FoundMyFitness

In this episode, Dr. Rhonda Patrick chats with Dr. Darya and Kevin Rose.

Dr. Darya Rose, PhD is a neuroscientist, author of “Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting,” and creator of Summer Tomato, which was featured in TIME magazine’s list of the web’s 50 best websites in 2011.

Kevin you may know from TV, the investing world, or any of a wide variety of things he’s well known for (founding digg.com, just for starters). More recently, Kevin hosts a podcast where he's had guests ranging from titans of industry like Elon Musk to notables like his buddy Tim Ferriss, multi-time New York Times best selling author, investor, self-experimenter and fellow podcaster.

In this episode, we discuss...

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (03:23) Darya Rose talks about her 10-day silent retreat
  • (11:32) Mindfulness can be achieved during daily activities
  • (16:10) Kevin’s self-experimentation with a ketogenic diet
  • (23:59) Rhonda's interviews with Dr. Valter Longo and Ray Cronise on fasting
  • (29:13) Tumeric increases the body’s detoxification enzymes
  • (33:17) Darya’s career from PhD student to health advocate
  • (39:32) The benefits of eating seasonally 
  • (45:12) Technology that promotes mindfulness and productivity 

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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Direct download: roses_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:35pm EST

Dr. Pierre Capel

Dr. Pierre Capel is a professor emeritus in experimental immunology at the Utrecht University in the Netherlands where he researched a wide range of topics from genetic modification to cancer immunotherapy.

Pierre also works with Wim Hof, otherwise known as the iceman (guest on the last podcast) who is especially well-known for some of his amazing physical feats, like staying in a tub with direct contact to ice for over an hour and fifty three minutes.

Pierre explains some of the science behind how Wim is able to withstand cold temperatures for prolonged periods of time. The explanation comes down to what the 2014 PNAS study on Wim's technique showed: that reductions in carbon dioxide temporarily increased blood pH. The missing piece to the puzzle that Pierre brings in is the simple fact that pain receptors that are critical to feeling cold temperatures actually rely on what are known as "acid sensing ion channels", which have been shown in other studies to become inactive within the pH ranges Wim and his trainees are able to increase their blood to.

In this episode, we discuss... 

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (05:45) Harmful chronic stress vs beneficial eustress
  • (09:18) Exercise improves a person's ability to deal with chronic stress
  • (12:55) Meditation causes a measurable change in DNA expression
  • (15:51) Loneliness caused 60% increase in tumor incidence in rats
  • (19:02) Loneliness causes an increase in transcription factor NF-kB
  • (23:32) How mood affects the immune system through cortisol and circadian rhythm
  • (26:50) Immune responses activated in the gut can cause depression
  • (30:25) How meditation affects the brain and relieves chronic stress
  • (40:02) Dr. Capel talks about his meditation practice and why he does it
  • (44:42) How Wim Hof endures freezing temperatures for hours 
  • (58:16) Mice exposed to severe cold stress experienced beneficial brain reconfiguration
  • (01:08:05) The close relationship between love and smell

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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Direct download: pierre_capel_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:37pm EST

Wim Hof

Wim Hof, also known as "the Iceman", holds the world record for the longest ice bath (1 hour and 53 minutes and 12 seconds), just to name one of his many impressive feats. Dr. Patrick and Wim talk a bit about Wim's back story that culminated in him trying out cold water immersion, the relatively recent 2014 scientific publication of the "Wim Hof Method" which includes cold exposure during training, exposure to bacterial endotoxin, Wim's breathing techniques, and meditation.

In this episode, we discuss... 

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (02:08) Wim Hof tells the story of how he fell in love with the cold
  • (08:35) Activating the sympathetic nervous system to lower inflammation 
  • (14:37) Hyperventilation changes blood pH enough to inactivate pain receptors
  • (16:24) Just four days of breathing exercises decreased inflammation
  • (28:06) How much of the effects of meditation are due to breathing technique?
  • (36:45) Cold exposure increases norepinephrine two- to three-fold
  • (44:05) Treating depression with cold therapy

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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Direct download: Wim_Hof_AUPH.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EST

Dr. Rhonda Patrick delivers the keynote lecture at the Orthomolecular Medicine Congress in Bussum, Netherlands (MBOG Congres 2015).

In this talk, you'll learn about:

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (04:52) Micronutrient inadequacies and triage theory
  • (10:42) Role of DNA damage in cancer and aging
  • (21:10) Vitamin D, serotonin, and the development of autism
  • (41:39) Omega-3s also regulate serotonin 

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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Direct download: orthomolecular_congress_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:26am EST

In this podcast, I discuss some of the mechanisms by which chronic stress (and rumination) affect health and aging and how meditation can reduce rumination and buffer stress.

In this episode, you'll discover:

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (02:41) Eustress such as exercise vs distress such as fear
  • (06:15) Effects of stress on the brain
  • (07:30) Effects of stress on the gut and microbiome
  • (10:21) Stress accelerates biological aging
  • (15:04) Meditation reduces rumination and promotes empathy
  • (19:53) Effects of meditation in the brain
  • (24:28) Meditation slows biological aging and lengthens telomeres

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

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Direct download: meditation_solocast_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:23pm EST

In this episode Rhonda talks about:

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (03:00) Heat stress makes the body more resilient to the stresses of aging
  • (14:45) Possible mechanisms why sauna use reduces heart disease risk
  • (16:45) Sauna enhances athletic endurance and muscle growth
  • (28:16) Sauna use stimulates neurogenesis and improves cognitive function and mood
  • (37:34) Sauna use detoxifies BPA, PCBs, phthalates, and other metals
  • (51:10) Practical applications sauna use and other heat stressors like hot yoga

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

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Direct download: sauna_solocast_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:48am EST

Dr. Justin Sonnenburg
Dr. Justin Sonnenburg is an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford and Dr. Erica Sonnenburg is a senior research scientist in the Sonnenburg lab where they research many aspects the interaction between diet with the 100 trillion or so bacteria in the gut (specifically the colon) and how this impacts the health of the host (which in this case is a laboratory research mouse).

In this episode, we discuss... 

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (02:50) What is the gut microbiota?
  • (08:10) A lack of dietary fiber starves the gut microbiota
  • (16:13) The close interplay of our gut and immune system
  • (17:58) Connecting the dots between the gut, immune system, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases
  • (20:45) A diet with a variety of fibers promotes microbiome diversity and health 
  • (25:30) Artificial sweeteners induce glucose intolerance by altering the gut microbiota
  • (29:00) Individualized responses to repeated antibiotic perturbation
  • (30:27) The risks of antibiotic overuse
  • (32:10) Probiotics can support a healthy microbiota following antibiotics
  • (38:05) Factors during birth and infancy that influence microbiome development

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

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Direct download: sonnenburg_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:17am EST

Dr. Ronald Krauss

Dr. Ronald Krauss, M.D. is the director of atherosclerosis research at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Adjunct Professor at UCSF and UC Berkeley. Dr. Krauss is really one of the pioneering scientists that changed the way we all think about cholesterol and saturated fat. He developed an assay that allows the quantification of low density lipoprotein particle size and concentration (known to the wider world as LDL cholesterol) based on a technique which determines the size of the particle based on physics...meaning the speed at which it flies through the air.

In this episode, we discuss...

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (03:58) An overview of lipoproteins – HDL, LDL, and VLDL 
  • (09:32) Cholesterol is a “passenger” on a train  
  • (12:09) LDL vs HDL - why one is dangerous and the other isn’t
  • (17:42) Raising HDL doesn’t reduce heart disease risk the same way as lowering LDL 
  • (19:13) Leaky gut and inflammation increase VLDL production to protect the body
  • (30:38) The misconception that dietary cholesterol significantly raises blood cholesterol
  • (40:56) Saturated fats vs carbohydrates in raising cholesterol and CVD risk
  • (53:08) Statins are a reliable, but imperfect, therapy for lowering CVD risk
  • (01:08:20) Measuring cholesterol particle size refines risk assessment and informs medication use

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

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Direct download: ronald_krauss_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:29am EST

CHORI Bar Team

Meet some of the CHORI bar team: Dr. Bruce Ames, Dr. Joyce McCann, and Dr. Mark Shigenaga.

On this podcast we talk about the different types of HDL and LDL cholesterol and what they do in the body. We discuss a low-calorie, micronutrient- and fiber-dense nutrition bar (referred to as the CHORI bar) that Bruce and I briefly touched on in a previous conversation, how each of the components of the bar from the vitamins and minerals to the fiber and polyphenols are all really important but have separate functions in the body that can work together in much the same way an orchestra play their individual parts to create a symphony that is larger than their individual roles, how the chori bar raised a certain type of HDL in lead adults in just two weeks, how eating the CHORI bar raised HDL, lowered triglycerides and small LDL particles, and improved insulin sensitivity after eight weeks in overweight/obese individuals all without them changing their diet.

 

The CHORI bar is not available for consumers yet but you can keep up with choribar updates on bruceames.org/choribar.

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Direct download: choribar_team_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:16am EST

Dr. Aubrey de Grey

Dr. Aubrey de Grey is a biomedical gerontologist and the founder of the SENS research foundation which aims to find technologies that can repair the various types of damage that occur during the aging process.

In this episode, we discuss...

  • 00:00:00 - Introduction
  • 00:02:27 - How to understand aging
  • 00:08:14 - Epigenetic modifications accommodate cellular aging
  • 00:18:24 - Inflammation is a double-edged sword 
  • 00:24:00 - Parabiosis has the potential to slow aging 
  • 00:31:35 - Lifestyle factors can only extend lifespan so far
  • 00:36:49 - Future of Crispr/Cas9 in aging research
  • 00:40:56 - Utilizing pluripotent stem cells from the placenta

You can find Aubrey on Twitter at @aubreydegrey, and his foundation at www.sens.org.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/aubrey-de-grey

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

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Direct download: aubrey_de_grey_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:49am EST

Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers some of the most popular questions regarding vitamin D including:

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (02:22) How do you decide how much vitamin D to supplement with?
  • (12:51) Is it possible to get too much vitamin D?
  • (20:52) Is there a difference between vitamin D made from the sun versus a supplement?
  • (24:43) What form of vitamin D is more bioavailable or absorbed better?

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Direct download: vit_d_faq_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:47pm EST

Dan Pardi

Dr. Dan Pardi researches sleep neurobiology and is a co-founder of Dan’s Plan, an online wellness and technology company.

In this episode, we discuss...

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (03:27) Circadian rhythms are key to health
  • (07:07) Artificial lights suppress melatonin production
  • (12:04) Sleep clears toxins from the brain
  • (16:14) Sleep deprivation increases appetite and decreases energy expenditure 
  • (24:09) Sleep is critical for creating long-term memories
  • (31:29) Blue light can reset circadian rhythm in the Antarctic winter
  • (36:57) Long-term exercise improves sleep quality in women 
  • (44:43) Sleep deprivation worsens decision-making 
  • (51:02) Practices that encourage healthy sleep
  • (53:57) A healthy diet supports good sleep
  • (59:59) Dan’s plan bridges the gap between research and your personal health

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

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Direct download: dan_pardi_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:09am EST

Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferris is a notorious self-experimenter, three-time New York Times bestselling author, angel investor, startup advisor, and much, much, much more. 

In this episode, we discuss... 

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (02:29) Oxytocin, vasopressin, and the neuroendocrine basis of pair bond formation
  • (05:54) Tim’s self-experimentation with the ketogenic diet and the biomarkers he measures daily
  • (14:55) Can a ketogenic diet reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk?
  • (22:14) Inflammation accelerates aging, but is necessary for tissue repair
  • (26:17) Vitamin C reduces inflammation, but may also inhibit muscle growth
  • (35:22) Tim describes his experience with Lyme disease
  • (45:43) Rhonda talks about her experience with MRSA and antibiotics
  • (48:55) Tim’s personal experience with ketosis
  • (55:06)The 4-Hour Body talks about improving your body's performance while doing less
  • (01:02:56) How to reduce social stress by exposing yourself to similar stresses
  • (01:09:52) Meditation can help you stay focused and improve production
  • (01:12:40) Tim Ferriss' future plans in Hollywood

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information  straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor

Direct download: tim_ferriss_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:22am EST

Jim Kean

Jim Kean is the CEO of National Pro Grid League (NPGL) and founder of WellnessFX.

In this podcast Rhonda and Jim discuss the quantified self movement and the importance of measuring biomarkers more than once, the gut's role in cholesterol and serotonin in the gut versus in the brain, about the role of exercise in preventing neuroinflammation and the effects of overtraining on sex hormones.

We also chat a bit about the psychology of constructing a new, non-gender segregated, team spectator sport and bringing it to market, the factors that separate a professional spectator sport from any other form of entertainment: including patriotism, justice, and vicariousness, the mathematical nature of the sport and the floor coach's role in monitoring athletes before they start "redlining," how NPGL teams may find new ways to tune their gameplay and find an edge on the competition in the future by stepping up the use of more advanced athlete-level analytics.

In this episode, we discuss... 

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (01:11) Optimizing performance and health has become more accessible 
  • (07:18) Frequent blood tests helped Jim find his optimal level of Vitamin D
  • (09:45) Jim’s habits for optimizing insulin sensitivity and lean body mass
  • (11:06) Exercise reduces inflammation caused by kynurenine
  • (12:16) Exercise increases BCAA uptake by muscle, increasing serotonin in the brain
  • (13:33) Jim Kean introduces the book, Grain Brain
  • (14:32) Dysfunctional insulin receptors are found in Alzheimer’s disease
  • (16:11) Endotoxin reacts with LDL cholesterol to form heart disease-promoting foam cells
  • (19:09) How you make a successful sport
  • (29:13) What is overtraining in cross-fit and what are the consequences?

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter

Become a FoundMyFitness premium member to get access to exclusive episodes, emails, live Q+A’s with Rhonda and more: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/crowdsponsor

Direct download: jim_kean_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:06pm EST

Dr. Bruce Ames

Dr. Rhonda Patrick speaks with Dr. Bruce Ames, about a micronutrient- and fiber-dense nutrition bar (referred to as the CHORI bar) that was developed in the Ames laboratory.

The bar was formulated to be moderate in calories (107 kcal/≈25 g bar), but nutrient dense, with a polyphenolic-rich matrix of fruit, walnuts, and non-alkali-processed dark chocolate, supplemental vitamins, minerals, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a blend of insoluble and soluble fibers, protein, and glutamine. Most vitamins and minerals are present in amounts representing 10 to 50% of their corresponding recommended daily allowance (RDA) per bar; with the exceptions of vitamin D and vitamin C (both added above 50% RDA). The goal was not to meet the RDA in every case but to complement standard dietary intakes by consumption of 2 bars each day. People that ate the bar were told not to change their diets but just to eat the bars on top of their normal diet. Lean people that ate the CHORI bar twice a day were able to raise HDL, lower homocysteine, and raise glutathione in just two weeks. Overweight/obese people with low inflammation that ate the bar showed weight loss after 8 weeks, raised their HDL, lowered triglycerides and small LDL particles, and improved insulin sensitivity. Overweight/obese people that had high inflammation were able to lower their inflammation after 2 weeks of eating the bar and raise their HDL after 8 weeks.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/choribar-weight-loss

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter


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Direct download: bruce_ames_choribar.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:25am EST

Dr. Bruce Ames

In this podcast, Dr. Rhonda Patrick interviews her mentor, Dr. Bruce Ames, about his triage theory and other nutrition topics. Dr. Ames was the 23rd most-cited scientist between 1973 and 1984, which is evidence of his long and productive career investigating human health and disease. Dr. Ames continues his research expanding our knowledge of nutrients such as vitamin D and its role in Autism spectrum disorder.

In this episode, we discuss...

  • (00:00) Introduction
  • (04:18) Dr. Ames discovers vitamin deficiency-induced DNA damage
  • (10:35) Triage theory explains nutrient rationing 
  • (14:37) Nutrient deficiencies cause insidious damage and accelerate aging
  • (25:25) Expanding the list of essential vitamins (e.g., lutein & zeaxanthin) 
  • (31:05) A Western diet pattern is mostly empty calories
  • (36:46) Challenges running randomized double-blind clinical trials in nutrition
  • (38:12) Nutrition is not the focus of our current healthcare system
  • (42:15) Dr. Ames’ philosophy about healthy and delicious foods

If you’re interested in learning more, you can read the full show notes here.

Join over 300,000 people and get the latest distilled information on triage theory, longevity & micronutrients straight to your inbox weekly: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/newsletter


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Direct download: bruce_ames_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:15pm EST

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