Align Podcast

What is cholesterol? Is it beneficial or is it harmful to our body? How is it related to insulin resistance (and what the heck is insulin resistance in the first place)?   Looking back over the past few decades, the benefits and dangers of cholesterol have been constantly shifting – triggering a war on fat and popularizing both high and low-fat diets. It’s confusing, frustrating, and even more overwhelming. So what’s the truth?     In this episode of the Align Podcast, author of The Great Cholesterol Myth, Jonny Bowden, gives us the answers. Jonny explains why we have demonized cholesterol and why HDL cholesterol isn’t what we should be looking at as a predetermining factor for heart disease. And, he breaks down what the heck is cholesterol in the first place, the values of it in our body, blood, and brain, and how it actually gets produced in our body.   Plus, he dives into the close relationship between cholesterol and insulin resistance, which is one of the most leading factors of inflammation and heart disease. Essentially, if we are insulin resistance, our hormones and metabolism are all out of whack. But don’t worry, the good news is that it can be treated, prevented, and reversed by diet alone.   Jonny Bowden, PhD, C.N.S. is a nationally known expert on weight loss and nutrition and author of twelve books, including multiple best-sellers. Johny offers inspiring advice on weight, health and nutrition have been read by millions and he has contributed material to over 50 national magazines and newspapers.   What we discuss:   6:29: Why cholesterol was the wrong target for measuring the risk of heart disease 9:33: What it means to be insulin resistant 13:15: Issues associated with high blood sugar 17:53: Where did the low-fat diet evolve from? 20:54

Do you know how to love? And more importantly, do you know how to let love in? In this conversation, I sat down with the legendary Bobby Klein at his own awesome home in Tulum, Mexico who shares the most important life lessons he has learned throughout his 89 years of life, including why the bottom line of life is always love. Plus, we explored the ideas of what this human experience is, our inner guidance and intuition, and how necessary it is to be brutally honest with ourselves. As we go deep into what the hell we are doing here, he shared a handful of fascinating and badass experiences in his life. Bobby Klein is a truly special guest: He carries a rare wealth of experience, deep compassion, and an arsenal of healing tools. He's a clinical psychologist, spiritual and psychological educator, writer, and intuitive Life Path Counselor. He was also a driving force in securing the legalization of acupuncture in America and became one of the first practicing acupuncturists in the United States. He is a true elder and a new friend I see as a mentor.   What we discuss: 03:53: Why 'fake it till you make it' is horse shit 05:09: What stands out that is different in the world today compared to the 60s? 06:06: How Bobby's relationship with death has transformed over the years 11:12: is fear the root of suffe14:28: Alcohol vs. psychedelics 21:30: How trusting someone can let them show who they really are 22:29: Do guidance systems exist? What are they? 29:40: The blueprint for cultivating a relationship with yourself 34:06: What it means to be wild 41:50: How Bobby got started with acupuncture 46:14: Healing and intuition 52:17: Is the concept of 'survivor' attached to the idea of suffering?   Find more from Bobby: Website: bobbyklein.com YouTube Channel: @bobbyklein   Be sure to check out the Align Collection, including Align bands, pants, shorts, and more! Shop now here.      

What can we learn about ourselves when we go through a separation from another? It’s easy to feel strong when things are working, but what about when things aren't? There is valuable opportunity given to us that only present themselves when relationships fall apart–The opportunity to navigate through the deep layers of ourselves. But how do we actually navigate through these layers?  In this conversation, Aubrey Marcus and his wife Vylana - two of my very favourite people - answer the questions I have on separation from someone you love (or feel deeply about), as it's something I currently am going through in my own life. Plus, they discuss why “wounds allows the light to enter”, and how truly loving ourselves is the best tool for facing a broken heart. Aubrey is the founder of ONMIT, a NYT bestselling author, the AMP podcast host, and founding member of Fit For Service Fellowship. Vylana is a sound alchemist, singer, Tahitian dancer, and medicine woman. What we discuss: [00:07:09] Aaron's current context [00:12:17] Love autonomy [00:18:56] Using the pain of a separation to growth [00:22:35] Facing and accepting fear [00:27:37] Self-love practices [00:40:38] Trust in acceptance [00:45:25] Expediting the process of accepting events within ourselves [00:51:22] Why current life events show you where there is still work to be done Find more from Aubrey and Vylana: Podcast: https://www.aubreymarcus.com/blogs/aubrey-marcus-podcast Program: https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/fit-for-service-fellowship Instagram: @aubreymarcus Instagram: @vylanamarcus

Our ability to connect and relate to each other is dependent upon how we feel. Which means, the food we eat has a strong influence on how we connect to each other. But one of the issues lies in the fact that the environment we have created around us is conducive and supportive to sickness, and is ultimately preventing us from experiencing deeper connections.  In this episode of the Align Podcast, I have a conversation with Shawn Stevenson on what contributes to deeper human connection, how the media affects our relationships, and why Shawn’s marriage has been successful. Plus, he also discusses how nutrition plays a surprising role in sleep, his thoughts on the conventional medicine approach. Shawn is a bestselling author of Sleep Smarter and has another book coming out, Eat Smarter, is a nutritionist, science educator, & creator of The Model Health Show, featured as the #1 Health Podcast in the U.S. What we discuss: [00:06:15] Shawn discusses the relationship between social media and sleep deprivation [00:09:07] How nutrition affects sleep [00:11:32] What Shawn thinks of the conventional medicine approach [00:16:47] How the environment plays a role in our behavior [00:24:32] Who we are at our core vs. how we behave [00:29:08] Romanticized media vs. our true needs in a relationship [00:37:55] Being human: intuition and connection  [00:50:55] Our capacity of connecting to others is dependent upon how we feel individually [00:56:12] How does our nutrition affects the way we relate to our significant other Website: https://themodelhealthshow.com/ Instagram: @shawnmodel YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheShawnModel/ Book: https://eatsmarterbook.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-model-health-show/id640246578

How often do we extend the effort to connect with our parents as the humans they truly are? Do we really know who they were before their parent roles and who they are beyond? This episode is truly special: My mother, Tina Louise Thomas, and I have a deeply intimate and vulnerable conversation that we initially were hesitant to release. Although, we decided if it helps even just one person connect more deeply with their parents or child, it's worth it. We talk about holding in emotions (and why my mother felt the need to hide her emotions during my upbringing), accepting aging and death, dealing with regrets, navigating forgiveness, moving forward after divorce and so much more. This has been a beautiful moment in which we felt deeply connected to each other, and probably one of the most important moments of my life. What we discuss: [00:05:48]: - The legacy my mom wishes to leave to her children [00:07:00] - My challenging emotional openness [00:07:53] - Holding emotions and covering up suffering [00:10:53] - Feeling joy even when circumstances are difficult [00:12:37] - Letting thoughts flow [00:14:45] - Accepting the cycle of life [00:18:32] - Self-love, growth, and self-expression [00:21:26] - Fears around ageing and death [00:22:48] - Beauty vs. value and expectations [00:26:32] - Why my Mom stayed for years in the relationship with my father [00:27:45] - My Mom's upbringing regarding expression of emotions [00:33:51] - My mom feeling understood and loved by her children [00:34:46] - Feelings of not belonging [00:40:03] - Being worthy of love [00:48:53] - Knowing my mom as a person [00:55:35] - Regrets and forgiveness [00:59:25] - My father [01:00:46] - My Mom's spiritual experiences My mother is a brilliant and very musician and artist, former Miss Pennsylvania and Miss America scholarship pageant national talent winner and runner-up. This to her music here: https://soundcloud.com/tina_louise_thomas    

What impact did the dietary changes in humanity have on our bodies? Going back as far as our pre-historical ancestors hypothesize very interesting correlations. What does the wide research say about eating animal products and how that influences our brain size and capacity? Research shows we have shrunk our brains in the last 10-12 thousand years, very possibly due to relevant shifts in our diet and habits. These big shifts were forced by major planetary changes such as the Younger Dryas, which took place 12,900 years ago. Dr. Paul Saladino, who is back on the Align Podcast, not only discusses why our brain is shrinking but also shares with us very interesting suggestions on nutrition and lifestyle through an anthropological lens. He discusses findings and hypotheses by significant figures throughout history that observed indigenous peoples and compared their aligned diet to the general western diet.  We also dig into our surroundings as a factor for stimulation, focus, and relaxation, and we pose the question of if we need to get away from common human behavior. The outdoors provides us a natural way of life and we might be taking a step in the wrong direction, placing a burden upon us that is opposite to the way we have been designed to live. Being in nature barefoot and experience a shift in the microbiome, interacting with other humans, eating foods that are in line with our genetics: all is perpetually being relegated in place of living mostly in squared-line architecture. Dr. Paul Saladino is the leading authority on the science and application of the carnivore diet, author of the “The Carnivore Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Health by Returning to our Ancestral Diet”. What we discuss: [0:02:48] Paul Saladino's upbringing [0:05:35] Why we should always challenge our beliefs [0:09:04] Earth's temperature correlation with periods of intellectual and cultural flourish and stagnation [0:11:21] What happened on Earth 12,900 years ago that might have changed how we eat [0:15:36] Three pre-historical species that relate to us and their diet [0:17:26] Human's change from primates to Australopithecus: eating animals vs. eating plants [0:20:31] Expensive Tissue Hypothesis: gut vs. brain [0:22:58] Correlation between B12 levels and brain size [0:28:15] Effects of chewing properly [0:30:56] Could Vitamin A deficiency by under-diagnosed in most people? [0:46:00] How architectural shapes and forms influences our state   Find more from Dr. Paul Saladino: Website: https://carnivoremd.com/ Instagram: @carnivoremd podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fundamental-health-with-paul-saladino-md/id1461771083 Products: https://heartandsoil.co/?ref=CarnivoreMD Book: https://carnivoremd.com/book/   Grab your Align Pants: www.alignpodcast.com/alignpant

This month there has been a general trend of discussing relationships. I think relationships are the most important things we could ever invest our time and energy into as we are literally in relationship with everything, from being in a relationship with yourself, your partner, your friends, and your family to your work or business and the entire world around you. How can we cultivate deeper relationships? How can develop relationships that last?   In this episode of the Align Podcast, I'm joined by Colin Guinn and Christie Woods who have been together for almost 20 years, and to me, that is beyond fascinating. They discuss why we need to take conscious responsibility, be aware of our ego, say yes to growth with our partner, and give our partner permission to be human. Plus, we touch on the topics of tantra, sex magic, psychedelics, and relationship plateaus.   Colin and Christie are dear friends of mine, although you may know the two from winning Season 31 of The Amazing Race. Colin is a serial entrepreneur, innovator, and pioneer in drone development and technology and Christie is an actress, model, Ms. Texas, breathwork facilitator, and a complete badass.    What we discuss:   [00:00:23] How Colin defines his specialty [00:04:50] Why you need to vibrate as close to love as possible [00:06:05] The different stages in Colin and Kristi's relationship throughout the past 19 years [00:10:30] Taking conscious responsibility in your relationship [00:12:33] Becoming aware of your ego and saying yes to growth and expansion together [00:14:43] Tantra sexuality [00:17:18] Using sex as a modality for raising the vibration [00:18:50] Sex magic [00:20:53] Giving your partner permission to be human [00:26:20] The practices Kristi and Colin do to understand how each one of them are growing [00:27:29] Relationship plateaus [00:34:12] The difference between the first 12 years of Kristi and Colin relationship to where they are now [00:36:40] Why there is no spiritual bypassing in Kristi and Colin relationship [00:41:29] Childhood traumas that reflect in the present [00:44:55] Colin's perception of energy, vibration, and humanness [01:01:11] Use of psychedelics as a tool of expansion of the mind vs. abusive use [01:02:23] Colin's take on how to start using psychedelics   Find more from Colin and Christie:   Instagram: @colinguinn | @christiewoods1

Do you wonder how your sex life can improve our relationships– with others and with yourself–either in a monogamous, a polyamory, or an open relationship? In this conversation with Whitney Miller, we talk about the dynamics of monogamous vs. polyamory relationship, we go deep into details of sexuality within relationships and we discuss a very interesting pleasure exploration technique of the vulva: the vulva mapping. In her past polyamory experience, she shares what she learned about herself to be able to thrive in it, namely understand why she got jealous, why she got sad, and how she was able to cultivate meaningful relationships with women by having to constantly have vulnerable conversations which allowed her to truly love the other women.  Often, relationships help us to open up a part of ourselves that needs to be exposed in order to heal and to know ourselves better: our thought processes, our patterns, and how we respond to challenges. Whitney tells us how deeply transformative this process was in her open relationship with Audrey Marcus and how that forced her to profoundly dive into herself. She shares with us intimate details of her preferences with candid honesty, so if you are dating or looking to date women this could be a key to understanding what might arouse and please a woman before and during sex. And it’s not at all just about sex: asking the other person meaningful questions is likely to be a skill that enables them to open up. Whitney also tells us what are her own favourites questions, what she finds attractive in a man, and how playfulness is so important. Whitney is a love, sex, and relationship coach: an expert in the realm of union between partners and sexuality. Former Miss United States and sports anchor Whitney Miller has found her true calling helping individuals and couples. Her experiential journey to self-mastery started 5 years ago with her well-publicized open relationship with her fiancé, Aubrey Marcus. Whitney has since joined forces with some of the leading scientists and researchers in the field, and now hosts talks and workshops around the world.  What we discuss: [00:04:47] Letting go of how Whitney thought life should be has been making her more open to change. [00:05:50] Where Whitney's need for protecting herself comes from. [00:07:09] What permitted the sensation of safety to let people in Whitney's life. [00:08:34] Why the relationship with Aubrey was fundamental to Whitney's self-discovery. [00:09:09] How we receive superpowers and faults from our parents and our relationships. [00:10:42] Why Whitney thinks there is usefulness in suppressing emotions. [00:11:48] Whitney's latest Ayuashca experience showed her to go over one fear in particular. [00:14:39] Making it through life instead of living life: "If you let out what is within you, it will heal you. If you hold it in, it will destroy you". [00:15:57] Qualities in a man that are attractive to Whitney. [00:17:18] What was attractive in Aubry from Whitney's perspective. [00:19:06] Why Whitney and Aubrey were sincere about the constraints of their polyamorous relationship. [00:20:31] What Whitney feel she learned from her experience in a polyamorous relationship [00:21:39] Is polyamory sustainable and does it have longevity? [00:24:27] Whitney's present terms of relationship preferences. [00:29:38] How does a man show he holds the qualities of stability and safety? [00:32:11] Is it possible to hold a certainty about the relationship course? [00:33:21] What is the process of stepping back and re-access in a relationship? [00:35:59] Whitney's experience in relationships in which one partner goes through change and the other isn't [00:38:07] What good sex

Relationships are complicated, no matter what kind of relationship you are in–whether it's with your partner, your family, your friends, or your co-workers. The biggest issues that arise within relationships stem from our attachment to needing others to validate us and make us feel whole, our inability to communicate what we are feeling and holding onto attachment, and struggling to stay deeply connected in a society that is built to pull us apart.  In this episode of the Align Podcast, I'm joined by the beautiful and dynamic couple, Miki Agrawal and Andrew Horn, who share insight into navigating through these issues and how they personally keep their relationship alive, happy, and healthy. This episode is somewhat of a couples counseling session that Andrew guides us through and I'm simply just a fly on the wall.  Miki is a social entrepreneur who uses creativity and disruptive innovation to challenge the status quo and change culture. She is the founder of several acclaimed social enterprises: WILD, THINX & TUSHY (collectively valued at over $200 million). Andrew Horn is a also serial social entrepreneur, speaker and writer based in Brooklyn, NY who is a frequent contributor to media outlets like MindBodyGreen, HuffPo and TheMuse. He focuses his writing on “The Art of Meaningful Conversation” – How to overcome anxiety, ask better questions and connect with anyone. Find more from Miki: Website: www.mikiagrawal.com Instagram: @mikiagrawal Find more from Andrew: Website: www.itsandrewhorn.com Instagram: @itsandrewhorn

Did you know nitric oxide plays a fundamental role in the optimal functioning of your body? Nitric oxide not only has an anti-microbial effect (it kills bacteria and viruses), but also has a series of preventive functions, such as hypertension, inflammation, and coronary-artery disease and heart attack. Dr. Louis Ignarro is the 1998 Nobel Peace price winner in Physiology Medicine for discovering nitric oxide acts as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. And in this episode, he shares the knowledge he has cultivated from his 50 years of research on the topic. So how can we boost this important molecule in our bodies? It’s surprisingly easy: by intaking antioxidants from fruits and vegetables and breathing through our nose! As Dr Louis said, inhaling has been thought of for thousands of years as being important, especially by yogis, but only about 15-18 years ago the physiological significance was discovered: as we breathe through our nose Nitric Oxide is carried to the lungs. What we dicuss: [00:05:52] Dr. Louis Ignarro’s diet [00:07:17] Dr. Louis Ignarro’s academic and professional background [00:10:21] The background story on NO, what it is and how it works  [00:11:56] Functions of NO [00:12:59] Why NO is the most important molecule in the body for cardiovascular health [00:13:50] Boosting NO by eating antioxidants in fruits and vegetables [00:15:18] Viagra works by increasing NO in erectile tissues [00:16:15] How NO is made in the body   [00:17:55] How different ways of breathing impact the production of NO [00:21:31] Antimicrobial effects of NO and how it’s relevant to the Coronavirus treatment  [00:42:43] What types of salt are good for us [00:24:22] NO in our nasal cavities - the importance of inhaling through the nose [00:26:17] Does wearing masks constantly affect our health?    [00:28:30] Why we should listen to science during COVID times [00:30:13] Do our bodies produce enough NO? COVID cases [00:33:12] Dr. Louis Ignarro’s story about his Nobel Prize Find more from Dr. Louis Ignarro Website: http://www.drignarro.com/ Instagram: @dr.louisignarro Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrIgnarro