Boundless Life

Most of us have at least some familiarity with a state called "flow". If you’ve ever lost an afternoon to a great conversation or gotten so involved in a work project that all else is forgotten or found yourself completely firing on all cylinders during a swim, bike, run or other workout, then you’ve tasted the experience. In flow, you are so focused on the task at hand that everything else falls away. Action and awareness merge. Time flies. Self vanishes. Performance goes through the roof. In his book The Rise Of Superman - Decoding The Science of Ultimate Human Performance, and on today's podcast interview, my guest Steven Kotler tells you exactly how to biohack yourself into this state of flow, and how you can tap into this power to achieve amazing feats of physical and mental performance, even if you're not a "super athlete". I really enjoyed this discussion with Steven, and you're going to get a lot out of it if you want to increase your ability to tap into the equivalent of "the runner's high" anytime, anyplace. Resources we discuss during this podcast: -Steven's Book: The Rise Of Superman - Decoding The Science of Ultimate Human Performance -Steven's Book: Abundance - The Future is Better Than You Think -Flow Genome Project -The free 17 Flow Triggers slideshare -Advanced Brain Monitoring EEG Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to achieve a state of flow, or tap into your ultimate performance potential? Leave your questions, comments and feedback at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I go to the sauna once a week, and often twice a week in the winter. I get a huge pile of the magazines or journals I subscribe to, like ESPN, Fast Company, or Mother Earth News (and sometimes even grab a book I don't mind destroying) then settle in for a good 30-45 minute sweat session. After about 25 minutes, it get pretty tough as my heart rate and core temperature rapidly rise, and I eventually get so hot that I have to quit reading - and then I simply switch to staring at the wall and doing deep, meditative breathing to sit things out for as long as I can. I pretend I'm some kind of ancient warrior sitting in an Indian sweat lodge, or a prisoner of war tossed into one of those heat torture chambers. Then I take a cold shower and I feel amazing. I've used this strategy to train for everything from racing Ironman in the lava fields of Hawaii to preparing for a tennis tournament in a stifling indoor tennis courts stadium. But why does heat work so well to enhance performance? Can you use heat to build muscle or burn fat? What's the best kind of heat? Saunas? Steam rooms? Those dorky sauna suits? You're about to find out the answers to these burning questions (ha!), and so much more. My guest in today's podcast, Dr. Rhonda Patrick (pictured right) has a Ph.D. in biomedical science, a Bachelor’s of Science degree in biochemistry/chemistry, has done extensive research on aging, cancer, and nutrition, she did her graduate research on the link between mitochondrial metabolism, apoptosis, and cancer... ...and she knows a thing or two about heat exposure too, as you can see from her video here on heat stress.  Dr. Patrick is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, where she conducts clinical trials looking at the effects of micronutrients (e.g. vitamins and minerals) on metabolism, inflammation, DNA damage, and aging. In addition, she is investigating the role of vitamin D in brain function and other physiological functions. She has also done research on anti-aging techniques at the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences. During our podcast, you'll learn everything you need to know about how to use heat exposure to enhance performance, burn fat, and gain muscle. -3 ways getting into a sauna could actually grow new neurons and make you smarter... -The best to use heat to build endurance, build muscle and heal injuries... -How much heat exposure is enough, and how much is too much... -Whether it's really true that you can increase growth hormone inside a sauna... -How heat can help you produce the "runner's high"... -The amazing anti-aging effect of saunas and how it works... -What the best type of heat is, and whether there is a difference between wet heat vs. dry heat vs. sauna suits vs. infrared saunas and mats... -How to ideally combine heat exposure with cold thermogenesis... Resources discussed in this podcast: -FoundMyFitness.com -Biomat infrared mat -CoolFatBurner vest Do you have questions about how to use heat to enhance performance, or any other thoughts about this episode with Rhonda Patrick? Leave your comments by clicking here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discover the link between low testosterone and heart health with insights on managing clotting issues, balancing hormones, and concerns about testosterone replacement therapy. Explore ways to boost testosterone levels naturally and learn about advancements in heart health understanding and dietary impacts.

How do you know if the nutrition supplements that you are using are safe and legal?  How is the supplement industry actually regulated? What should you look for to know if your supplement actually contains what it says it contains? You're going to learn the answers to these and many more questions in this podcast episode. My guest for this episode, Tom Nikkola (pictured right) is a fitness and nutrition expert who is well-versed in the nutrition supplement industry. He was cured from leukemia when he was five. He spent years doing follow-up testing at the Mayo Clinic, and during that time, often thought of becoming a doctor. This interest in health turned into an interest in fitness, which eventually led him to graduate from university, cum laude, with a pre-Med Biology degree. Shortly after graduating, Tom started working for Life Time Fitness, and was there for nearly 12 years working as a personal trainer, and holding various management roles, before finally leaving after holding the position of  Senior Director of Nutrition & Weight Management. During that time, Tom was responsible for Life Time’s nutrition, metabolism and weight management programs and products. Tom holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, as well as my Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).  Beyond his standardized education, Tom has also read hundreds of books on fitness and nutrition and currently has a personal library of about 900 published research papers and articles. Tom now uses his insights and experience to advise and build the one of the world's leading fitness supplement brands - ThorneFX - with a focus on producing products and services in which fitness professionals and the clients they work with can have complete trust. In today’s episode, Tom is going to walk us through everything we need to know about whether the supplements we’re taking are actually safe, legal and contain what they say they contain. -The history behind ThorneFX... -How multivitamins are made, from idea conception to final product... -How to know whether supplements actually contain the exact amount of product that is on the label... -What kind of third-party certifications you should be looking for on a supplement label... -Why fillers, binders, excipients and other additives are added to supplements - and which are safe and which are not... -4 things you must completely avoid in any supplement, capsule, powder or tablet... -Tom's three favorite supplement “stacks”, and why he chooses them... -And much more! Final Food For Thought These are all important issues. And here's why... A woman in Hawaii recently died from liver failure due to her use of the weight loss supplement OxyELITE Pro. Following actions by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Texas-based company has agreed to recall and destroy a dietary supplement linked to dozens of cases of acute liver failure and hepatitis, including one death and illnesses so severe that several patients required liver transplants. A recent journal of medicine presented a case report on two soldiers who were taking commercially available energy supplements and who both collapsed during physical exertion from cardiac arrest and ultimately died. In many cases, there are reported risks of deaths actually increasing with long term use of supplements such as multivitamins, vitamin B6, folic acid, iron, magnesium, zinc, and copper and there are athletes who have been banned from competition due to their "innocent" electrolytes and sports fuels being tainted with hormones and steroids. Do you have questions, comments or feedback about whether your supplement is safe, or any other thoughts about this episode? Leave your comments by clicking here, and go to ThorneFX to view any of the products we discuss in this podcast!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My podcast guest in this episode suffered a stroke when he was 22 years old. That set him down a path that would change his life forever. Within 5 months, he had dropped 55 pounds, lowered his blood pressure from 200/90 to 110/70, and began developing the anti-aging system and 5 age defying techniques that we talk about in today's podcast. At age 53, using his own techniques from his anti-aging protocol, he has now shattered the world endurance record for most pounds lifted overhead in an hour (53,640 pounds). And now he plans to break the record for aging. His name is Nick Delgado, and in this amazing audio episode, we delve into hormones, hypoxia, nutrient density, fats and oils, trampolining, telomere testing, and much much more. Resources from this episode: -The Delgado Protocol -Nick's book How To Stay Young -CVAC Pod and the Hypoxic air generator Ben and Nick discuss -The MindAlive light/sound device to achieve brain theta waves -Telomere Length Testing -TA-65 extract for telomeres -Astragalus herb in TianChi that Ben uses -Marine Phytoplankton for essential fatty acids -Melatonin Cream for wrinkles -The olive oil that Ben smears on his face every day -The Weston A. Price / Okinawa study that Ben mentions -Mini trampoline for lymph flow Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to break the world record for aging? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My friend Tai Lopez is a very interesting guy. Tai is a true renaissance man. Tai (pictured right) went from being a college dropout living with the Amish and working on Joel Salatin's farm (which we talk about in this podcast episode) to becoming a self made millionaire before the age of 30, while launching 12 multi-million dollar businesses in the process. He is a member of MENSA: the high IQ society, a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter, and most importantly a student of life with a ton of books (5000 plus at the last count). In addition to his massive book collection, he is himself the author of several books on unrelated subjects such as dating, life insurance and modeling, and the voice of the brand new podcast "The Grand Theory of Everything". Tai was on Bravo's "The Millionaire Matchmaker" (his episode is the highest rated yet), is addicted to traveling (51 countries on 6 continents so far), and is also a student of salsa dancing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and playing classical piano. He lives in the Hollywood Hills, where he has a cold thermogenesis pool off his front porch. Tai also has a good way of summing up books that would normally take you a long time to read. That’s wonderful for anyone who doesn’t have the time luxury to read lots of books (and you can consider his Book of the Day list a fantastic time-hacking technique). A few weeks ago, I featured an article by Tai entitled "50 Secrets Of The World Longest Living People", and in this podcast we go way above and beyond just living long. You'll learn: -How Tai went from being a college dropout to living with the Amish... -Why the Apache Indian tribe were some of the toughest people on earth... -What farmers and ranchers know about toughness that we don't... -How aligning your body with your natural circadian rhythms can make you tough... -Tai's top techniques for getting tough... -Tai's technique for getting through as many books as possible in as short a period of time... Resources we discuss in this episode: -Book: Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of an American Warrior -Book: Arnold Schwarzenegger's Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story -Book: Michael Jordan: The Life -Book: Peter Drucker: Managing Life -Book: Poor Charlie's Almanack -Book: Kon Tiki -Tai's Book of the Day list -Joel Salatin, and the amazing books he has written Leave your questions, comments or feedback for Tai at the shownotes here, and be sure to check out his new podcast "The Grand Theory of Everything".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Brian Johnson. Brian Johnson is the Philosopher & CEO of en*theos - a company that Brian describes as "creating cool stuff to help people optimize their lives". I first met Brian two years ago through my .mp3 player - where I listened to him walk me through 100 of the greatest personal growth books - in about 20 minutes per book, via "The Philosopher's Notes". Later, Brian and I connected through random chance when I helped him and his wife interpret their WellnessFX blood testing results, and then I began online coaching Brian for muscle gain and fat loss. As I grew to know Brian, I realized that he has an incredible story, in which he has combined fitness, health, happiness and business success into a very cool package. He also had some interesting characteristics, such as: -He never sent e-mail. Ever. -He never said anything negative. Ever. -And he is a very unique combination of self-quantified biohacker, philosopher, CEO and family man. On this podcast, Brian shares with you his story, and his biggest keys to achieving the ultimate combination of fitness, health, happiness and business success. Resources In This Episode: -"The Philosopher's Notes" -My Entheos class: "REV The Human Machine" -How to Meditate Without Moving To The Himalayas (free class) -Longevity Tea -Phenocane / curcumin anti-inflammatory -WellnessFX -Coaching with Ben and his team -Finding Joe DVD documentary If you have questions, comments or feedback for Brian or me about how to achieve the ultimate combination of fitness and happiness, then leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/284 May 28, 2014 Podcast: How To Run A Marathon With A Knee Injury, Can Heat Make You Burn More Fat, How To Do Magnesium Baths, Stevia vs. Artificial Sweeteners, Natural Remedies for Menstrual Cramps, and Hidden Causes of High Blood Sugar. 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+. Need to “train” your body to run X distance at a certain speed? Research shows a treadmill could be a good choice. 11 factors that increase (or decrease) the effects of caffeine. Good article: Why I Don't Do Crossfit ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: -Everything You've Always Wanted To Know About Ayahuasca But Were Afraid To Ask - Click here to go Premium and listen to Ben's "Ayahuasca 101" interview with coach and Ironman athlete Stephanie Holbrook. -Go ask your burning Obstacle Racing questions at http://www.ObstacleDominator.com for the brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast! -Ben is speaking at Concordia University - 10 Tips for Achieving the Most Out of Business, Body, and Life. 100% FREE Event - 7:00 p.m. CST, Tuesday, June 10, 2014 - Concordia University - St. Paul Campus (and Live Broadcast Online). Learn how to get the most out of your life with noted athlete and entrepreneur Ben Greenfield. Ben will share practical, real-life tips for increasing your productivity, improving your physical well-being and enhancing your mental performance. Join him as he shares his life journey and the lessons learned along the way, including studying sports science in college, launching a successful string of personal training studios and gyms, beginning an online fitness career, and finally becoming recognized globally as one of the top nutrition, health, and exercise experts in the world. Click here to RSVP on Facebook! -Ben is now uploading both is weekly workout logs and diet photos to the Inner Circle. Every week Ben discovers new exercises, workout tactics, fat loss tricks, biohacks, deep sleep tips, detoxes, recipes, supplements, etc. - but people often feel like they’re “behind the curve” - constantly trying to wrap their heads around what’s working best at any given time, or what’s going to be best for them and their bodies. In Ben's monthly Inner Circle video workshops and diet and exercise logs, he and his wife Jessa teach you exactly “what’s working now”, so that you can stay on the razor-sharp, cutting-edge of fitness, nutrition and lifestyle optimization. When it comes to “assembling” everything that Ben talks about in the podcast, books, etc. into an easy-to-implement system, the Inner Circle is the way to do that. Click here to try it out now for 10 bucks a month! -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 To Run A Marathon With A Knee Injury Tony asks: He was diagnosed with IT Band Friction Syndrome. He went for Physical Therapy and it cleared up but he still has some pain on the front of his knee, just below the patella. He has tried everything he can including: Hokas, Cortisone (which just increased the pressure), Straps, Bands, Joint Supplements and Anti-inflammatories. His marathon is in a about a week - what can he do to give himself the best chance of finishing? In my response I recommend: -My Bulletproof Knee program -Bauerfeind Genutrain Soft Knee Brace -MarcPro Electrostim ($32 discount at http://www.MarcPro.com with discount code "Ben")-FrozenPeaz-Natural Injury Pack Can Heat Make You Burn More Fat? Michael asks: He has seen a lot of people in Holland (where he lives) doing cardio with heat packs on to burn off stomach fat. He hasn't seen any research to support this idea. After reading your articles on cold thermogenesis, he is wondering if heat packs might even have a reverse effect on burning fat. In my response I recommend: -The Fat Burner vest and Gut Buster vest at http://www.CoolFatBurner.com -Study: Aerobic fitness determines whole-body fat oxidation rate during exercise in the heat. -Article: Tim Ferriss's/Rhonda Patrick's article on hyperthermia How To Do Magnesium Baths Ian asks: He has been using the Natural Calm bath salts in warm or hot baths. Now he is wondering is he should be using it in a cold bath (he takes a cold bath outside before and after his workouts). He doesn't drain the cold bath after each session (only every few days) so he is wondering how many days the magnesium would be good for? In my response I recommend: -Magnetic Clay Magnesium Bath Flakes Stevia vs. Artificial Sweeteners Jessica asks: She is curious about the difference between artificial sweeteners and Stevia. She has read a bunch of articles about whether it is good or bad for weight loss and cravings - or over all health. The findings are quite controversial. She is also wondering if the chemical breakdown is different. In my response I recommend: -Zevia soda -Chocolate SweetLeaf stevia drops -Podcast episode 15 and episode 237 -This infographic on Stevia Natural Remedies for Menstrual Cramps Peter asks: His wife and daughter both struggle with menstrual cramps and he tries to keep them away from things like ibuprofen. They do some magnesium (how much is too much) but the pain doesn't go away. Do you have any suggestions? Phenocane? Seems like these pains must be masking something. In my response I recommend: -Hormone Testing -Adaptogenic Herb Tian Chi -Inner Peace herbs-Vitamin D balanced with Vitamin K -Vitex Hidden Causes of High Blood Sugar Sanket asks: Recently he did a fasting blood test where his A1C came to 5.5. His blood glucose was 116 after a 14 hour fast. He has noticed that if he works out moderately hard his blood sugar stays high for 2 to 3 days. If he doesn't exercise it is more like 80-85. He has a sedentary job, exercises once a week. He eats high fat but also grains. He fasts 11 to 12 hours a day. Are these blood sugar levels normal? Is there any way he can bring the A1C levels down? In my response I recommend: -Testing for pancreatic insufficiency via Direct Labs GIEffects Panel -Testing for thyroid and hormones ----------------------------------------------------- -- 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.

You may have been hearing a lot lately about something called "Ayahuasca". From the movie "Wanderlust", in which Jennifer Aniston tips back a cup of ayahuasca, to bodybuilder and six-time Mr. Olympia winner Dorian Yates lauding it's benefits, it seems that this drink seems to be appearing everywhere. But what is ayahuasca? Is it safe? Is it legal? Does it enhance physical or mental performance? How do you feel when you use it? Does it mess up things like muscle gain or fat loss? How is it different than other adaptogens? Is it addictive? You'll find out the answer to these questions about ayahuasca and much more in this Premium podcast episode with Superhuman Certified Coach Stephanie Holbrook. Resources we discuss in this podcast: -The Superhuman Coach Certification program -Graham Hancock's TED Talk -The National Geographic Article on Ayahuasca -Oklevueha Native American Church -The Sacred Science Movie -Don Jose Campos's site -StephanieHolbrookFitness.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I used to be extremely, painfully shy. So shy in fact, that I would literally hide in my bedroom when we had visitors to the house, and my parents were forced to coax me away from my fantasy novels to merely come out and make brief eye contact with our visitors... ...before I disappeared back into my bedroom to go back to my novel. As you learn in my new book, I also thrived on hamburgers and pizza - and my version of a salad was iceberg lettuce drenched in ranch dressing. But I'm no longer that way, and now I not only podcast, but I also love to speak and engage socially, and actually get paid to travel around the world and talk to lots of people about how to change their fitness, health and lives! My guest on today's podcast is Jordan Harbinger (pictured right), who has a knack for helping guys just like me to build the skills and confidence necessary for social success. Jordan has always had an affinity for Social Influence, Interpersonal Dynamics and Social Engineering, helping private companies test the security of their communications systems and working with law enforcement agencies before he was even old enough to drive. Jordan has spent several years abroad in Europe and the developing world, including South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and speaks several languages. He has also worked for various governments and NGOs overseas, traveled through war-zones and been kidnapped -twice. Jordan will tell you - the only reason he’s still alive and kicking is because of his ability to talk his way into (and out of), just about any type of situation. At his website, The Art of Charm, Jordan shares that experience, and the system borne as a result, with his students and clients. During our discussion in today's podcast, Jordan and I delve into the realm of body language, personal habits, and social confidence. -What kind of body language mistakes that fit people with nice bodies make which hold them back socially... -How to reprogram your brain to actually like and appreciate things like kale smoothies and ginger juice... -A simple eye trick to get you to "fake it until you make it" with extreme social confidence... -Why bars and clubs are not necessarily the places to go to to enhance your social intelligence and ability to build relationships... -How I went from eating fast food, being ultra-shy and reading fantasy novels to being named as one of the world's top 100 most influential people in health and fitness... -And much more! Do you have questions about body language, personal habits, and social confidence? Then leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com and either Jordan or I will respond!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.