Boundless Life

Topics discussed in this podcast include the dangers of aluminum in deodorants, interpreting blood test results, the benefits and risks of drinking ocean water, preventing razor burn, and the concept of protein cycling for muscle repair and recovery.

I didn't used to be a very anxious guy. But it seems the more tasks I take on, the more pressure there is to maintain a fit body or healthy nutrition protocol, the older and more active my twin boys become, and the more responsibilities it seems like I have...the less "laid back" I get. Sleep quality diminishes. I sometimes laugh less. There are more days where I need to remember to simply stop and smell the roses. During the summer last year, a WellnessFX blood cortisol reading that was extremely high convinced me I needed to do some serious stress management before I started to take years off my life. So I delved into the type of protocols I outline in the article "7 Of The Best Ways To Stop Stress". Since then, I've been very interested in the anti-aging, life-enhancing, health-bestowing benefits of properly managing stress and anxiety. -------------------------------------- As a a holistic medical physician practicing in Florida, today's podcast guest Dr. Eudene Harry noticed a similar thread running through many of her patients’ lives. They were all extremely stressed out. And that stress was drastically affecting their physical health in a variety of negative ways. So, Dr. Harry decided to make stress and anxiety management and elimination a primary focus of her work. Several years later, the ultimate result was her new book: Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life. Now I have to admit that when I first got this book, I figured it would be the typical ho-hum advice, like "quit worrying", "get a massage", "sleep more" or "learn to meditate". But in this book, Dr. Harry goes way above and beyond, not only giving one of the most thorough biological and biochemical explanations of anxiety I've ever seen, but providing a comprehensive list of the wide variety of integrative holistic treatment options available - and many, many techniques, tips, foods, supplements and strategies I didn't know about. In addition to a refreshingly unbiased review of the pharmaceuticals commonly used to treat anxiety (serotonin boosters, GABA boosters, and beta blockers), a long list of alternative therapies are included in this book, including many of the strategies we talk about on this show, such as: Natural anxiety remedies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), neurofeedback, exercise, herbs, nutrients and vitamins, nutrition, meditation, visualization, essential oils, massage, probiotics, laughter, sleep, and weight loss. You're going to learn about all that and much more in today's interview, which includes: -How the concept of a "brighter tomorrow" can actually make you more anxious, and exactly what you can do about it... -The surprising role that genetics plays in anxiety... -Why you need to pull a specific part of your brain - the locus coeruleus- out of a tonic state... -One rogue molecule that can make you more anxious no matter how good your stress management techniques are... -The link between probiotics, progesterone hormone and anxiety... -How something called a "functional deficiency" can wreak havoc on your stress and anxiety levels... -How L-Theanine, Valerian, Kava and Apigenin can also help with anxiety... -A simple "hand-warming" technique that can instantly eliminate anxiety... -And much more! Do you have questions, comments or feedback about how to eliminate anxiety and take your life back? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and be sure to check out Dr. Harry excellent book "Anxiety 101: The Holistic Approach to Managing Your Anxiety & Taking Back Your Life".See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet chef Seamus Mullen. A recent Men's Journal article described Seamus as follows: "Few people have subjected their bodies to as much wear and tear as Manhattan chef and restaurateur Seamus Mullen. The mastermind behind the red-hot Manhattan restaurant Tertulia and a regular on the Food Network, Mullen has seen it all. He contracted dengue fever on a mountain-bike trip across Costa Rica. He was bitten by a vampire bat while cooking at an eco-lodge in the jungles of Venezuela, an injury that required an emergency helicopter trip to the closest hospital. He spent five months on a punishing 11,000-mile dirt-bike trek from San Francisco to Panama and back. There have been bike races, cyclocross challenges, and mountain-bike half-centuries – not to mention years of brutal 90-hour workweeks in high-end restaurant kitchens all over the world." And it doesn't end there. Click here to read the rest of that article. In today's podcast, I interview Seamus about his remarkable journey from hellness to wellness, fighting back from rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain and inflammation to being well on his way to peak fitness at nearly 40 years old. Seamus is a chef and restaurateur in New York City, he's found food to be the single most important factor in his journey to getting better, and he just published the book "Hero Food, How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better". In the past year, through work with Dr. Frank Lipman, he has managed to turn his health around significantly to the point of having zero signs of rheumatoid arthritis in any of his blood markers - and as of the fall of 2013, he has been off all medication for the first time in 11 years. All of his inflammatory markers have gone from extremely high to normal, his white blood cell count has gone from a constantly elevated state to an extremely healthy 9%, his cholesterol is terrific, he has lost a pounds of fat, gained pounds muscle and most importantly, for the first time in over ten years, he feels like a different person. ------------------------------------------- During our call, Seamus and I discuss how our medical industry is very focused on symptomatic treatment rather than addressing the root cause of the symptoms - and how this often leads to protracted, ineffective palliative care that leaves patients with even more complex medical problems than they started out with. In the case of Seamus, a severe auto-immune issue (in all likelihood caused by undiagnosed parasitic and bacterial infections, along with imbalanced micro-biota) led to a seizure caused by medications he was taking, and infections that spread to his brain and spinal cord as a result of immuno-suppressants, blood clots and pulmonary embolisms that nearly killed him. This also led to an immune system that made him vulnerable to every bug that came myhisway and finally - the icing on the cake - a chemical dependency on so-called "safe" synthetic pain medication. For years, Seamus followed the advice of "experts" in the field and any time he suggested anything as radical as a "gluten-free diet" or perhaps acupuncture, he was told "...if you feel as though it helps, I don't have a problem with it, but there's no clinical data to support any claims around diet and rheumatoid arthritis." After doing a systemic cleanse, a gut biome reboot, following 6 months of a gut-healing protocol with regular acupuncture, a primarily ketogenic diet and regular exercise, Seamus started to see major improvements in his health. And he noticed this differnece not only in how he felt, but also had the empirical results of his bloodwork to back it up. Fast forward another 9 months and he is stronger and fitter than he's been in years. In his twenties I was was a semi-pro mountain biker, racing 40-50 races a year and while I'm not quite back at that fitness level, it's in my crosshairs to get there this year. You'll learn about lessons Seamus has learned along the way, including: -How Seamus was saved at the last minute from a botched diagnosis and attempt to do massive pelvic surgery... -A crazy but correct diagnosis that uncovered the true reason behind Seamus's auto-immune issues and extreme joint pain... -How Seamus completely destroyed intestinal parasite issues, eliminated his gut inflammation and healed his digestive system... -The alternative medical procedure Seamus used once a week to address both gut and joints at the same time... -How Seamus reversed the damage caused by prednisone and chemo drugs... -What exercises he does now that Seamus would have done differently 10 years ago to avoid getting two spinal surgeries later in life... -Easy and delicious recipes you can use that are completely non-inflammatory and help to heal your gut... -Biohacks that Seamus is using to prepare for La Ruta de los Conquistadores in October and the Absa Cape Epic in South Africa next year... Resources mentioned in this podcast: -Dr. Frank Lipman -Bragg's apple cider vinegar -Squatty potty -Powerlung (use code BGF025 for 25% discount) -Earthing sheet -Biomat -No Jet Lag -Seamus's Manhattan Tertulia restaurant and El Colmado Do you have questions, comments or feedback about this podcast with Chef Seamus Mullen? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and be sure to check out his excellent book: Hero Food, How Cooking with Delicious Things Can Make Us Feel Better!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, in the post "21 Steps To Optimizing Your Diet And 11 Foods You Need To Stop Eating Now", you learned about the book "Deep Nutrition" and all about the concept of why your genes need traditional food. Today, Deep Nutrition author and physician Dr. Cate Shanahan is featured on the podcast to delve into how the way your body interprets the food you eat in a way that you can make you either lean or fat - depending on your food choice. You're going to discover... -Why information is more important than energy, and why calories don't count... -The Deep Nutrition formula for weight loss... -Why you'll never get on Baywatch without body fat... -Why supplements don't work... -The problem with distorted fats... -Where stem cells fit in... -Why starvation diets fail and moderation or small food portions are actually not a good idea... -6 factors that make you build fat... -6 factors that eliminate fat... -How inflammation makes fat like cancer... -Why you need to "feel" your exercise, even if it's aerobic... -3 habits of successful exercisers... -And much more! If you have questions, comments or feedback about using food as fat loss language, leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and don't forget to grab Cate's book Deep Nutrition, which I highly recommend!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/277 Apr 2, 2014 Podcast: 5 Ways To Get Better at Pull-Ups, Natural Gym Bag Deodorants, Maintaining Muscle When Fasting, Acne During Pregnancy, How To Exercise With A Foot Stress Fracture, Recovery Tips for Eye Surgery, and Nutrition for Liver Bilirubin. 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+. 11 Surprisingly Effective Exercises You Can Do Without Being “That Guy” in the Office. 1 tablespoon of coconut oil is just as good for joint pain as a popular NSAID medication. Want to shut down fat formation? Guzzle some olive oil. (and the great extra virgin olive oil scandal) Game changer. Pretty stoked about this new Iron Bisglycinate as a non-constipating form of iron for anemic athletes. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: At this month's PaleoFX, Ben and Jessa Greenfield are presenting on Ancestral Athlete Tactics, Fermenting Foods, Biohacking Stress, Fueling Workouts, Primal Strength and Conditioning and much more. Can't make it to Austin for the live event? We have you covered. All presentations are available for Live Streaming, on all three days, April 11 - April 13, 2014. Click here to get access to the livestream of PaleoFX now, no matter where you live in the world. Do you live in or near Austin and want to register or just stop by and check out the expo? Then click here to grab your tickets to PaleoFX now! Get a free gift 2 hour Beyond Training LIVE support video workshop with Ben Greenfield! Click here to upload a photo of you holding more than one copy of your brand new Beyond Training Book, along with your name and e-mail below, and we’ll make the magic happen for you! Men's Health is launching a search for the next big name in fitness. They're looking for the best trainer that they haven’t yet discovered – a fitness professional who is a top mind in the field, but who also looks the part, and who has the ability to captivate any audience. Click here to vote for Ben to be the Men's Health Top Trainer or visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/menshealth. Ben's new book has been released. Pre-order it now and get entered into a raffle for over $5000 in swag! Just visit BeyondTrainingBook.com - and be sure to spread the word, contribute to the cause and change the way people exercise forever at Rally.org/BeyondTraining. Want some free hidden chapters, audio clips and videos from Beyond Training? Check out the Beyond Training book torrent at BenGreenfieldFitness.com/torrent! 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". 5 Ways To Get Better at Pull-Ups Phil asks: His wife has struggled with completing a proper push-up and a proper pull-up. He knows that this is often an issue for women (and also men) and is wondering if there are some exercises that people can do to gain the strength to complete a proper pushup or pullup? In my response I recommend: -Perfect Pull-up bar -Perfirmer handles -Chin-Ups: 6 Tips to Help You Over the Bar (Neghar Fonooni) Natural Gym Bag Deodorants Jim asks: His fitness gear stinks. The moment any moisture hits his riding, running or yoga gear - it reeks. He is looking for some natural ways to clear his gear and make it smell better. In my response I recommend: -Actionwipes -CoolFeet Powder (use 15% discount code 80244 at http://www.HammerNutrition.com) -My CreativeLIVE course Maintaining Muscle When Fasting Mark asks: He has just started Intermittent Fasting to lose some body fat. He is doing a daily 16 hour fast (eating all his calories in 8 an hour window). His workouts often happen in the morning, which his fasting time. He wants to know if he should have a protein shake after the workout to maintain muscle or skip it to maintain the fast? In my response I recommend: -Master Amino Pattern -Concentrated greens (to balance pH). Recommend Enerprime (capsule) or Capragreens (low calorie powder) -Upgraded collagen Acne During Pregnancy Alexander asks: His girlfriend is in her 2nd trimester of her third pregnancy and is having trouble with an acne outbreak. She has cut down on almost all sugars, carbs and grains and there has been no change - she might even be getting worse. Any ideas of what else they could do? In my response I recommend: -All the previous episodes we've done on Acne -Nutiva coconut oil -Thorne Prenatal How To Exercise With A Foot Stress Fracture Chris asks: She is 55 years old and has spiral fractured her 5th metatarsal and needs to stay off her foot for at least a month. She had been running and doing body weight workouts. Do you have any suggestions on how to do workouts without putting any weight on one foot? In my response I recommend: -Stay Fit With an Ankle or Foot Injury article -Water running workouts Recovery Tips for Eye Surgery Keerthi asks: He is having PRK eye surgery next month where the corneal epithelium needs to be removed and regenerated. Do you have any recommendations of supplements he should take to recover faster? Maybe collagen? Also do you have any opinions of this surgery? In my response I recommend: -The Vision Gym -Podcast #237 on eye surgery -this presentation on eye health from the Ancestral Health Symposium. -5:1 ratio of Lutein to Zeaxanthin -Fish Oil -Recoverease Nutrition for Liver Bilirubin George asks: He was born with Gilbert's syndrome. He has too much bilirubin in his liver. He's not sure if he should be concerned and wants to know if there are any nutritional guidelines he should be following. In my response I recommend: -Bitters and Bile salts and Digestive Enzymes ----------------------------------------------------- -- 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.

Mark Moses coaches 26 of the world's top entrepreneurs, CEO's and companies on how to dramatically grow their businesses, grow their people and elevate their own performance. He also travels all over the world speaking at industry conferences and company events. Mark started his first company at age 19, and has successfully built and sold two companies. He won Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year award and the Blue Chip Enterprise award for overcoming adversity. His last company ranked #1 Fastest-Growing Company in Los Angeles as well as #10 on the Inc. 500 of fastest growing private companies in the U.S. Mark has served on the Board of the Children's Hospital of Orange County for the last several years. Oh yeah, just a couple other things... ...Mark also won the U.S. National Squash Championship in 1992... ...and he has completed 12 full distance Ironman Triathlons, including the Hawaii Ironman World Championship 5 times. I'll bet you'd like to know Mark's secrets, eh? Good news, because I was able to pick Mark's brain for this audio podcast. During my discussion with Mark, you'll discover: -What compelled Mark to do his first Ironman triathlon... -What Mark has found to be the biggest challenges for a busy and successful guy like you to stay in Ironman shape... -How Mark's training has changed much over the 12 Ironman triathlons he's completed... -How Mark tackles feeling mentally confident training “minimalist” vs. putting in more volume... -Mark's most important lessons he's learned about how to manage your time and still stay fit... -The #1 hotel room workout Mark does when he travels... -Where nutrition fits in for Mark... -What Mark you wish you’d known when you first started training for Ironman... ------------------------------------------- Resources from this episode: -US Master's Swimming -Sufferfest Cycling Workouts -Triathlon coaching with Ben Greenfield -The minimalist "Triathlon Dominator" training plan -The article: The Zen Of Getting Uber-Fit Without Neglecting Your Friends, Your Family and Your Career. -The podcast episode with Sami Inkinen "How To Maximize Triathlon Success With Minimal Training Time" Questions, comments or feedback for Mark Moses or about minimalist triathlon training programs or time management for Ironman triathlon? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/276 Mar 26, 2014 Podcast: 5 Ways To Get Fit In Your Car, How To Drink Less Alcohol, Natural Malaria Remedies, Headaches From Swimming, 4 Ways To Avoid Heart Arrhythmias, and Supplements for Hepatitis B. 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 the most bang for your buck out of HIIT? Choose an elliptical over a bicycle. Body weight circuits vs. explosive strength training for runners? The latter is better. Combining weight training and high intensity intervals does NOT (as many believe) decrease rate of muscle gain. It INCREASES it! Are antioxidants REALLY effective? WellnessFX just dropped the price of it's performance panel big time, to $479. Worth a look. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Men's Health is launching a search for the next big name in fitness. They're looking for the best trainer that they haven’t yet discovered – a fitness professional who is a top mind in the field, but who also looks the part, and who has the ability to captivate any audience. Click here to vote for Ben to be the Men's Health Top Trainer or visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/menshealth. Ben's new book has been released. Pre-order it now and get entered into a raffle for over $5000 in swag! Just visit BeyondTrainingBook.com - and be sure to spread the word, contribute to the cause and change the way people exercise forever at Rally.org/BeyondTraining. Want some free hidden chapters, audio clips and videos from Beyond Training? Check out the Beyond Training book torrent at BenGreenfieldFitness.com/torrent! 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". 5 Ways To Get Fit In Your Car Robert asks: He is a police officer who needs help maintaining wellness at work. Contrary to popular belief, they are not as active as you might think. He will spend up to 7 hours in the car, crowded with gear. He is worried about EMF exposure, posture problems (has to reach to the right to use the computer in the car), sitting, poor sleep (crazy hours), erratic diet. He can't just get out of the car and do burpees (not safe). He eats plant based, vegan diet. He runs and plays team sports when he can. In my response I recommend: -Hack your blood sugar study. Stand at work. -Steering wheel isometrics - pushdowns, bicep squeezes, chest flies -Body weight resistance - elbow squeeze, commuter crunch, torso twist -Deep core - kegel exercises, glute squeeze, pelvic tilts -Neck isometrics - front, back, side-to-side -Powerlung (use code BGF025 for 25% discount) and box breathing How To Drink Less Alcohol Jean asks: Are people affected differently, physiologically, by alcohol? She and her husband will have the same amount to drink and she will get negative and augmentative while he will just fall asleep. She also has more trouble having just one glass than he does. Are there some people who should just not drink alcohol due to genetics? Do you have any tips on how to have "just one" drink? In my response I recommend: -23andme genetic testing -Mucuna Dopa supplement Natural Malaria Remedies Summer asks: She gets GI issues while she runs anything over 2-3 miles. She has been taking mefloquine, a Malaria medication for travel to Uganda, weekly. Right after she takes it she feels great but by the end of the week her GI issues while running return. She has looked into the FODMAP diet but is looking for more suggestions on how to run longer distances without GI distress... other than taking mefloquine. In my response I recommend: -Colostrum -L-Glutamine -Gut Healing Pack -Enteric coated garlic -Artemisinin -Arginine Headaches From Swimming Trigraine asks: Competitive Masters runner who had transitioned into triathlon (70.3 and Olympic). She usually runs right after she swims and without fail gets migraine headaches after the run finishes (also gets swollen hands when she runs). She always drinks electrolytes while she swims and usually while she runs. She has tried plenty of drinks and electrolyte capsules but is at a loss of what to try next. In my response I recommend: -Vitamin C and greens and antioxidants for chlorine sensitivities/detox (use code BEN for 10% off EnergyBits) -Previous podcast on chlorine with Dr. David Getoff 4 Ways To Avoid Heart Arrhythmias Una asks: She was diagnosed with Wenkebach heart block, supraventricular tachycardia, and an atrial flutter back in 2003. She had an ablation to correct it all in 2006 but she still get "skippy". She has her cardiologist blessing to continue to run and has a big year of races ahead of her. She still goes into arrhythmia easily (like when she drinks ice water) but would like to try things like TianChi to give her training a boost but is leery of stimulants. She has heard you mention that some stimulants act on different pathways in the body and don't trigger the same response. Do you have any recommendations of supplements she could try that are less likely to trigger her arrhythmia? In my response I recommend: -Avoid caffeine -Decrease stress -Inner Peace -Electrolyte intake via trace liquid minerals or Aztecan salt Supplements for Hepatitis B Chris asks: His girlfriend is a Hepatitis B carrier. She is not sick, which is great, but the doctor says there is no way to cure it and that she has probably had it for 25 years (since she wasn't vaccinated). The doctor suggested some foods to avoid, like chili powder but says that she will always have it although it is not life threatening. He doesn't want to accept that it is not curable and is looking for supplements, diet or lifestyle changes she could make to rid herself of Hep B. In my response I recommend: -Butylated Hydroxytoulene (BHT), combined with Lysine and Vitamin C ----------------------------------------------------- -- 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.

When I first heard about a device that could generate new blood vessels, remove waste from muscles, maximize flow of lymphatic fluid throughout the body, and allow muscle fibers to fire with lightning-like precision, I knew I had to do a podcast about it. It’s called a “MarcPro“, it’s a form of electrical muscle stimulation, works much differently than something like a Compex, and in today’s episode with CEO Ryan Heaney, you’re going to discover: -What is the MarcPro? -How does it help with muscle recovery? -Are there any effects on performance or strength? -Can you build muscle with it? -How is this any different than other electrical stimuation devices? -Whether you can use it during exercise. If you enjoyed this episode, you may also like: -How To Use Electrical Muscle Stimulation to Enhance Performance, Build Power and VO2 Max -Can Electrical Stimulation Devices Make You Fit or Help You Burn Fat? Do you have questions about the Marc Pro or how to use it? Leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com! And remember, you can get a $32 discount on the MarcPro with code “Ben” at http://www.MarcPro.com, and the website offers a very affordable $54/month payment plan!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/275 Mar 19, 2014 Podcast: 5 Ways To Mitigate Damage From Endurance Sports, Should You Change Your Run Form, Is Deer Meat Healthy, Is Progesterone Dangerous, Do Standing Workstations Cause Varicose Veins, Getting Rid Of Heavy Metals, and Magnetico vs. Biomat Sleep Pads. 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+. Concerned you might die early? Here’s which biomarkers to track. Don’t have carbs with your fatty coffee. When MCT is consumed with carbs, insulin secretion inhibits mobilization your own fat stores. If “comfortable” fat loss is your thing, this isn’t for you. But if you don’t mind being cold for ~1hr/day, this is my #1 way to burn fat FAST. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: Men's Health is launching a search for the next big name in fitness. They're looking for the best trainer that they haven’t yet discovered – a fitness professional who is a top mind in the field, but who also looks the part, and who has the ability to captivate any audience. Click here to vote for Ben to be the Men's Health Top Trainer or visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/menshealth. Two other cool things you should check out: 1) Monkii Bars Kickstarter Campaign... Remember the old-school playground? There were huge climbing towers, endless slides, tanbark, and everyone’s favorite: monkey bars. I was home a few years back visiting my parents and went down to my old elementary school playground to work out. I was in shock at what I saw. Bright plastic had replaced steel and the area around the playground was rubberized. Everything looked really safe and really boring. We created monkii bars as a tribute to the wildness we all experienced as kids on the playground. With monkii bars you can work out anywhere. Get outside and sneak in workouts at the office, on the trail or even on your next business trip. They come as a set of 2 bars, with all 18 feet of suspension line stored inside each bar. Setup is fast, it takes less than 60 seconds. Remove the line, toss it over any support structure, adjust, and work out. The strength comes from an aerospace-grade aluminum core and the beauty from a finished maple grip. 2) The Optimal Reset... Here are just a few topics covered during the Optimal Reset: Shopping & Eating Epi-Paleo...Creating Your Optimal Kitchen...Overcoming hunger and sugar cravings...Taking on the Leptin Reset...Getting started with Cold Thermogenesis (CT)...Creating optimal sleep...Healing your hormones...Getting started with biohacking...Reducing EMF exposure in your home or office...Finding a doctor to help you biohack and support your journey to optimal. Ben's new book has been released. Pre-order it now and get entered into a raffle for over $5000 in swag! Just visit BeyondTrainingBook.com - and be sure to spread the word, contribute to the cause and change the way people exercise forever at Rally.org/BeyondTraining. Want some free hidden chapters, audio clips and videos from Beyond Training? Check out the Beyond Training book torrent at BenGreenfieldFitness.com/torrent! 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". 5 Ways To Mitigate Damage From Endurance Sports Abigail asks: She is 22 years old, has been running quite consistently since she was 16. She's been racing shorter races (5k, 10k) but really likes the idea of endurance racing. She plans to race a triathlon and some marathons with the ultimate goal of going to Greece to race the 150 mile Spartathlon. She recently read your article about how endurance athletes are unhealthy and now she is not sure that this is something she should pursue. In my response I recommend: 1) Monitoring of blood (e.g. via WellnessFX) and gut (e.g. GI Effects panel). 2) Organ meats (e.g. US Wellness Meats) and bone marrow or dessicated liver and thyroid options such as NOW Foods Argentine Liver extract and Thyrogold thyroid extract. 3) A minimalist training program like Triathlon Dominator or Marathon Dominator based on limited long workouts. 4) Consistent de-stressing protocols, particularly journaling, meditation, yoga, and all my other best ways to stop stress. 5) Eating a completely anti-inflammatory diet, particularly avoiding vegetable oil, added sugar, soda, juice, except fresh squeezed, energy bars and “health” bars, boxed cereals, powdered “proteins,” and powdered milk, salad dressings made with any kind of vegetable oil, including canola, all low-fat products, including milk, cheese, salad dressings, cookies, and other baked goods. Should You Change Your Run Form? Elle asks: She is 40 years old and is feeling stuck in her running ways. She has picked up the Chi Running book and DVDs and it really makes sense to her but is it worth the time and effort to change her form now? She is finding it difficult to do on her own. In my response I recommend: -My episode on whether Chi Running is good for you -Thoughts on change and comfort from my Team Timex teammate Bo Parrish -Chi Running products from Amazon -More thoughts from Pacific Elite Fitness coach Graeme Turner -My recorded audio of Chi Running Tips And Graeme recommends: Swim, Bike or Run Video Analysis from Pacific Elite Fitness. Is Deer Meat Healthy? Jaime asks: Her dad is a hunter and expects that she has some Deer Meat coming her way. Is there anything you can tell her about how to use deer meat and organs. Is there anything she should know nutritionally or preparation wise?   Is Progesterone Dangerous? Jas asks: She is taking supplemental progesterone to induce her menstrual cycle. She is not amenorrheic from exercise but was born that way. What are the positives or negatives to taking these hormone replacements? In my response I recommend: -Wiley Protocol Do Standing Workstations Cause Varicose Veins? Jlynam asks: She was listening to you talk on PaleoCon about going barefoot more often (running, walking and standing) and is wondering how that applies to people with varicose veins. They are supposed to support the legs and veins for health and not be standing for long lengths of time, especially without support. What would you say to that? In my response I recommend: -Graduated compression socks -An inversion table and these yoga inversion poses -110% Compression Gear (use 10% discount code GREENFIELD) -Transcript to a previous episode we did on varicose veins, and also our recent podcast on varicose veins. Also: Horse Chestnut Extract, Grape Seed Extract, and Butcher’s Broom. -Previous episode on getting rid of varicose veins Getting Rid Of Heavy Metals Natalie asks: She had the Genova Diagnostics Ion Blood Panel. He results showed that she had very high mercury, aluminum and arsenic. She cut out fish, stopped using deodorant and the next test showed lower aluminum but mercury was still high (likely from the amalgam fillings in her teeth) and arsenic was also still high. Could the arsenic be from eating rice? Maybe protein powder (she has at least 3 protein shakes per week)? Where else could it be coming from? In my response I recommend: -Metal Free formula -DEEP30 Mt. Capra & LivingProtein protein powders -Metrametrix Ion Panel Magnetico vs. Biomat Sleep Pads Shai asks: Magnetico Sleep Pad vs. Earth Pulse. What is your preference and why? Why don't you recommend using them together? In my response I recommend: -A Biomat ----------------------------------------------------- -- 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.

Meet the amazing iceman: Wim Hof. Wim is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, nicknamed "the Iceman" for his ability to withstand extreme cold. He holds twenty world records - including a world record for longest ice bath, and has stayed immersed in ice for as long as 1 hour and 52 minutes and 42 seconds. In 2007, Wim attempted, but failed (due to a foot injury), to climb Mount Everest wearing nothing but shorts. Then, in 2009, he reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in his shorts within two days. In 2009, Wim also completed a full marathon above the polar circle in Finland, in temperatures close to −20 °C (−4 °F) - dressed in nothing but shorts. He finished the marathon in 5 hours and 25 minutes. In 2011, Hof also ran a full marathon in the Namib Desert without water. So how does the Iceman do it? Wim describes his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures as being able to "turn his own thermostat up" by using his mind. And in today's audio episode, we're going to delve into his tips, tricks and biohacks to conquer the cold and get quantum leaps in performance, including. -How Wim uses the science of breathing to control his body temperature and resistance to the cold... -Wim's meditation technique... -How Wi ran full marathon in the desert with no water... -Whether cold thermogenesis give some kind of adaptation to perform better in heat... -Why cold doesn't really make you sick, and the true effects on the immune system... -Why Wim took a group of thrombosis patients into the icy Sweden wilderness... -How you can learn Wim's secret techniques from the Iceman himself... ----------------------------------------- Wim's Breathing Technique ...from this article on HighExistence.com: The Method 1) Get comfortable and close your eyes Sit in a meditation posture, whatever is most comfortable for you. Make sure you can expand your lungs freely without feeling any constriction. It is recommended to do this practice right after waking up since your stomach is still empty. 2) Warm Up Inhale deeply. Really draw the breath in until you feel a slight pressure from inside your chest on your solar plexus. Hold this for a moment and then exhale completely. Push the air out as much as you can. Hold this for a moment. Repeat this warm up round 15 times. 3) 30 Power Breaths Imagine you’re blowing up a balloon. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth in short but powerful bursts. The belly is pulled inward when you are breathing out and is pulled outward when you are breathing in. Keep a steady pace and use your midriff fully. Close your eyes and do this around 30 times or until you feel your body is saturated with oxygen. Symptoms could be light-headedness, tingling sensations in the body, electrical surges of energy. 4) Scan your body During the 30 power breaths, delve into your body and become aware of it as possible. Trace your awareness up and down your body and use your intuition as to what parts lack energy and what parts are overflowing. Scan for any blockage between the two. Try to send energy/warmth to those blockages. Then release them deeper and deeper. Tremors, traumas and emotional releases can come up. It can be likened to kundalini rising. Feel the whole body fill up with warmth and love. Feel the negativity burn away. Often people report swirling colors and other visual imagery during this exercise. Once you encounter them, go into them, embrace them, merge with them. Get to know this inner world and how it correlates to the feeling of tension or blockages in your body. 5) The Hold After the the 30 rapid succession of breath cycles, draw the breath in once more and fill the lungs to maximum capacity without using too much force. Then push all of the air out and hold for as long as you can. Draw the chin in a bit so as to prevent air from coming in again. Really relax and open all energy channels in your body. Notice how all the oxygen is spreading around in your body. Hold the breath until you experience the gasp reflex on the top of your chest. 6) Recovery Breath Inhale to full capacity. Feel your chest expanding. Release any tension in the solar plexus. When you are at full capacity, hold the breath once more. Drop the chin to the chest and hold this for around 15 seconds. Notice that you can direct the energy with your awareness. Use this time to scan the body and see where there is no color, tension or blockages. Feel the edges of this tension, go into it, move the energy towards this black hole. Feel the constrictions burning away, the dark places fill with light. Relax the body deeper as you move further inward, let everything go. Your body knows better than you do. After 15 seconds you have completed the first round. Start this practice with one or two rounds. Try to do it daily and add two more rounds in a few days. After you feel more comfortable with holding your breath you can start to add exercises and stretches. Work up to a minimum of 15 minutes or 6 rounds with exercises. You can do this practice for how long it pleases you. If you feel dizziness or pain, get out of the posture and lie on your back. Breathe easily again and stop this practice session. Reserve at least 5 minutes after this practice to relax and scan the body. Summary 30 times balloon blowing Breathe in fully Breath out fully and hold until gasp reflex Inhale fully and hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat until finished Take 5 minutes to relax and scan your body Bonus Power-ups -Add push-ups or yoga poses during the time you are holding your breath until you wait for the gasp reflex. Notice that you are stronger without air than you would normally be if you could breathe! -Charge the energy up the spine by holding moola banda, contract the rectum & sex organ and pull the navel inward towards the spine. -Stand up in squat position and do the balloon breath. Try to breathe away the burn. (get seated again the moment you continue the cycle, you don’t want to be standing and faint) See if you can get the energy overtake the pain. Don’t give up easily and see how far you can go if you have the willpower! ----------------------------------------- Resources In This Episode: -Wim's breathing technique fully explained... -IcemanWimHof.com... -Study: The influence of concentration/meditation on autonomic nervous system activity and the innate immune response... -Wim's book: "Becoming The Iceman"... -The book "Breathology"... Did you enjoy this episode? Check out where Wim also appears in: -Is There One Single Diet That Helps Top Athletes To Perform Their Best? -Tips For Burning More Fat With Cold Thermogenesis (And Why Icing Really Does Work). If you have questions, comments or feedback about cold thermogenesis, conquering the cold, and everything Wim Hof and I discuss in this episode, then leave your thoughts at BenGreenfieldFitness.com!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.