Age Less / Live More

The Science of Sin with Dr. Jack Lewis The seven deadly sins are: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Religious or not, most of us would like to avoid these behaviors, but modern technology has made the temptation almost irresistible. How do you not overeat with such brain-triggering processed foods laden with sugar, fat, salt, and flavors? How does a pubescent boy not spend hours a day down a black hole of online porn? And is it any wonder that binge-watching Netflix series has become the norm?  The moral path has always been a challenging one,but right now, it's nearly-impossible. On this week’s show, we’ll discuss the neuroscience behind these behaviors.  Listen & Learn:  How pornography lights up dopamine centers How anonymity online enables wrath and envy at disproportionate levels  Why in some cases, the best way to avoid this bad behaviors is through engineered avoidance  How to understand your brain chemistry so you can adapt to the modern world Links & Resources Dr Jack Lewis’ Website Science of Sin Book ABOUT OUR GUEST Neuroscientist, writer, and personality on a mission  to understand the inworkings of the Human Brian. He’s the author of two books, Sort Your Brain Out and The Science of Sin.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Sweet Potato vs White Potato Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The Joy of Movement  with Kelly McGonigal ------------------- Many of us chase happiness in life but happy states are fleeting anomalies largely out of our control. If you’re experiencing true joy right now, swim and revel in it, but know that soon it will be gone. Instead of chasing happiness, what if we pursued states of “good” instead. You can feel good and happy at the same time, but you can also feel good while simultaneously feeling anxious, nervous, depressed, or overwhelmed. Unlike happiness, good is a target at which you take aim at and hit very consistently.  Get a good night's sleep. You’ll feel good.  Eat the foods you know are right for you. You’ll feel good.  Sit less, move more, and exercise. You’ll feel good.  Feeling good doesn't fix all the other challenges in your life, but it always helps. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet the author of a new book, The Joy of Movement, an exploration into the biochemical, neurological, and emotional health benefits of using your body for what it was designed to do. To move. Listen & Learn:  How movement and exercise release happy chemicals such as endocannabinoids, oxytocin, and endorphin  How exercising to music can actually help bring out your physical best Group vs. at-home exercise, who wins?  COVID-19 tips and tricks to finding your flow Why it’s important to reframe exercise as movement, and do whatever you like instead of what you think it “most effective” or “burns the most calories”  Links & Resources:  Kelly’s Book, The Joy of Movement  Kelly’s TED Talk ABOUT OUR GUEST Kelly McGonigal is a health psychologist, teacher and writer who specializes in the mind-body connection. Many of you will know Kelly from her TED Talk “How to Make Stress Your Friend.” She is the best-selling author of The Willpower Instinct and The Upside of Stress. Her newest book is called, The Joy of Movement, and presents physical exercise as one of the more powerful and predictable antidotes to depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Quinoa Belly Ache Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The Meritocracy Trap: How the Myth Feeds Inequality with Daniel Markovits ------------------- Every year I live outside the U.S. I’m able to better understand my culture simply due to my physical distance from it. I notice things like promiscuous use of peanut butter and cinnamon in American foods, the endless sports and war metaphors in colloquial language, the ubiquitous nostalgia for the post-World War II family life, and the universal belief that every underdog has a chance to go all the way up.  Meritocracy. Study hard, work hard, and show up year-after-year, and you can be just about anything you want to be. In the 1950s, that was somewhat true. Today, the schism between the have and have-nots is so vast that in many cases, no amount of hard work or earned street cred will give you equal access to opportunity. If you're dealt an unlucky hand, as most people are, your options are limited by gatekeepers you’ll never meet, schools and jobs you’ll never have access to. More perplexing still, if you’re dealt a lucky hand, as I was, and if you play your cards right, you enlist into a lifetime of self-sacrifice, ridiculously long work days, and an almost guaranteed inability to enjoy the so-called privileged life you lead. Why? Because you’re working all the time. Meritocracy, like any ideology, sounds amazing on paper, but falls flat in the real world. It’s as mythical as a unicorn. Catch me if you can. On this week’s show, you’ll meet researcher and writer, Daniel Morkovits, who shares his findings on just how broken this meritocratic system is today.  Listen & Learn: How average CEO compensation has grown 940% since 1978 while typical worker compensation has risen only 12% during that same time How elite education, more than any other factor, acts as the gating factor into the ruling class  How the best universities brag about sub-10% acceptance rates, essentially engineering an elite class How middle-level jobs are getting completely eliminated by technology leaving only the ruling and working classes on either end of the spectrum How the meritocracy myth is not just unfair, but potentially dangerous as it threatens the safety and happiness of both the haves and have-nots.  Links & Resources Meritocracy Trap Book  ABOUT OUR GUEST Daniel Markovits holds degrees from Yale, London School of Economics and Oxford. He’s on the faculty at Yale Law School, where he publishes on the philosophical foundations of private law, moral and political philosophy, and behavioural economics. His latest book is, The Meritocracy Trap: How America's Foundational Myth Feeds Inequality, Dismantles the Middle Class, and Devours the Elite. Nutritional Tip of the Week: White Bread Better Than Whole Wheat Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The Strength Therapist Sam Spinelli -------- Of all the muscles in your body, your heart muscle gets the most attention - and for good reason. Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of death in most countries, so any comprehensive fitness programs must address heart health. But all the other muscles matter too including your quads, your hamstrings, your glutes, and biceps. Ample skeletal muscle is associated with hormonal health, neurological health, and longevity, but for most people over the age of 40, they are losing mass with each passing year. On this week’s show, you’ll meet a physical therapist and strength coach who will help to reduce the fear and friction around lifting heavy things.  Listen & Learn:  The essential movements: squat, push, pull, hinge, carry How squats can actually improve arthritic knees How to balance risk vs reward with weights  The realistic outlook of at-home training Links & Resources Sam’s Website  Sarcopenia  ABOUT OUR GUEST Sam Spinelli a doctor of physical therapy and a strength & conditioning coach with experience working with professional and olympic sport athletes ranging from football, hockey, bobsleigh, powerlifting, weightlifting, to ballet.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: 7 Meals a Day Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

How to Change Your Mind with Jon Venus -------------------------------------- “If it bleeds it leads” has always informed mass media, but for the past few years, the new thesis goes like this. “The more radical the viewpoint, the more reach it gets.” Extreme groups of all types scream it out daily; and while collectively, they represent the minority fringe, they siphon off the majority of our bandwidth. There are the alt right xenophobes, the extreme left terrorists, the all-meat eaters, the fruitarians, the violent vegans, and the QAnon followers all trying to convince you they possess the real truth. So who holds the real answers? Nobody. True revelation is never at the extremes. The truth lives in the murky middle filled with “yes, but” and and “in my situation…” The truth is filed with nuance, compromise, and it requires that we all embrace a certain degree of ignorance. | On this week’s show, you’ll meet a social media personality who built and has since destroyed his personal and professional life around the strict ideology of veganism.  Listen & Learn:  The pitfalls of ideological groups  How parenting adds an incredible layer of social awareness to your personal choices How to change your mind and what it might mean personally and professionally The dangers of extreme groups online Links & Resource:  Jon Venus’ website  ABOUT OUR GUEST Jon is a health and fitness personality best known for his YouTube channel and social media presence. Long-time vegan recently changed his diet. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Mushrooms for Immune System Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

Meditation can reduce cortisol, increase telomere length, improve concentration, and foster feelings of unity. But it’s also very, very hard to practice consistently. Stillness is a serious challenge. Despite the plethora of books and apps and mindfulness training programs, most of us still talk a good meditation game but fail to back it up with practice.  On this week’s show, you’ll meet an author, teacher, and lifelong meditator who shares his no-nonsense approach to the practices of Buddhist meditation and mindfulness.  Learn How Meditation:  Improves both proprioception and interoception  Decrease the fear and anxiety activity of the amygdala   Reduces Default Mode Network activity responsible for self-focused, rumination and daydreaming  Increases concentration   Links & Resources: Rick’s Website Rick’s Books on Amazon Satipatthana ABOUT OUR GUESTRick Hanson, PhD is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His books include: Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha's Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. He's lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Weight Loss for Summer Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   

What do snoring, crooked teeth, and mouth breathing have in common? All these conditions can indicate or even predict a whole series of chronic health problems down the road. James Nestor began his study into breathwork in the extreme world of freediving and breath holding, but he eventually came full circle to focus on the power and necessity of healthy, balanced breathing - something often lacking in our lives. This podcast is for anyone who wheezes, snores, sniffles, finds themselves out of breath easily, or simply wants to deepen their knowledge and understanding of this powerful tool that is your own breath. Listen & Learn:  What happens when you *only* mouth breathe (hint: it’s bad)  How 70-80% of people have deviated septums How lack of chewing has made our jaws smaller and narrower The secrets of the Tummo Monks who heat up their bodies  Links & Resources: James Nestor’s Site ABOUT OUR GUESTJames Nestor is an author and journalist who has written for Outside Magazine, Men's Journal, The Atlantic, National Public Radio, The New York Times, Scientific American, Dwell Magazine, and The San Francisco Chronicle. He’s the author of a book about freediving called, DEEP, and his newest book is called, BREATH: The New Science of a Lost Art.  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Protein Shake Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes  

The Power of Ritual with Casper Ter Kuile ------------------------------ After just five swipes of your newsfeed, and you’ll immediately see ideology and groupthink dominate just about every conversation. As the world becomes more and more digital, we’re simultaneously becoming more tribal. The negative fallout is obvious, but what about the positives? What about a sense of purpose, belonging, ritual, and community? Can we find deep meaning and connection on our own terms? On this week’s podcast, a Harvard researcher joins me to share his work on ritual and religion.   Listen & Learn:  Why agnostics are growing in numbers - but these are not atheists How it’s human nature to gather, share, celebrate, and establish norms Is there such a thing as a leaderless tribe?  How to take the good and avoid the bad of organized groups and religion  Links & Resources The Power of Ritual Book ABOUT OUR GUEST Casper is a Ministry Innovation Fellow at Harvard Divinity School. He holds Masters of Divinity and Public Policy from Harvard University. With his team at Sacred Design Lab, he co-authored a paper How We Gather (2015), and his work has been featured in The New York Times, Atlantic Magazine, and Washington Post. He's the author of the new book, The Power of Ritual (2020).  Nutritional Tip of the Week: Fruit Until Five Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

Time Off  with John Fitch ----------------- “You can have anything you want in life, but you can’t have everything.” Most of our biggest dreams are totally unsustainable, but they come with a price. Want six-pack abs? Are you willing to skip carbs and spend 2 hours a day in the gym each day? Want a 7-figure bank balance? Are you up for 70-hour work weeks for the next 10 years? Want to start your own business and work for yourself? Are you prepared to become your own worst boss? I love my work and family. I rarely dream about leisure. And yet, I need it. We all need to rest and recharge. We need to step back so we can step back in more fully. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet  the author of the new book, Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress. Listen & Learn:  How the future of work might look more like leisure How an ethical rest ethic is just as important as a work ethic  How work, schedules, and the future are changing How to recontextualized the idea of downtime Links & Resources:  Time Off Book John’s Website  ABOUT OUR GUEST John Fitch is a coach, writer, and angel investor. He’s the co-author of a new book, Time Off: A Practical Guide to Building Your Rest Ethic and Finding Success Without the Stress. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Fruit Until Five Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes

The Children of the Future Jay Belsky, PhD ----------- “I don’t know the meaning of life, but I know the purpose of life. It is to create more life.” - Jay Belsky We’re cavemen pretending to be academic, political, cerebral, and romantic when really we’re mostly motivated by survival and procreation. This is simultaneously depressing and relieving since it explains away some of our most ridiculous actions. On this week’s podcast, Professor Belsky will share with us his life’s research around adaptation, the importance of fatherhood, and a potential “better way” than the American model for child-rearing. Listen & Learn:  How behaviors often labelled maladapted are really perfectly adapted given the environments some children are raised in How to think about the role of the mother vs. the father in a child’s life Why fathers run away and mother’s stay The hardcore truth about the purpose of life   Links & Resources: Jay’s new book, The Origins of You ABOUT OUR GUEST Professor Jay Belsky is an expert in child development and family studies. He specializes in daycare, parent-child relations during the infancy and early childhood years, the transition to parenthood, the etiology of child maltreatment and the evolutionary basis of parent and child functioning. He is the author of more than 300 scientific articles and chapters and the author/editor of several books, including, The National Evaluation of Sure Start: Does Area-Based Early Intervention Work. Nutritional Tip of the Week: Eating Essential Oils Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com  Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes