan and adapted the race nutrition protocol to fit my sensitive stomach (GI meltdown the last time). In a downpour most of the race, last Sunday I had a PR in each leg and an overall PR by 28 min for my first sub 5:30 half. Felt great all day (probably could have pushed even harder) and now enjoying a smooth recovery. Love the Beyond Training concepts - can race fast while not cheating family and work or destroy the body. 5 Ways To Have More Energy At Work Darren asks: He has been working 8 hour work days for years now and is about to start a job where 12 hour work days are common. Do you have any tips on how to improve stamina and endurance at work or energy management during the work day? In my response I recommend: 1) Block WiFi (watch my electrical pollution video), which includes: -Biohacking Healthy Home book -GreenWave EMF Filter -Negative Ion Generator -Laptop Grounding Cable -Airtube Headset -Superhuman Encoder -Harmonizer (use code BEN15 for discount) -Blue Light Blocking Glasses2) Standing Workstation (read this article on Biohacking the Hazards of Sitting) 3) Compression socks or tights and inversion poses 4) Smart drugs such as TianChi, Bulletproof Coffee, or Peak Nootropics 5) Lots and lots of good water, including the brands we talk about in this podcast. Can Cigarettes Enhance Performance? Matt asks: He is an ex-smoker (quit years and years ago) but recently he has been having the occasional cigarette (1 or 2 here every couple weeks/month). Is it possible that low dosing with cigarettes could have an hormetic effect on training? He is not planning to use cigarettes as a training protocol for his upcoming Ironman but he has noticed a decrease in his resting heart rate and an increase in his sprinting ability (especially in the pool).   Can Dehydration Cause Arthritis? Richard asks: He is in his early 40s, follows a low carb/paleo diet and has osteoarthritis in both hips (is heading in for total hip replacement surgery in 2015). He is wondering what you think of Dr Jack Kruse's idea that arthritis is caused by dehydration? In Robb Wolfe's last podcast he and Paul Jaminet suggested that restricting carbs could lead to dehydration; impacting mucus production, cartilage, synovial fluid, etc... what do you think?   Eyes Watering During Exercise Ellie asks: Sometimes while she runs, one of her eyes will water and tear continuously. One steady tear, just in one eye. What could be causing that? In my response I recommend: -Artificial tears The Best Ways To Increase Grip Strength Wilmer asks: He has been lifting progressively heavier and heavier weights over the last few months but he can't seem to hold a grip on the weights. What devices and exercises do you recommend to improve grip and wrist strength?   ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to BenGreenfieldFitness.com/love!-- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. Buy this track now! -----------------------------------------------------See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm really not a big self-quantification nerd. I don't like to be plugged into stuff all day long. It just makes me feel like a giant robot (and being constantly plugged into things like bluetooth devices just gives me the tin-foil hat wearing heebie-jeebies). But I do religiously take one simple measurement every single morning: heart rate variability. And the method that I use to measure heart rate variability is, in my opinion, the singe, next big trend in biohacking and self-quantification. It's called SweetBeatLife, and all you need to use it is the SweetBeatLife phone app. In today's audio interview, I speak with Ronda Collier, who has more than 25 years of experience in high technology product development with a proven track record of delivering leading edge consumer electronic products. The previous two heart rate variability podcasts with Ronda (that I'd recommend you listen to before you listen to today's podcast if you don't know much about heart rate variability) are below:-Everything You Need To Know About Heart Rate Variability Testing -The Do-It-Yourself Guide To Using Heart Rate Variability Testing to Track Your Stress and Nervous System Health By analyzing HRV and Stress along with additional data, SweetBeatLife provides a deep dive into health and provides insight into what activities you engage in that effect the health metrics you care about. This is important because the next big trend in bio-hacking is understanding the relationships between different metrics like your weight, your blood pressure, your blood glucose, the number of steps you take and your actual internal health and nervous system. SweetBeatLife integrates and correlates data from popular fitness platforms like MapMyFitness, Fitbit and Withings and integrates seamlessly with the extensive biometrics from the new HealthPatch sensor (which we talk about in the podcast). The SweetBeatLife features that we discuss in the podcast include:  Monitor/Relax: The Monitor screen allows users to choose which feature they would like to use (Stress Monitoring, HRV for Training, Heart Rate Recovery). After starting a session, the user’s metrics will fill this screen: heart rate, HRV, stress level, current mood.  EKG (RRs): The EKG-like heart beat trace is the first window on the Monitor screen. By flipping this window around, the user can see several other real-time features.  NEW Stats: The stats screen, more widely referred to as the “geek” screen, shows all the metrics used in the algorithm calculations and then some! If using the HealthPatch, the user will get to monitor their respiration, energy, skin temperature, steps and activity.  NEW Graph: The graph screen shows a real-time building graph of your heart rate from RR Intervals. Turning the phone 90 degrees counter-clockwise will bring up the graph in landscape. Unselecting RR in the top right corner will allow the user to see all of the other metrics in real-time.  NEW HealthPatch: The HealthPatch by VitalConnect, uses SweetBeatLife’s software to record the following data in real-time: heart rate, respiration, calories out, skin temperature, steps and activity. This is the future of noninvasive monitoring.  NEW Correlation: The correlation screen uses a patent pending algorithm to correlate all of the Fitbit data the user has shared with SweetBeatLife. This data will come from the app itself, the HealthPatch and any other apps the user has authorized (Fitbit, Withings, and/or MapMyFitness). Settings allow the user to view demos or analyze the correlations between their own data. The user chooses which metric they want to correlate to the others (HRV, stress, or weight). They can choose to see all of their data or put in specific date ranges. By doing this, the user can see their current, max, and min metric compared to their other data. Touching the bubbles flips them for more data. HRV for Training: In competitive sports, improved performance is achieved by alternating periods of intensive training with periods of relative rest. SweetBeatLife uses patent pending algorithms to create a personalized reference line for the user based on 3-minute daily HRV readings. Using the reference line, the app recommends the user “train as usual”, have a “low exertion day”, or take a “rest day”.  Food Sensitivity Test: To use the food sensitivity test, a user must first take a morning reading of the pulse to establish a baseline for the day. Before eating a meal, the user records the foods comprising the next meal and performs a pulse test. After the user is finished eating, the app will prompt users to record their heart rates every 30 minutes until 90 minutes have passed. Once testing is complete, the meal will either pass or fail for food sensitivity. The Food Sensitivity test methodology developed by immunologist Dr. Arthur F. Coca can be found on the web.  History: Accessing saved sessions is easier than ever. The history is split into three sections: charts, sessions, and food. Now users can separate their food sensitivity tests from the rest of their sessions. By selecting a saved session, the user can view their metrics in a graph, upload to MySweetbeat, Facebook or Twitter, and new capabilities now allow users to send their RR intervals in a CSV file to any email address. . Grab the SweetBeatLife phone app by clicking here, visit the SweetBeatLife website here, and leave any questions, comments or feedback at BenGreenfieldFitness.com! Either Ronda or I will answer and point you in the right direction.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/292 September, 2014 Podcast: Titles titles titles... Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “Ask Ben” form... but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can get these News Flashes hot off the presses if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Facebook.com/BGFitness and Google+. Want to get smarter? Yoga can make you smarter. Standing also makes you smarter. You can use code “BEN” to get $40 off their Rebel Crank-Up desk and you can use code “GREENFIELD” to get $20 off the Rebel Chair that comes with their desk. Hot bath for fat loss, anyone? Goes to show you can dose with a pretty freaking huge amount of carbs before you “get fat”. Carb loading pre-race won’t make you fat. Ever heard of “chia seed loading”? Here’s the breakdown. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/aded to get Yuri Elkaim's new All Day Energy Diet cookbook for free (with recipes like hemp balls, natural gatorade and green cappuccino)! September 21-23: Ben will be speaking at The 431 Project - where astronauts, technologists, screenwriters, CEO’s, educators and more, will assemble in the picturesque Green Mountains of Vermont to take up a crucial call to action to end inactivity and obesity in the U.S.. Imagine Ted Talks meets Davos meets the National Geographic Channel. Vibrant fall foliage, fresh farm to table cuisine and world-class sommelier-curated wine lists are a bonus of this exclusive summit. If you want to connect, share, learn, have the time of your life AND change the world... get invited by requesting an invitation in the efforts to lead 300 million Americans towards positive choices, healthy living, and simple, sustained changes that will change their lives. September 25-27: Ben will be presenting at The Vermont Traditional Foods and Health Symposium at Shelburne Farms. Inspired by the teachings of the Weston A. Price Foundation, this event explores the core principals of how traditional diets can contribute to health, wellness, and longevity. September 26-28: Ben will be speaking at 2014 Bulletproof Biohacking Conference in Pasadena - Dave Asprey has decided to extend the pre-sale ticket price of $400 until this Friday, August 1st. Dave is stacking this year’s event with an all-star speaker lineup of bestselling authors… entrepreneurs… Olympic athletes… nutritionists… world-class biohackers... and more... Plus, an interactive expo of the latest biohacking ‘tech’ – including cutting-edge gear designed to get you into hyper-productive “flow” state, courtesy of the Flow Genome Project. And YES, that means Dave is making sure all the best ‘toys’ are on display in one place – and you get to play with them… click here to get in now. October 8-13: Ben will be speaking at the Ironman Sports Medicine conference in October during Ironman Hawaii. He will be presenting on nutrition myths and alternative methods of fueling Ironman (and Brock will *hopefully* be there too). Go ask your burning Obstacle Racing questions at ObstacleDominator.com for the brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast. Grab this Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - leave your review for a chance to win some! Get a squatty potty here. ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Skywalker Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick and Audio Ninja. How To Know If Fitness and Nutrition Research Is Good Sceptic asks: He recently heard that one scientific journal retracted 60 papers after details of a “peer review ring” came to light and the journal Nature recently retracted two papers involving stem cells. So he is wondering, what are the most important things to look for when you’re reading a study or looking at research to figure out whether it’s actually good research or whether you can trust the conclusions? In my response I recommend: -Alan Aragon's Research Review Natural Remedies for Tinnitus Theresa asks: She wants to know what you know about tinnitus. What makes your ears ring incessantly during the day and into the evening? She is approaching 50 years old and the ringing is getting worse. Do you have any suggestions on how to quiet the inner noise that is happening in her ears? In my response I recommend: What To Eat Before An Afternoon or Evening Race Jeff asks: He is running the Las Vegas half marathon which is run at night. Most races are in the morning and he has that fuelling dialed in but doesn't know how much or what to eat before an afternoon or night race. He is looking for "wise council" from both of us. In my response I recommend: -LivingFuel meal replacement shakes Abnormal Heart Rhythms During Exercise Fred asks: He is 66 and has always prided himself on having a low heart rate but now he has found out that he has an Atrial Fibrillation. He is wondering if he can still train/exercise with a heart that has A-Fib? Now he doesn't know when he gets out of breath if it is the fibrillation or his age or just if he is out of shape. In my response I recommend: -SweetBeatLife How To Know If You Have Toxins Lawrence asks: He does a twice daily 9 mile bicycle commute in pretty heavy traffic. The rides are often the highlight of his day and he also feels that they counteract an otherwise sedentary lifestyle. He is not afraid to ride in traffic but he is afraid of the environmental toxins that he may be exposed to during the ride. What lab tests should he get to find out if he has been exposed. He looks forward to hearing your response during one of his commutes - don't worry be uses bone conducting earphones not earbuds. In my response I recommend: -How to detox your home article -Lifeshotz -DirectLabs -Most of the kits by Doctor’s Data deal with toxic metals, elements, etc. If you go to the main site you do a search for each individual specialty lab’s tests. US Biotek: -Environmental Pollutants-USBiotek KIT $209: Urine analysis for assessment of exposure to common environmental and occupational chemicals. -Urinary Metabolic Profile+Environmental Pollutants-USBiotek KIT $349: Assessment of organic acids, aromatic solvent metabolites, phthalate metabolites, and parabens in urine. However, to order either one of the US Biotek kits, you must call in the order because USBiotek does not want their kits on the DirectLabs website. RealTime Labs: -Mycotoxin Panel, Total-RTL Kit $699: Used to detect mycotoxins which are toxins produced by fungi. -Aflatoxin Group, urine-RTL KIT $250 :Measures Aflatoxin levels. -Ochratoxin Group (A)-RTL Kit $250: Potentially carcinogenic (cancer producing) to humans. Found in food samples and in food storage areas. BioHealth: -Clostridium difficile: Colitis Toxins A & B-BioHealth KIT $109: Assesses whether or not diarrhea is caused by Clostridium Difficile ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to BenGreenfieldFitness.com/love!-- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. Buy this track now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Part 2 of my experience with SEALFit Comprehensive Academy and SEALFit Kokoro Camp, in which you’re going to get as many tips and tricks as possible for the SEALFit Academy. Even if you don’t plan on attending any SEALFit events, there are plenty of takeaway gems here for anyone who wants to achieve challenging feats of physical or mental performance. In the next article - Part 3 of this three-part series -you’ll learn exactly what happens at SEALFit Kokoro, and some my own takeaways, tips and tricks - but in the meantime, let’s jump right into what you need to know for the six days of the SEALFit Academy. Even if you don't plan on ever going to a SEALFit event, you're going to learn a ton of useful information about how to get physically and mentally stronger! ----------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 1 Day 1 abruptly began at 4pm with a very brief orientation from Coach Dave (most of the coaches here go by “Coach”, followed by their first name - so don’t call them Sir or Mr. or anything like that), during which we introduced ourselves and selected a team leader. We then went straight into the coach barking orders at us as he led us through the initial PT test on “The Grinder”, which a hard, textured concrete surface at the US Crossfit facility in Encinitas, California. The Grinder looks like this (fun, eh?): During the PT test, which is performed in highly stylish black pants, white t-shirt and combat boots, myself and the 10 other Academy attendees were tested for the SEALFit Academy physical standards, which are: -50 pushups in 2 minutes -50 situps in 2 minutes -50 squats in 2 minutes -10 dead hang pull-ups (6 for women) -1 mile run in 9:30 or less Here’s a photo of the PT test from Academy. As you can see, based on my physical training for the Academy (read about it in Part 1 of this series), I did just fine. But come prepared, because the candidates that failed (red circles) were pretty severely reprimanded for it. Take the standards seriously. Other quick tips for the Academy PT test include: 1. Pay attention and be mindful, especially if you have a creative mind that wanders (like I do). Reign it in! Focus. Every tiny little detail matters at the Academy, especially when a coach is giving instructions for a WOD (Workout Of The Day) or any other activity. For example, I incurred a 50 burpee penalty for our whole team by simply running on the sidewalk rather than the road during the run portion of the PT test. I thought this would be safer, but it turns out that at SEALFit Academy and Kokoro, they pretty much avoid the sidewalks and almost always run on the road, even at night. 2. Suffer in silence. No grunting or weird workout noises. Be careful with grimacing too. Practice keeping a stone face, or better yet, smiling even when the going gets tough. Deep breathing helps with this. 3. Don’t show off or be a Rambo. Be a team player. As soon as I finished my run well ahead of most of the others, I was instructed to sprint back out and bring the rest of the team in. Unless instructed otherwise, always prioritize helping your team vs. just showing off your fitness. 4. If you can lay down a strip of duct tape or kinesiotape vertically down your spine, it will help you not get back blisters from situps on the hard Grinder surface. This helps because if you start the week with a chafed back, it’s going to hurt a bunch during the rucks, leg levers, flutter kicks, and pretty much any other time something is rubbing against your back. I learned that lesson the hard way. 5. Practice strict pull-ups to an above the bar chin position and full extension at the bottom, along with a hook grip in which your fingers wrap around your thumbs. Avoid“suicide” gripping on the pull-ups (a thumbs off position). After the PT test, we sat in on a lecture with Coach Mark Divine - the owner of SEALFit, in which he introduced the core principles of The Unbeatable Mind, adapted from concepts in his book by the same name. I’d highly recommend you read both Unbeatable Mind and 8 Weeks To SEALFit well in advance of showing up for any of the SEALFit events. You will be way ahead of the game if you read them and do both the mental and physical activities in the book. Following Coach Divine’s talk, we were cut free for a team dinner on our own. As the team leader, I was given $100 to divvy up among the team, so we went out for some team bonding at a restaurant across the street from the SEALFit headquarters, then an early bedtime. When you get a chance to sleep at the Academy, plan to do it - as you don’t get many chances for a solid night of sleep and you never know when you may get ripped out of bed and thrown into the ocean or shoved into a midnight workout (seriously - keep reading for more details on that). ------------------------------------------- SEALFit Academy Day 2 We awoke to a glorious breakfast on Day 2. Unlike Kokoro, you don't get crappy MRE's (stands for "Meals Ready To Eat"). Instead, the Academy is catered by a trained chef named Kathryn, who is also a nutritionist, yoga teacher and meditation expert. For breakfast on Day 2, Kathryn served us scrambled eggs with vegetable, gluten-free raisin nut muffins, and an assortment of fruits and yogurts. Of course, the only downside is that as soon as your glorious breakfast ends, you can expect to be rushing to a hard workout - during which you'll often get the unique experience of tasting breakfast a second time, especially if you overeat on proteins and fats. As a matter of fact, at the SEALFit Academy you can pretty much expect to be rushing from the moment you awake - to breakfast, to a workout, a lecture, another workout, lunch, another workout, a lecture, a skills clinic, etc. Sometimes the rushing seems intentionally programmed to keep you slightly outside your comfort zone. For example, for lunch on Day 2, we had a fantastic but extremely filling chicken sausage and squash casserole - which was immediately followed by a 1 mile fast run in the heat. This takes me to an important lesson: the use of digestive enzymes to help digest meals more quickly. I used this trick many times during Academy week and even during Kokoro - popping just a couple digestive enzymes with or immediately before meals to help things get through my digestive system more quickly and to help me absorb extra nutrients. After breakfast, the first workout of Day 2 was "Grinder PT" with Mark Divine. You can get an idea of what it looks like in the video below. We did movements like this for a solid 2 hours, and finished with a sandbag run to the top of Lookout Hill, which sits about a quarter mile from the Academy. At the top of Lookout Hill, Mark finished by bringing us through a Warrior Breathing session, which involves hyperoxygenating the body with sharp intakes of oxygen through the nose, then very quick exhales. During our Warrior Breathing, we practiced visualizing our "internal warrior" (Coach Divine's is King Leonidas of the Spartans). But I was baffled and slightly frustrated during this exercise, as I simply couldn't find or visualize my internal warrior. Images that floated through my head included a wolf, an archer (like Robin Hood), and even a shark, but none of these seemed quite right. I know this sounds cheesy and woo-woo, but being able to picture your warrior before a hard workout or intense physical challenge can give you a huge advantage. On Day 4, which you'll read about below, I had my first intense emotional breakthrough of the Academy, in which I finally did discover my internal warrior. After the workout, Coach Divine gave a lecture on the principles of SEALFit, adapted from the book 8 Weeks To SEALFit. Then we moved on to a 2 hour clinic that covered sandbag skills, kettlebell skills and barbell skills, in which we learned 8-10 different exercises and movements for each of these tools. This doesn't sound like much of a workout, but 2 solid hours of practicing with sandbags, kettlbebells and barbells adds up pretty quickly. After lunch, we had another lifting clinic, this time with Coach Adam, who taught us proper form for deadlifts, cleans, overhead press, push press and bench press. As you are probably noticing, you can expect to spend a lot of time with a barbell in your hands at SEALFit events. Next, we settled in for another lecture with Coach Dave, during which Dave discussed training principles and the SEALFit components of Endurance, Strength, Stamina, Work Capacity and Durability. At the end of the lecture, he abruptly announced that we'd go do "Cindy" - a relatively famous Crossfit workout consisting of an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) in 20 minutes of 5 pull-ups, 10 pushups and 15 air squats. After 26 rounds, my hands - already a bit rubbed raw from the amount of barbell holds - were ripped open and bleeding. So I'd recommend you bring tincture of benzoin andSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.