Age Less / Live More

Addiction take many different forms and affects just about everyone either directly or with one degree of separation. While "addict" conjures up images of heroin and cocaine, the reality is that people are addicted to social media, pornography, marijuana, and alcohol at much higher rates. So the question is: Can yoga help? Our guest on this week's show, Taylor Hunt, used yoga as an integral part of his healing from substance addiction, and he now helps others do the same. Hopefully, his story of personal transformation and dedication to yoga will help you or someone you care about to find a healthy focus for addictions that haunt us. ------------ What You´ll Learn: How Taylor's addiction started at age 15 fueled by a challenging home life How yoga combined with a traditional 12-step program led him to recovery What traditional Ashtanga Yoga is, and its influence on modern practice How to think about the behaviors in your life that might be leading you down a dark path ABOUT OUR GUEST Taylor Hunt is an Ashtanga yoga student as taught by the late, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. Taylor was the first Ashtanga teacher in Ohio granted Level II Authorization to teach from the Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute (KPJAYI). He teaches daily Mysore classes at Ashtanga Yoga Columbus and offers workshops around the country. He is also the author of the recently published book, A Way From Darkness, and director of the Trini Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the life-changing practice of Ashtanga with those suffering from addiction. Links & Resources: Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute Ashtanga Yoga Columbus Trini Foundation Book: A Way from Darkness Nutritional Tip: Sea Veggies Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Liquid Energy B If you’re a vegetarian, live a high-stress lifestyle or are over 50 years of age, there’s a very good chance you need to supplement with vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is one of the few vitamins that our body doesn’t produce on its own. If you don’t eat or supplement with B12, you will develop a deficiency that could lead to anemia, nerve damage, mood and mental health problems. The good news is that B12 supplementation is extremely safe, inexpensive, and is now available in the most bio-available and absorbable form, methylcobalamin. Learn More

Many yoga students explore traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, but neglect to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). While they have many similarities, TCM offers some herbs, techniques, and approaches to healing that serve as powerful tools for anyone on a path of mind-body wellness. On this week's Yoga Talk Show, you'll learn about Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbs, and taking a holistic approach to health. Brodie Welch shares her 13 years of experience working one-on-one with clients, and her insights will help you get started with Chinese Medicine responsibly. Remember, just because something is herbal doesn't mean it's safe or it's appropriate for everyone. Listen in to learn how to get started responsibly.  ------------ What You´ll Learn: Why Chinese Medicine includes food, herbs, energy exercise, meditation/feng shui, bodywork and more How insect-based formulas might help with migraines Why ren shen or ginseng might be helpful for mood disorders How xiao yao wan might help you get through the holidays Why turmeric + black pepper taken with fat could help your inflammation Why corydalis might be helpful for chronic pain ABOUT OUR GUEST Brodie Welch is a Licensed Acupuncturist, board-certified herbalist, Chinese Medicine expert, and self-care strategist. She’s the founder of Life in Balance Acupuncture in Corvallis, Oregon, where she has been treating patients since 2003. In addition to her clinical practice, Brodie shares her expertise to help women care of themselves with innovative learn-from-anywhere courses, workshops, and retreats on stress management, the body-mind connection, and Chinese Medicine. She’s also a creator and host of A Healthy Curiosity: the podcast that explores what it takes to be well in a busy world. Links & Resources: Brodie Welch´s Site Find a Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner Nutritional Tip: Ketosis Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Yoga Trapeze Teacher Training The Yoga Trapeze is the #1 most popular yoga inversion sling in the world, and both our January and April teacher training courses are completely sold out. Good news! We’ve just opened up September 2017 for applications, and so this is an opportunity for you to gain the professional skills and confidence needed to teach professionally this exciting new style of yoga. Learn More

The World Health Organization estimates that traumatic brain injuries will be the 3rd leading cause of death and disability by 2020, but many people are still unaware of this condition impacting millions every year. On this week's Yoga Talk Show, you'll meet, Kyla Pearce, a teacher that uses the mind-body healing power of yoga to help people with traumatic brain injuries rewire neuromuscular connections, improve concentration and focus, and find a supportive community for growth. ------------ What You´ll Learn: Why any blow or jolt to the head that leads to some disruption of brain function is technically a TBI 2.5 million people per year in the U.S. have reported TBI's World Health Organization predicts TBI will be 3rd leading cause of death and disability by 2020 How yoga can work on strength and coordination How you can rebuild neuromuscular connection, improve concentration & focus How it can provide emotional support, social integration & community Why poses that impact blood pressure and poses that put weight on the head and neck might be contraindicated and should be taught with care ABOUT OUR GUEST Love Your Brain is a non-profit organization founded after professional snowboarder, Kevin Pearce, suffered a near fatal traumatic brain injury while training for the 2010 winter Olympics. Kevin’s story of healing inspired millions through the HBO documentary, The Crash Reel. This experience brought to light the significance and prevalence of TBI on a global scale. Love Your Brain is a non-profit that aims to improve the quality of life of people affected by TBI—everything from concussion to severe injury—through programs that build community... including yoga. Links & Resources: Love Your Brain The Crash Reel Documentary Nutritional Tip: Dried Fruit Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: San Diego Yoga Festival San Diego Yoga Festival: over 100 classes led by 65 powerful healers and teachers featuring one of the oldest (92) and youngest (8) yoga teachers in the world! Classes are held throughout Ocean Beach, San Diego, in the ironic hippy town right on the coast. There will be 1000 people doing yoga or learning how to do yoga this weekend, join us to make a movement for health and peace: beach Bonfires, surf and skate lessons, yoga with your dog, a huge wedding ceremony to yourself, body paint yoga, sound healing, reiki..the list is epic. Learn more/buy your ticket: www.sandiegoyogafestival.com   Jan 27-30, 2017 Classes are held indoors at the coolest venues and outdoors on the beach, pier and sunset cliffs! The founder of the yoga festival, Shawna Schenk, personally wants to give you $108 off your 1 day or 3 day ticket price! Use Namastoked as a promo code at check in. Learn More

Do your feet hurt? Do you have hammer toe, overlapping toes, corns, or bunions? Without even realizing it, most people wear footwear that leads to poor posture, muscle imbalances, and chronic foot problems. Yoga can help, but you need to fix your footwear too. On this week's Yoga Talk Show, you'll meet a podiatrist-slash-yoga-teacher, Michele Colon, who will share with you her experiences in the clinic and on the mat working with all walks of life to correct foot problems. Most people assume that foot problems are just cosmetic when in reality, your feet are foundational for your posture and can impact your knees, hips and back. Proper posture starts at the ground, and healthy feet will improve your walking and running gate as well as your balance very quickly. ------------ What You´ll Learn: How yoga can help your feet, Achilles tendon and leg muscles How walking barefoot can actually change the muscular development of a child Why orthotic inserts might be necessary short term—but are not a "forever" solution How to quickly analyze your feet (or someone else's) How Lucas went from a size 10 to a size 12 shoe (and why that matters) How your squished up toes could be affecting your balance in yoga ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Michele S. Colon has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiology, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, and a Doctorate degree in Podiatry with a specialty in Foot & Ankle Surgery. Dr. Michele is also certified in Yoga, Reiki, Reflexology, and Laser Therapy. Dr. Michele specializes in Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Therapeutic Yoga to provide the most healing, relaxation, and rejuvenation to her patients and clients. Dr. Michele has studied Ayurveda extensively and has worked with some of the best practitioners throughout California to bring Ayurveda to the forefront of medicine. Links & Resources: Dr. Michele´s Site Awesome Toes - Corrective Toe Spacers Nutritional Tip: Decaf - friend or foe? Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Essential Mister Let me guess… you love essential oils but are sick and tired of diffusers that look like lava lamps from the 1960’s? If so, you need YOGABODY Essential Mister with a real-wood exterior. The simple, elegant design is a lovely addition to any room in the house, and it’s simple, foolproof functioning allows you to set it and forget it for hours and hours of continuous use. Originally designed for our commercial yoga studios, The Essential Mister allows you to bring the power of Aromatherapy to your home or office. USA-plug, but with a simple adapter can be used in any country. 1-year warranty, 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Learn More

Breathing has always been an integral part of yoga practices, but for many years, it was mostly forgotten or taught as an aside to asana practice. Just in the past few years, breathwork has come back into the mainstream bigger than ever before—and it's extreme. From Holotropic breathwork to The Wim Hof Method to free divers and hypoxic training, it seems like breathing has never been more popular, and yet more misunderstood with sometimes disastrous results. On this week's show, you'll meet author and free diving hobbyist, Adam Skolnick who chronicled the life of one of America's most famous freedivers who tragically died in 2013. ------------ What You´ll Learn: Why people are dying in free diving How Adam became a travel writer to support his passion and interests How Adam learned to dive to 30 meters in just 4 days Why social media sometimes presents a "false reality" of what's truly possible 6 competitive disciplines: static apnea, dynamic apnea (mono-fin swimming for distance without breathing), dynamic no fin, constant weight (with fin), constant weight (no fin), free immersion ABOUT OUR GUEST Adam Skolnick has written for the New York Times, Playboy, Outside, ESPN.com, BBC.com, Salon.com, Men’s Health, Wired, and Travel + Leisure, among others. He has visited 45 countries and authored or coauthored over 30 Lonely Planet guidebooks. ONE BREATH, his first narrative nonfiction book available now on amazon.com. Links & Resources: Adam Skolnick Nutritional Tip: Bromelain Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: YOGABODY Stretch Designed for yoga students, athletes, office workers, and busy moms… the YOGABODY Flexibility Kit offers a step-by-step, five-day per week routine you can do before bed to systematically regain your functional flexibility. The kit includes nutritional support, yoga props, and all the educational materials you’ll need to get started. Learn More

If you've ever completed goal-setting activities, no doubt "happiness" appeared on the top of your list. And yet, what is happiness? Really? Do you have a way to measure it? Do you have tools to achieve it? For most people, our tools for happiness are mindless televisions series, junk food, alcohol, and social media consumption. These tools work in the short term, but long term, there must be a better way. On this week's show, you'll meet, Jonathan Robinson, happiness researcher and best-selling author who has dedicated his career to the study of joy. ------- What You´ll Learn: How to define happiness on a 1 to 10 scale: "How happy are you with your life?" How to change your brainwaves with binaural beats or frequency following music How to use supplements to improve your mental state How vibration platforms can improve your health What the Dalai Lama thinks of technology ABOUT OUR GUEST Jonathan Robinson is one of the world’s leading experts on happiness and how to get there. A psychotherapist, bestselling author of 10 books, and a professional speaker who consistently presents to Fortune 500 companies, he has reached more than 100 million people around the world with his practical methods. Jonathan has made numerous appearances on such shows as Oprah, CNN, and the leading morning shows, and been featured in Newsweek, USA TODAY, and the Los Angeles Times. He has spent more than forty years studying the most practical and powerful methods for achieving a state of personal life satisfaction and happiness. Links & Resources: Finding Happiness Nutritional Tip: How to Clean Fruit Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show?   Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Hurts So Good Massage Balls Hurts So Good Massage Balls allow you to release tension, break up sliding surface dysfunctions, and improve circulation in and around your muscles and tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Relieve tight muscles knots, aches and pains any time, on your own Improve blood flow to targeted areas for nourishment and elimination of waste Release and relieve compressed nerves such as carpel tunnel and sciatica Assist in scar tissue elasticity and correct healing Learn More

Many health fanatics claim that they, "don't believe in supplements," as if micronutrients were a belief system or a religion—but they are not. They are foundational to our health, an essential part of our biology; and for better or worse, insufficiency and deficiencies have been part of the human experience for as long as we've been on earth. Nutritional balance is an exception, not the rule, so if you ignore your own micronutrients and ignore the rampant deficiencies today, you do so at your own peril. On this week's Yoga Talk Show, I share my own research and experiences with some of the most-common vitamin and mineral deficiencies along with simple strategies for testing and correcting them. While not definitive, this is a great starting point for testing, tracking, and taking responsibility for own health. ------------ What You´ll Learn: Why almost everyone is deficient in Vitamin D How iron deficiency impacts billions of people, and yes, in the developed world too Why essential fatty acids (EFA's) are "essential" and where to get the Why is not how much you eat or take, but how much you absorb that matters The innate challenges of a food system based on chicken, pigs, cows, corn, soy, wheat, and rice ----------- Key Questions About Supplements: How do you feel after taking them? Are there weird additives in your supplements? Can you avoid them? Are there food sources for these nutrients that you prefer? Are these supplements sustainable? Links & Resources: Dr. Mercola & Vitamin D World Health Organization & Deficiencies Nutritional Tip: Probiotics Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Yoga Trapeze Teacher Training The Yoga Trapeze is the #1 most popular yoga inversion sling in the world, and both our January and April teacher training courses are completely sold out. Good news! We’ve just opened up September 2017 for applications, and so this is an opportunity for you to gain the professional skills and confidence needed to teach professionally this exciting new style of yoga. Learn More

Have you heard of sham surgeries? In 2002, 180 people with osteoarthritis of the knee joined a double-blind study. Some patients underwent real arthroscopic surgery and a placebo group simply had a skin incision and then were stitched back up. Here is where it gets weird. The placebo group self-reported identical results to those who had undergone actual surgery. This is just one example of thousands of documented instances of "mind over body" in healing modalities ranging from allopathic medicine and crystal therapy to group prayer and homeopathy. How can this be? On this week's Yoga Talk Show, we'll try to get to the bottom of this very real phenomenon. ------------ What You´ll Learn: Why the scientific method has always been hindered by the placebo effect as it taints nearly every data set—it's omnipresent How crystals, prayer healing, Reiki, and fridge modalities can sometimes deliver amazing results Why certain conditions that respond better to placebos (ex: pain, skin conditions, Parkinson's, depression, anxiety) How shame surgeries can be just as effective as real surgeries Why hypnosis and placebo are not necessarily connected Links & Resources: Suggestible You Erik Vance's Site Sham Surgery References Sham Knee Surgery Trial  ABOUT OUR GUEST Erik Vance is a native Bay Area writer living in Mexico. In his earlier life, he was a biologist, a rock climbing guide, an environmental consultant, and an environmental educator. His work focuses on the human element of science – the people who do it, those who benefit from it, and those who do not. He has written for The New York Times, Nature, Scientific American, Harper’s, National Geographic, and a number of other local and national outlets. His first book, Suggestible You, about how the mind and body continually twist and shape our realities was inspired by his feature in Discover and is on Amazon. You can learn more about his work at www.ErikVance.com  Nutritional Tip: Cooking with Olive Oil Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas   Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com   Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews   Thanks to Our Sponsor: Essential Mister Let me guess… you love essential oils but are sick and tired of diffusers that look like lava lamps from the 1960’s? If so, you need YOGABODY Essential Mister with a real-wood exterior. The simple, elegant design is a lovely addition to any room in the house, and it’s simple, foolproof functioning allows you to set it and forget it for hours and hours of continuous use. Originally designed for our commercial yoga studios, The Essential Mister allows you to bring the power of Aromatherapy to your home or office. USA-plug, but with a simple adapter can be used in any country. 1-year warranty, 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Learn More

Back pain affects an estimated 80% of the population at some point in life, and yet most conditions are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. To complicate matters, most people have hard line ideas about treatment of their mysterious conditions, so it's no surprise that chronic pain, recurring problems, and frustration abound. On the Yoga Talk Show, we tend toward natural, non-medical healing modalities; but there is a time and a place for allopathic medicine, and yes, even surgery. For every 10 students I know who healed their own spine, I know at least one for whom surgery was a life saver. Rather than look at the issue as black or white, it's important to consider all options and understand the best treatments. Enter: Dr. Tony Mork. Board certified orthopedic surgeon and pioneer of endoscopic surgery. He breaks down surgical options in an incredibly simple and insightful way and makes a very convincing case for why spinal fusion, the most common surgery, should be avoided if at all possible. ------------ Listen & Learn: Why most people with back pain have no accurate diagnosis of their problem Why X-Ray, CT or MRI doesn't tell the whole story How "spinal mapping" can find the real source of the pain How many conditions pass on their own in 8-12 weeks Why a discogram can be helpful in some cases The 3 types of surgery: vertebral fusion, decompressive surgery, rhizotomy (sever nerve roots) Why fusions are the most common and yet should be a last resort Why only 2% of spinal surgeries are endoscopic in the USA Links & Resources: Dr. Tony Mork's Site Dr. Mork's Youtube Channel ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Mork is a board certified orthopedic surgeon has personally performed more than 8,000 endoscopic spinal surgeries. He designed many of the specialized tools used in laser spinal surgery and is constantly pursuing the improvement of spinal care. Dr. Mork has been instrumental in developing most of the current endoscopic spinal surgery techniques. He is one of the originators and wrote the original peer reviewed articles on most of the endoscopic spine surgery techniques used today. He was the co-founder of Microspine and founder of the Endoscopic Spinal Academy. Nutritional Tip: Frozen Foods Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes: http://www.yogabody.com/reviews

Over 1 million people have listened to the Yoga Talk Show since its inception, and it's you the listeners I have to thank for all the support and growth over the years. To say "thanks" and deep-dive into a random smattering of topics, I've dedicated this show to answering your voice mails. Some of these questions we've covered in previous shows, but many are completely new, so I hope you find them helpful in your own practice. ------------ Listen & Learn: Can you help with Plantar Fasciitis? Can some in their 90's use the Yoga Trapeze? How can I use yoga to heal my rotator cuff? Why 1:2 ratio breathing nose-to-mouth in Gravity Yoga? Will yoga therapy be the "next big thing?" How should I train for the full splits? Is Hot Yoga dangerous for my SI Joint? Got Questions? Send me a voicemail here: http://www.YogaBody.com/AskLucas Thanks to our sponsor: Hot Yoga Teacher Training “Teach Hot Yoga, Inspire Students, Change Lives!” TAKE THE NEXT STEP! Join Absolute Yoga’s 200-Hour Hot Yoga Alliance accredited course in beautiful Koh Samui, Thailand. This training is for: Serious students who want to teach Passionate yoga practitioners Students who want to share hot yoga with the world Extremely small class sizes, huge teaching team, dedicated training facility! Next course starts in February! Learn More