Align Podcast

People are less in touch with their bodies―and especially their breathing―than ever before. And ironically, people who take pride in taking care of their bodies actually put themselves at greater risk. Why? Because they’re asking their body to take on next-level demands, but failing at life’s most essential skill: efficient breathing.   Proper breathing is the world’s most powerful biohack.   In this episode of the Align Podcast, Belisa Vranich shares how we can master our breath to unlock more strength, greater endurance, sharper precision, faster recovery, and ultimately optimize our lives.   Belisa is a clinical psychologist, author of Breathing for Warriors, founder of The Breathing Class, and is here to give you a step-by-step guide on how to biohack your breath.   Find more from Belisa: Instagram: @drbelisa Book: Breathing for Warriors Website: thebreathingclass.com

Disclaimer: This isn’t your typical Paul Saladino podcast episode on the Carnivore Diet.   I’ve had him on the podcast before where I challenged him on the topic. This conversation is more focused on how food has effected human evolution, why our brains are shrinking, the actual cause of visceral fat, what it would take to actually get the nutrients you need through plant-based foods. Plus, during the episode, he pulls up an assortment of different graphs and charts to validate his points which I found beyond fascinating. Be sure to watch the episode on YouTube as well to view.   One thing I respect about Dr. Saladino is the extensive research he does before putting his viewpoints into the world. I know for many people, believing we should only be eating animal-based foods sounds like the unhealthiest thing we could do for ourselves. Although, Paul has extensive studies to back up his claims and also does not believe you need to eat 100% animal-based to reap the benefits. And another disclaimer, he does not believe only eating conventional animal foods and muscle meat attributes to a healthy diet. And in the episode, he explains why.   I believe Dr. Saladino to be an important figure in the wellness community as he challenges the general narrative of nutritional dogma. He is completely going against the grain of most accepted modern concepts of having a balanced nutritional diet and goes more towards an ancestral approach utilizing animal-based foods for our nutrition.   What we discuss: Dr. Saladino's thoughts on wearing masks Human evolution and the impact of consuming animal foods The evolution of human brain size and what contributes to the change Nutrients for developing a bigger brain The B12 myth The nutrients found in animal foods that we can't find in plant foods Evolutionary inconsistencies Issue with plant oils How fats act as hormones What happens when we eat Linoleic acid. Carbs don't cause diabetes or metabolic disfunction How to avoid visceral fat 3 steps to get rid of it The worst mistake in human history Goal with the carnivore code Best and worst vegetables you could eat (you'll be surprised!)   Be sure to checkout the newest version of his, The Carnivore Code, here.   Listen to our other conversation on the Carnivore Diet here where I give him a good challenge on his beliefs behind consuming an animal-based diet. 

Most of us run on an endless string of vague goals and should-haves, with true, empowering change always just out of reach. Many of us feel stuck in our day-to-day routine, without the proper tools to break the mold and live our best lives every single day.   David Nurse, a renowned life optimization coach of more than 150 NBA players and CEOs, knows it doesn't have to be that way. His key is to make mindful mindset pivots that allow you to shift your perspective by incremental yet powerful degrees, which is what we discuss in this episode.   But, we also dive into a deep conversation on Christianity. What is God? Is there a Heaven and a Hell? What about Adam and Eve? David and I have two opposing viewpoints and challenging each other brings about an interesting conversation.   What we discuss:    08:55 - What is an NBA Optimization Coach? 11:30 - The Enneagram Personality Test. 14:40 - We have 50,000 self-talk thoughts, 80% are negative. How to flip! 15:50 - Redefining what words actually mean. 17:25 - Where do negative thoughts come from?  18:00 - How to get out of the slump. 24:00 - How comparison can be good. 26:20 - Where does the drive come from? 27:45 - The recipe for a driven individuall. 29:45 - What is God? 30:30 - Thoughts on different religious cultures?  32:15 - Heaven and Hell?  33:55 - Where do they exist? 

Why are you the way that you are? Were you born this way or have you conditioned yourself to be this way? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D is here to answer this pressing question.   Dr. Lipton is a stem cell biologist, author of The Biology of Belief, and an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. H has spent decades examining the mechanisms by which cells receive and process information and his findings have radically changed our understanding of life–showing that genes and DNA do not control our biology.    What does control our biology?   In this episode of the Align Podcast, Dr. Lipton explains how our consciousness, not our DNA, ultimately determines our biology and how our bodies can be changed by retraining our conscious thoughts.   What we discuss:    08:05 - Three different culture-mediums   09:50 - Why our brain is the chemist of our lives   12:45 - Your consciousness is creating your biology   14:40 - Concept of manipulation.   15:00 - The brain is a computer, everything is programmable   18:15 - Delta consciousness   21:00 - Epi-genetics.   22:45 - We are in charge of the genetics. We are not victims.   23:15 - Consciousness is creating your experiences.   25:20 - Concious mind manifests wishes and desires.   28:30 - Programming in the sub-concious mind.  

Our food is getting cheaper and cheaper, but at what cost? Not only are our current farming and food processing practices and systems deteriorating our health, but it's causing even more harm to our ecosystem. The question at play in this episode is how can we create food for ourselves in such a way that actually restores the health and vitality of the soil of which we are producing our food? In this episode, I am joined by Anya Fernald who has the asnwer. She is the founder and CEO of Belcampo Inc., a family of companies that encompasses Belcampo farms where they humanely raise organic meat (which I believe produces the highest quality meat I have ever come across in my life). Belcampo focuses exclusively on regenerative farming practices, which means it restores the land it uses rather than deteriorate it. Anya is a brilliant woman and I was in complete awe throughout the entire interview learning from her about our food, where it comes from, and the impact it has on our environment. What we discuss: How we have “perfected” nature 5:00 The interconnectedness of nature (How we solve one problem but create another): 13:00  The different roles of animals: 18:30 How animal digestive systems work and how it’s integral to our ecosystem: 21:30 Eating non-socially acceptable parts of animals 23:30 Shocking foods fed to animals: 29:00 Animals in Confinement vs. Pasture-raised: 30:00 Why cow farts are harmful to the environment: 32:00 What is regenerative farming: 33:00 What happens when you farm on marginal land: 40:00 Is regenerative farming scalable?: 41:00 The shift in mentally that needs to happen in the value we place on meat in our diet: 47:00 Anya’s tips for what our first steps should be 53:00 Check out Belcampo here. Follow Anya on IG here.

In this episode of the Align Podcast, I chat with Jamie Kilstein who is the host of the Fuckups Guide to Self-Help, as well as a well-known stand-up comic and Jai Jitsu fighter. Jamie shares the root of his humor, why weirdness is something you should accept and love about yourself, and his journey towards building more self-awareness. Plus, we dive into the divide in our country when it comes to social movements and political stances and how harsh each side can be towards each other.  What We Discuss:  Jai Jitsu  Controversial comedy  Accepting your weirdness Meditation Why the US is so divided right now Being a political flipflopper  Online fighting    Find more from Jamie: Podcast: A Fuckups Guide to Self-Help Instagram: @thejamiekilstein Twitter: @jaimiekilstein Joe Rogan: #1031

We are a species that–whether we want to face it or not–is on it’s way to becoming extinct and this earth will carry on with or without us. So the great question Michael and I explore in this conversation is how can we pull ourselves back from all the noise so that we are able to hear the signal? Michael believes the answer to this question is shifting the way we live by reverting back to ancient ways, techniques, and worldly views. What does that mean? Download now to find out more. Michael is a social entrepreneur focused on building movements for social impact. As a Fulbright Scholar, he studied community-building strategies in Sri Lanka, where he lived and researched for two years. As a member of the Board of Directors of Sarvodaya USA Michael worked intimately with Sri Lanka's largest social movement and NGO, Sarvodaya, serving 11 million people across 15,000 villages. Since that time he has traveled and worked to build global movements.   What we discuss: The collective vs. Individual way of living: 6:00 Shifting the way we live to preserve humanity: 20:00 Michaels shamanic experience: 34:00 Using psychedelics 37:00 RIghts of passage: 42:00   Find more from Michael: Instagram: @michaeltrainer Podcast: Peak Mind 

In this episode of the Align Podcast, I am joined by Harry Grammer, who is by far one of the most important figures I have had on the podcast and one of the most important conversations I have ever shared. Harry discusses the primary roots of oppression, injustice, and racism that exists in the United States. There are a lot of layers. It’s not as simple as putting one blanket statement on a cardboard box and going out and yelling about it. There is a deep injustice happening among our fellow human beings and it is our duty to uncover it. Harry is an activist, scholar, and poet and founder of New Earth, an organization playing an integral part in reforming the juvenile justice nationwide system. In 2017, Harry was honored as a CNN Hero and in 2018 selected as an inaugural Obama Foundation Fellow. Harry is an invaluable character with invaluable information to share. I hope my conversation with Harry will help you begin to peel back the layers. What we discuss: African American, people of color, or black? 4:30 The appropriate response for white people during this movement: 6:30 The difference between the BLM Movement and BLM organization: 13:30 How oppression and prejudice are highly adaptable: 16:00 The issues of our prison system: 18:30 Defunding the police: 24:00 Is posting on Instagram enough action? 28:30 Must-read books and must-see movies: 30:30 The history of Jim Crow: 35:30 The progress made between 1865 and now: 40:30 Our justice system is a scary beast: 49:30 How do we stop “othering” each other?: 53:30 The Pygmalion Effect: 55:00 My experience with being arrested 1:01:00 Henry’s perspective on the system and how it needs to change: 1:04:00 How to can we support the movement? 1:20:00 Find more from Harry: newearthlife.org Harry's TedTalk

If you think you’ve heard everything Max Lugavere has to say about the Genius Life, I’m guessing you haven’t heard this. We go deeper than his brand-new book and take a look into how Max lives his personal Genius Life. We not only discuss his brand-new book, The Genius Life, but also dive into how he has navigated through the events of 2020, the music he creates (did you know he’s a musician?), and all things mind and body because that’s what this podcast is all about. Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times best-seller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, as well as The Genius Life: Heal Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Become Extraordinary, which is his newest book. He is also the host of the #1 Apple Podcasts Health podcast, The Genius Life. What we discuss: How posting only your “best side” can be a form of violence to others 4:30 Max’s experience navigating through the coronavirus: 8:00 Statistics on obesity: 18:00 What inflammation does to your body: 20:30 The three H’s that define good health: 28:00 Common nutrient deficiencies: 29:45 Max’s personal journey as a musician: 34:00 Dealing with trauma: 49:00 Mastering your voice: 55:00 Find more from Max: Website: www.maxlugavere.com Instagram: @maxlugavere Book: The Genius Life Podcast: The Genius Life Podcast

Let's talk about Black Lives Matter. Some people believe protesting and posting on social media is the most effective way to bring about change in our country, although I believe the most effective way is to become better educated on exactly what is happening, as well as have open dialog and honest conversations to help better understand. In this episode of the Align Podcast, I'm joined by Robert Fergusson who shares his experience growing up as an African American with the racism and injustice in our country. He also shares his approach to supporting the movement and his best advice for how we can make an actual change. I cannot thank Robert enough for providing me with a new perspective on the movement. I hope you enjoy the conversation and find it as beneficial as much as I did.