Most of us overestimate what we can accomplish in a year and underestimate what we can accomplish in the next five years. With health and fitness, most of us focus so much on the short term that we don’t allow ourselves the space to make lasting change. On this week’s podcast, we’ll discuss finding fitness, not fanaticism, by focusing on doing things you enjoy to achieve sustainable long-term results. 

Listen and learn:

• How negative self talk, even subtle negativity, can undermine your success
• How to be fiercely consistent in your plan
• Why it’s important to fail forward
• How it can take a full two years to change into a ‘lifelong exerciser’ 

Links

Mike’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Mike T. Nelson has a Ph.D. in exercise physiology. He’s an adjunct professor and a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. He teaches something called the Flex Diet and hosts a podcast by the same name. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Adults Acne

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When it comes to health and fitness, one of the biggest challenges in the digital age is information overload. Whether you’re excited about running or cycling, ketogenic diets or intermittent fasting, you can get so far lost down a rabbit hole of research that you never manage to actually get started. On this week’s podcast we meet Marc Bubbs, a coach and nutritionist, who helps pro athletes and people from all walks of life in middle age and beyond set appropriate targets and reasonable goals to achieve above average fitness. 

Listen and learn:

• Why most of us consume 40% of our calories after 6pm
• The risk of non-functional overload (do we mean overtraining?)
• How just 10 sets of exercises per body part per week can make a huge difference
• Why consuming 1.2g of protein per kg of body weight can be a game changer
  

Links

Marc Bubbs Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Marc Bubbs is the Director of Performance Nutrition for Canada Basketball and consultant performance nutritionist for Olympic athletes. He’s the author of Peak: The New Science of Performance and Peak 40.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• How much protein

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You’ve no-doubt had a period of time in your life where your health was the first thing you thought of when you woke up, and the last thing on your mind before bed. Perhaps you had a virus, a severe injury, or even a serious disease like cancer, and your health suddenly dominated your life. For diabetics, this is a lifelong struggle - both physically and mentally. On this week’s podcast we meet Dr Mark, a psychologist who helps people find peace and balance despite the imposition caused by long-term health challenges on their lives. 

Listen and learn:

• How diabetics have to make up to 180 decisions a day
• How diabetes can lead to relationship stress
• The highs and lows people experience throughout the day
• The financial worries and health insurance insecurities associated with long-term conditions like diabetes
• How people living with diabetes can find balance in their lives

Links

Dr Mark’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Mark Heyman (Dr. Mark) is a diabetes psychologist and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). He has lived with Type I diabetes for over twenty years and is the author of Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Clean Your Veggies

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For an elementary school student with severe ADHD, who’s at risk of getting expelled for behavior problems, a proper mental health diagnosis can mean the difference between success or failure with traditional education. In situations like these, we can all understand and appreciate the importance of a medical diagnosis.  But what about the rest of us? What if you’re depressed after two years of COVID lockdowns, socially isolated, and feeling lost with your career and life? What if you’re getting anxiety at the grocery store or struggling to make friends in a new city? You might currently have five of nine symptoms required for a mental health diagnosis as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), but will that diagnosis actually help or hurt you? 

Sarah Fay, my guest on this week’s podcast, has been formally diagnosed with six different conditions ranging from anorexia to generalized anxiety disorder; and based on her research, believes that most labeling practices do more harm than good. 

Listen and learn:

• Why many children are receiving mental health diagnoses from general practitioners, not psychiatrists
• How a mental health label can turn into an identity
• Differentiating between situational vs. chronic mental health problems

Links

Sarah’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Sarah Fay is an author and activist. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time Magazine, The New Republic, The Michigan Quarterly Review and more. She is on faculty in the English department at Northwestern University. Her new book is called, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• When to Eat Chocolate Cake

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New habit formation is so challenging. Not only do most of us struggle to establish new routines, we often rebel against our own best interest and go in the other direction. When we fall off a new diet regime, we then feast on junk food. When we slip up and have a drink during ‘dry January,’ we then proceed to have five more. This rebellious self-sabotaging behavior isn’t unique and psychologists have studied it extensively. 

On this week’s podcast, we meet psychologist, Michelle Segar, who suggests that the solution to making healthy lifestyle changes a long-lasting habit is to focus on making smaller strides toward your goal. It’s a refreshing approach to all or nothing thinking that dooms most of us to failure. 

Learn

• Why reactance behavior often drives us to rebel against rules and restrictions
• How CHAOS (Confusion, Hubbub and Order) can make sticking to new health habits more difficult
• Why it’s important to change your internal dialogue 

Links
Michelle’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Michelle is a researcher at the University of Michigan who’s spent nearly thirty years studying how to help people adopt healthy behaviors. She has a doctorate in Psychology (PhD), a master’s in Health Behavior/Health Education (MPH), and a master’s degree in Kinesiology (MS). Her first book is called No Sweat, and her new book is called The Joy Choice.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Green Tea for Weight Loss

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Is yoga enough for real fitness? Is there such a thing as non-religious meditations? What do you do if your chiropractor tells you your spine is misaligned? Lucas Rockwood fields common questions from listeners on this week’s special podcast episode.

Learn

• Barefoot shoes transition
• Walking backwards for your knees
• Making sense of conflicting nutrition information
• Sciatic nerve pain management 

ABOUT LUCAS ROCKWOOD

Lucas Rockwood is a yoga teacher, trainer, and serial entrepreneur. He’s been hosting this podcast for over a decade.

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Haven you heard that environmental collapse is going to end life on earth in just 8 years? Do you think that World War III is looming? Are robots going to take over while we humans fight over NFTs in the metaverse? As absurd as all this sounds, these conversations take center stage despite the world’s rapid race toward a truly remarkable future of growth and progress. 

On this week’s podcast, I’ll share with you my thoughts on why now might just be the best of times, despite its glaring tragedies, and the real risk might be our propensity for catastrophic thinking. 

• Did you know that there are 35% more calories per person, worldwide, just in my lifetime? 
• Did you know that both North America and Europe are undergoing reforestation not deforestation? 
• Is it possible that falling birth rates are a bigger problem than overpopulation? 
• Did you know that HIV/AIDs is rapidly decreasing, there’s a prophylactic pill, and even a potential cure?

Links

• HumanProgress.org
• Steven Pinker’s Site
• Rational Optimist Book
• Ten Global Trends Book

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Lucas Rockwod is a yoga teacher, trainer, father, and serial entrepreneur. This podcast is a passion project of health, wellness, personal growth and development featuring leading thinkers in their fields. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Cannot Swallow Pills

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Most anti-aging techniques are dubious at best. The hard truth is we’re all getting older, but at the same time, most people can quite literally get fitter every year for a decade or more. For non-athletes, the path toward fitness in your 30s, 40s, or 50s and beyond is incredibly rewarding because you can easily outperform your younger self. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet an out-of-shape offer worker who slowly but predictably transformed his body and life. 

Links

• Mark’s Site
• Mark’s YouTube

Listen & Learn

• How most people can get in better shape, year-on-year for a decade (or more)
• Why midlife (and beyond) health is so important
• How to start running lamppost to lamppost
• How much time you need to dedicate daily

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Mark Lewis is a health and fitness vlogger who completely transformed his health later in life.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Beans and Farts

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You know that feeling when you order food that looks great but makes you feel like crap? Maybe it’s deep fried or sugar-ladden. It tastes great, but an hour later, you regret it. Now what if that happens once a week, once a day, or multiple times a day for years? 

Obviously, your physical health can suffer, but your mental health can too. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a nutritional psychiatrist who is a thought leader on the mental health and nutrition connection. 

Listen and learn:

• How turmeric plus black pepper makes the curcumin 20x more bioavailable
• Only 10% of the USA population eats enough fresh produce daily
• Prebiotic vs. probiotics
• Psycho-social aspect of foods and how that impacts your mental health 

Links

Dr. Naidoo’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. UMA Naidoo is the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Director of Nutritional Psychiatry serving on the faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her book is called, This Is Your Brain On Food.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Curcumin

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Most people get an average of six-and-a-half hours of sleep each night while needing seven to nine hours. This chronic, endemic sleep deprivation contributes to hormonal imbalances, car accidents, and increased susceptibility to chronic illnesses. Even knowing this, we watch one more episode of our favorite series, stay up to empty our email inboxes, or toss and turn with anxiety until 2:00 am. Is there any way out of this trap? Our guest on this week’s podcast is a sleep expert and shares his best ideas. 

Listen & Learn

• Three hour gap between dinner and bed
• Two hour gap between work and bed
• One hour work between screens and sleep
• Sleep debt: truth or fiction?
• How to combat lifestyle jetlag 

Links

• Devin’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Devin Burke is an author, TEDx speaker, sleep coach and founder of Sleep Science Academy. He was named one of the “Top 25 Health Coaches in America.”

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Huel Drink

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Hormones affect your attention, libido, fertility, and lean muscle mass. So much of how we experience the world is determined by these complex chemicals sloshing around inside us–and they are under attack! High stress lifestyles, high carbohydrate diets, and endocrine disrupting toxins threaten to throw us off balance every day. This week’s podcast guest will help you think strategically about how to find balance. 

You’ll learn:

• Why negative thinking / shadow work can be helpful for finding motivation
• The importance of the adrenal glands
• Why high cortisol can trigger a chain reaction
• Risk vs reward of birth control 

Links

Sonya’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Sonya is a naturopath, mother, author, yoga teacher, and podcaster. Her book is called, Woman Unleashed: Release Your Story, Revive Your Hormones & Reclaim Your Freedom

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• calorie counting

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280 million people have depression worldwide, and 700,000 people will die of suicide this year. The problem is getting worse, not better, and while mental health awareness is at an all time high, conversations about the role nutrition plays is all but absent. On this week’s podcast, psychiatrist Drew Ramsey helps us rethink our mental health from a food choice perspective. 

Learn

• How to boost BDNF and why it matters
• Seafood, beans, nuts and grees, dark chocolate
• Catch-22 of bad food choices when you feel bad
• How to rediscover and explore food 

Links
Dr. Drew’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Drew Ramsey is a psychiatrist, speaker and author. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York City. He’s had TEDx talks, a video series with Big Think, and the BBC documentary Food on the Brain. He is the author of three books including, Eat to Beat Depression & Anxiety. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Best Protein for Environment & Body

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How do you navigate the challenges of optimal nutrition while simultaneously considering budget, ethics, and the environment? Grass-fed beef might be a nutritional powerhouse, but how can we justify the environmental and ethical challenges of raising such large, inefficient ruminant animals when other alternatives are available? 

My guest on this week’s podcast is a moderate voice of reason, health food advocate, and best-selling author. 

Listen & Learn

• What carnivore’s get wrong
• How to avoid food ideology and find what works for you
• Why your own optimal health has to be your first priority
• The future of food? 

Links

• Max’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Max is a best-selling author of Genius Foods, Genius Kitchen and Genius Life. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Honey Before Bed

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Hyperbaric chambers use pressure, and in some cases concentrated oxygen, to treat a wide variety of injuries and ailments. You’ve no doubt heard of high-level athletes using these treatments to speed up recovery, but you might not realize hyperbaric therapy is approved for 14+ medical conditions. 

On this week’s podcast, we’ll explore the safe and simple use of pressurized therapy for reduced inflammation, oxygenation of plasma, fighting off infections, and more. 

Listen and learn: 

• How pressure increases oxygen-rich plasma for health and healing
• How pressure vasoconstricts and reduce inflammation
• Angiogenesis effects (new blood vessel formation)
• Appropriate use and pressure levels based on treatments
• Risks, rewards, and unknowns in regards to long-term use

Links

• Dr. Sherr’s website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Scott Sherr is the director of Integrative Hyperbaric Medicine and Heath Optimization at Hyperbaric Medical Solutions where he develops personalized treatment plans for patients. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Best Breakfast

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Food is so much more than energy. It’s culture, tradition, family, comfort, indulgence, guilt, and pleasure all in one. To add to the complexity, certain foods are even addicting. Today, food abundance is the norm and food costs have dropped lower than any time (relatively speaking) in recorded history. With that in mind, is it any wonder we’re struggling with weight gain, cravings and food addiction? My guest on this week’s podcast is a recovered expert in the psychology of eating. 

Learn

• How food can be harder to “quit” than crack cocaine
• Why you must have a system to succeed long term
• How addiction manifests differently for different people 
• How to navigate the forever-conflicted information on diets 

Links

Susan’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Susan Peirce Thompson PhD is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Rochester. She’s an expert in the psychology of eating. She is the founder of Bright Line Eating Solutions
and the author of a number of books under the same name.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Juicing Too Much Sugar

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What if your genetic code could tell you what form of exercise would be best for you, based on your ability to build muscle, endure physical stress, and recover? What if you knew which foods would be best-suited to your unique genetics? This is the future of individualized medicine, and according to my guest on this week’s show, it’s not far off. Learn

• How your genetics could inform your food choices
• What your genetics can tell you about your collagen and muscle potential 
• Epigenetic triggers of food and lifestyle 

Links 

Dr. Joffe’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Yael Joffe has a Ph.D. in Nutrigenomics and is the Chief Science Officer of 3x4 Genetics, a leading genetic testing company. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• CBD for Omega 3

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We speak an estimated 50,000 words to ourselves, in our head, every single day. That’s the same amount of information as you’d find in most paperback books. We have positive, negative, and instructive self talk; but for many of us, the negative takes center stage. It might be anxiety over an uncertain future or ruminations about regrets and pains from the past. Either way, when the voice in your head dominates, it’s very hard to get anything done, much less enjoy the process. My guest on this week’s show is a psychologist whose work is focused on understanding and helping us to harness what he calls, chatter.

Learn 

• How to distance yourself from your inner dialogue  
• How beauty, awe and experiences can get us out of our head
• The value of ritual 
• Why venting with others doesn’t always help

Links

Ethan’s Website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST 

Ethan Kross is a doctor of psychology whose work focuses on controlling the conscious mind. He founded the Emotion & Self Control Laboratory in 2008, and his work has been published in Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and numerous other peer-reviewed journals. His book is called, Chatter, The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Caffeine and Yoga

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It’s hard enough to navigate our modern food system if your goal is general health, but what if you’re trying to prevent or reverse heart disease? What if you have early warning signs like elevated triglycerides or high blood pressure?

Open one book, and the recommendation is to eat nothing but whole grains and fruits. Open the next book, and you’ll be told to give up all grains and sugars. Who is right? Who can you trust? Our guest on this week’s show is a cardiac surgeon, and he eats almost exclusively meat.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder first appeared in the DSM-3 in 1980, and was clinically defined as exposure to an actual or threat of death, serious injury, or sexual violence. Today, clinicians and pop health proponents have expanded the definition broadly, without supporting research, and the result is a catch-all term used to describe any past stress. Labeling mental health challenges is crucial for research, funding, and appropriate treatment, so on this week’s show, you’ll meet a doctor and researcher who will help us understand trauma based on science.

Learn

• Toxic stress theory and misunderstandings
• Why complex PTSD is not based on research
• How to advocate for your children or yourself if you have PTSD
• MDMA and psilocybin treatment options - the future? 
  

Links

Michael’s website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Scheeringa is a practicing clinician and the principal investigator on five large, federally-funded research projects on PTSD in children and adolescents. He’s the author of, They'll Never Be the Same: A Parent's Guide to PTSD in Youth and a new book, The Trouble with Trauma.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Pig Fat or Beef Fat

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People often say things like, “I'm addicted to chocolate” or “I can’t live without ice cream.” And sometimes it’s true. Modern food is processed, packaged and concentrated in ways that light up our dopamine and endorphin receptors just like drugs; and yes, psychological and physiological addictions are very common. If you’re addicted to cigarettes, the clear solution is to stop. That’s not easy, but at least the goal is clear. If you’re addicted to food, you have to learn to manage your addiction, and this is why it can be such a challenge to overcome. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a medical doctor and recovered food addict herself.

Learn

• How food addiction can affect people of normal weight too 
• When have your food habits turned into an addiction? 
• Sweet vs. savory, men vs. women, breaking the cycle 
• Why cheat days are impossible for addicts
• How to quit some food, but eat freely with others 

Links

Dr Tarman’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Tarman is a food addiction expert, who writes, speaks and treats people who suffer from sugar addiction, food addiction, and who seek food recovery. She is the author of Food Junkies: The Truth About Food Addiction, and Food Junkies: Recovery from Food Addiction.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Gas BBQ

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Expensive watches have been a status symbol for centuries, but now, weird-looking bands have replaced the bingy Rolexes. Instead of signaling wealth, these new gizmos signal a keen interest and commitment to health. Welcome to the world of wearable health tech. On a basic level, you can track your daily steps and your heart rate. More advanced devices can track respiratory rate, HRV, body temperature, and even blood oxygen levels.

Wearable health tech has made huge strides forward recently, and many consumer devices can now hold their own with clinical-grade equipment. My guest on this week’s show is a quantified scientist who will help us learn to measure, track and improve our health. 

Learn

• Best health tracker for under $100
• Best health tracker if money is not an issue 
• Best sleep tracking device
• What we really know about the microbiome
• Weekly brain MRI’s

Links
Rob’s Website

Rob’s YouTube Channel

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Rob ter Horst is a postdoctoral researcher who studies the immune system using bioinformatics which includes machine learning and statistics. Rob is neck deep in the quantified self movement. He measures and tracks everything in his life, a laborious task that demands 11 hours a week and includes a weekly brain MRI, sleep EEG and gut microbiome composition tests. ​ 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Calorie Counting

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Mindfulness gets bundled with everything from golf to gardening these days, but one place it might make the most sense is often overlooked: intimacy. For meaning, connection, and even anatomical functioning, mindful practices can make a huge difference. On this week’s show, you’ll meet author and coach, Jessica Graham.

Resources

Jessica’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jessica is a meditation teacher, sex, relationship, and spiritual guide for couples and individuals. She also works with grief and trauma. Her book is called Good Sex: Getting Off Without Checking Out. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Spicy food

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Imagine you are in charge of the weekly grocery shopping for a family of four, and each week, you get a new assignment. Week one, you’re asked to buy the healthiest possible food for your family. Week two, you’re asked to choose foods that are healthiest for the planet. Week three, you’re asking to choose foods produced fairly, meaning the workers and employees in the supply chain are treated well. Week four, you’re asked to do all three previous challenges at once: health, environment, fair trade.

Could you do it? I couldn’t. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet an author attempting to find a solution to this seemingly impossible yet crucial goal of our food system.

Learn:

• 5 thing you can do to make a change
• Nutrition for you
• Health for the planet
• Fair trade for workers
• A way forward  

Links

Ryan’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Ryan was a competitive bodybuilder for five years. He has an undergraduate degree in exercise science and completed postgraduate work in nutrition and exercise physiology. He’s also a yoga teacher and has been working with clients for decades. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Spicy food

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When most people think about a family farm, they think of a wooden house in the middle of a field with a few chickens, a couple of cows, and some corn and tomatoes growing. These days, that is more likely a  “hobby farm” since almost all commercially viable farms, including family-run operations, are high tech, sizable, and are extremely productive. They have to be to survive. 

On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a multi-generational farmer who will help us all better understand where our food comes from, the complexity of supply chains, and the challenges of survival as inflation sets in. 

Learn

• Why growers earn just pennies per piece of product (like an onion) 
• How rising freight costs will affect all our food budgets soon
• Why it’s impossible to start a family farm from scratch today
• The scale, scope and future of agribusiness 

Links

Shay’s Tiktok

Owyhee Foods

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Shay is the CEO of Owyhee family onion business. He’s a farmer, entrepreneur, and content creator sharing with his followers the behind-the-scenes from the USA agricultural business. 

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Holiday season is here, and we’re entering a four week period where our behavior is often bipolar. The last two weeks of December are a food and drink debauchery, and the first two weeks of January are often a mad fitness frenzy. Can we avoid this binge-purge cycle? Should we even try? On this week’s podcast, I’ll share some of my best ideas.

• Socially-acceptable excuses to avoid alcohol 
• Why skipping wheat-based anything can be an effective hack 
• How to accept and reject sweets effortlessly 
• Why walking can be your best choice during the holidays 
• How to get amazing deals before New Years at fitness centers

Thanks for listening to the show in 2021. I appreciate all your support, questions, and feedback. From all of us at YOGABODY, we wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and joyful New Year. 

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There are 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States, and another four million on parole or probation. When you factor in families of inmates, prison employees, and infrastructure, we’re talking about billions of dollars annually and tens of millions of lives affected daily.

My guest on this week’s show is a violent crime offender and former inmate. When I first heard what he had done, my initial thought was, “Lock him up and don't let him out.” Probably, many of you will feel that way. But that’s not possible and it’s not a solution. Crime, and even violent crimes, are part of society. The only hope is that our correctional facilities are actually helping people reform.

On this week’s show:

• Why many people have no access to mental health services
• How drugs are smuggled into prison
• Why most have no access to college education
• Why the correctional system is not doing much in the way of correcting

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jesse Crosson was recently released from prison and is the founder of Pri-Zen.com. He’s in the process of (re)building his life and is doing advocacy work while pursuing advanced degrees to help people inside the system. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Spicy food

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Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, but modern medicine has only made small improvements in healing protocols in the past thirty years. Here’s cancer treatment history at a glance:

1930s: chemotherapy pioneered for use in treating cancer

1950s: chemotherapy protocols formalized and show efficacy

1960s: surgery and radiation used for solid tumors

1988: antibody treatments approved for use in some cancers

1988 - Present: chemo, surgery, and radiation remain the primary treatments for most cancers. Detection has improved, but treatment has only shown moderate improvements in all these years. 

On this week’s podcast, we’ll look at the often-ignored necessity to any healing protocol and the key to prevention: food and lifestyle. 

Links

Chris’ Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Chris Wark is an author, speaker and health coach. He was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2003 at 26 years old. He had surgery but opted out of chemotherapy and food and natural therapies to heal himself. Chris has been featured on news and media all over the world, and his book, Chris Beat Cancer is available on Amazon.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Beans

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Around 20% of people have reported a major breakdown in one or more relationships during the pandemic. This includes romantic couples, but also work, family, and friend relationships strained by distance, differing viewpoints, and lack of human connection. But at the same time, 27% said their relationship with their spouse or partner got better! 

Did the pandemic cause the change or simply reveal what was already there? On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a psychiatrist whose private practice and written work focuses on mood and anxiety disorders, and more recently, fixing dysfunctional relationship patterns.  

Listen & learn: 

• Performer vs. audience dynamics at home
• The “discovery” process of dysfunction 
• 40/20/40 communication model 
• How to create a plan and agreement for security 

Links:

Dr. Brenner’s Site

COVID / Relationship Research

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Grant H. Brenner, MD is a psychiatrist in private practice in New York City. He specializes in treating mood and anxiety disorders. He is an author and editor of the book, Creating Spiritual and Psychological Resilience and the co-author of the new book, Irrelationship.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Bowel movement

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If you have a weak or damaged pelvic floor, it can cause incontinence, prolapse, and back pain. Did you assume this only affects postpartum women or the elderly? Nope, pelvic floor dysfunction is now common in younger men and women too.

In yoga, we often refer to this region as mula bandha and uddiyana bandha. You might have heard it referred to as your deep core or pelvic diaphragm. Whatever name you use, it’s an often overlooked area of the body, and there is an entire movement system designed to train this region: hypopressives.

Learn:

• “Six pack” vs deep core, what is the difference? 
• Why do many people accidentally pee when they laugh or lift
• How can the pelvic floor affect your posture?
• The breathing vs. pelvic floor diaphragm connection
• How proper breathing can make you stronger and more stable (down there)

Links

Trista’s website

ABOUT US

Trista Zinn is the founder of Coreset Fitness. She’s a personal trainer who specializes in pelvic health and core re-programming. She is a leading voice in North America and worldwide for pelvic floor health. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Porridge

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1000s of air rage incidents have been logged just in the past year alone where people lose it mid-flight. They scream, become violent, and cause such a ruckus that they have to be duct taped to their chairs or arrested. Similar incidents are happening at public rallies, in grocery stores, and perhaps even in your home or office. In short, emotions are running high, and most of us are poorly equipped to deal with them.

You’ve no doubt heard of emotional intelligence, but that’s simply a test or assessment. Emotional competence consists of the hard skills needed to understand your own emotions and those of others. And once you can understand, label, and communicate those emotions effectively, high conflict situations can de-escalate fast. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a lawyer and mediator who shares his multi-decade experience in some of the most high-stakes situations imaginable.

Listen & Learn

• How to start by being self aware
• The importance of self-regulate
• How to develop empathy and affect label others 
• Why most of us were raised in emotional dysfunctional homes
• How most situations can be de-escalated in 90 seconds or less

Links:

Doug’s Website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Doug Noll, is a lawyer, mediator, and author who has mediated thousands of conflicts.

After serving as a civil trial lawyer for 22 years, he has turned his focus to understanding human conflict. His book De-Escalate includes his best techniques for emotional competence and navigating challenging situations. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Spirulina overuse

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

If you eat the wrong thing, do you get bloated? Constipated? Stomach pains often start off as a nuisance, but as the months and years go by, they can become chronic and even turn into serious physical and mental illnesses. If your gut is a garden, what do you plant? And how do you take care of it so the soil it’s healthy and balanced? On this week’s show, medical doctor, Edison de Mello, shares his best gut health insights from his career.

You’ll Learn

• GERD, SIBO and candida - are they all the same? 
• Stool test, blood test, how do we even know if we have problems?
• What do your hormones, kidneys, and liver have to do with gut health? 
• Probiotics good or bad? 

Links

Bloated Book

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Edison de Mello, MD, PhD, is an integrative physician and a licensed psychotherapist. He’s the author of a new book, Bloated: How to Reclaim Your Gut Health and Eat Without Pain.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Green Veggies

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We all know that a healthy, whole food diet can help with fat loss, energy, and digestions; but it can also increase your libido and sexual health. On this week’s podcast, we’ll talk about science-based foods that notably increase blood flow, circulation and nervous system activity for increased sexual health. 

Listen & Learn

• Why green leafy vegetables offer the best source for nitrates and antioxidants
• How mushrooms can help your microbiome and your hormonal balance
• The importance of omega-3 fats
• Beets, spinach and celery for nitrate power
• Why high sugar and high salt can drop testosterone and circulation 

Links:

Christine’s site
Christine’s Book on Amazon

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Christine DeLozier is an acupuncturist and herbalist that specializes in sexual health.
She has a book called, Diet for Great Sex.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Food Preservation

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

If you have stomach problems or allergies, you probably have a doctor you can call. But if things are not working in the bedroom, who do you call then? What if you lose desire or are having trouble with the mechanics of sexual intimacy? Who would you call then?

Sexual experiences are highly individual, but they’re also something we share (or at least try to) with our partners. And for better or worse, it defines so much of who we are. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet an emergency room doc who has shifted her career to focus on sexual health and longevity. 

Listen & Learn

• The importance of nitric oxide, and how to promote it
• New technology including lasers that might be worth considering
• Blue pills, HRT, and pharmaceutical considerations with age 
• Why sexual health and holistic health overlap and collide
  

Learn More

Amy’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Amy is board certified in Emergency Medicine, practices anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She is medical director of BioRestoration Medical, in Utah.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Nitric Oxide

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You’ve probably noticed the media right now is filled with polarizing voices, rage, and vitriol; but have you noticed that these extreme views are not your own? Have you noticed that hardly anyone you know is truly radical in their views? Most people are reasonable, thoughtful, and concerned. 

On this week’s podcast, I’d like to share my own experiences with courting radical viewpoints, and why they pop right now on social media. I’d also like to address some of the hatemail, critical inquiries, and listener feedback I’ve received.  

Listen & learn: 

• My own politically flip flopping views 
• The dire need for critical thinking amidst a sound-bite media frenzy
• Why listening to people you disagree with might be the most important conversations to have
• How so-called “hot issues” of the day are not actually popular, they’re simply salacious
• My (un)safe space hope for the podcast  

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Did you receive a CRP (C-reactive protein) test during your last blood test? Since recent research correlates systemic inflammation with dozens of diseases and illnesses, cooling this internal flame has become a major focus in preventative medicine.

On this week’s podcast, we’ll speak about the low-grade, chronic inflammation that many of us struggle with unknowingly due to gut dysbiosis. In an ideal world, we eat a meal, digest and absorb its nutrients. In the real world, many of us eat foods that create a fight response internally as your body treats the offending foods like an invasive threat. 

Listen & Learn

• How your gut bacteria form a “soil” like environment for digestion
• Why modern foods and lifestyles leave many of us imbalanced
• How to find motivation later in life to make changes 
• The power and speed of diet and lifestyle changes

Resources & Links:

Jimmy’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jimmy is the founder of the Cognitive Health Institute which focuses on gut health to reduce

inflammation, thus lowering the likelihood, as well as the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Jimmy played football professionally for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans as a tight end and most recently was a member of the 2016 United States Rowing Team. His accomplishments include four national medals as well as a third-place finish in the 2016 Olympic trials.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Carbohydrates

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When I was 11 years old, I face-planted snow sledding and gave myself two black eyes and a slight concussion. I remember being sleepy, dizzy, and struggling to concentrate for a few days. Luckily, I only whacked my head like that a couple times growing up, but some teenagers do it every day during sports practice.

What do contact sports do long term to our brains? At what age are we responsible enough to make a decision about putting our brains in harm's way? On this week’s podcast, author and PhD researcher, Julie Stamm shares her best plan for the future of brian-safe sports.

Listen & Learn

• TBI vs. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)
• Age limits, contact limits, and best practices
• How to shift a gladiator culture - and should we? 
• Game changes suggestions
• Gear upgrades / downgrades

Resources & Links:

Julie’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST 

Julie Stamm, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the author of the book, The Brain on Youth Sports. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Collagen

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Millions of people experience traumatic brain injuries (TBI) each year, and an estimated 5-6% of those people experience long-term issues. If you break your arm, the path to recovery is pretty obvious and the fix is visible. But if you get in a car accident, hit your head, and two months later suffer from brain fog and vertigo, what do you do? How do you fix your brain once it’s been damaged?

Fortunately, there are evolving methodologies that can really help. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a Functional Neurology specialist who focuses on helping people reverse chronic symptoms.

Listen & Learn

• Why the blood-brain barrier is so important and the risk of damaging it.
• How TBI and concussion can happen even without head impact
• What symptoms of chronic concussion might look and feel like
• Balancing self-care and health care

Resources & Links:

Titus Chiu’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Titus Chiu is an author and speaker in the field of Functional Neurology who helps people struggling with Post-Concussion Syndrome and other chronic neurological conditions.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Why No Food Before Yoga

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IQ Tests remain the best method (albeit flawed) to assess intelligence. More difficult to measure, but perhaps more interesting, is Emotional Intelligence (EQ). How does someone rank in terms of self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and relationship management. In a digitally driven, AI-enabled future, perhaps people with the highest emotional skills could be those who find the greatest success. 

A big part of personal development is learning to understand and accept who you are, unchanging, but also to identify those parts of you that are malleable and doing your best to self actualize. Our guest on this week’s show has dedicated his life and work to emotional intelligence research and training. 

Listen & Learn: 

• How clinical EQ assessments work 
• How emotional intelligence is crucial for workplace, family and social happiness 
• Why it’s important to train (and learn) EQ skills 
• The challenges of environments that reward IQ and squelch EQ 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Marc Brackett is the author of, Permission to Feel, and the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and a professor in the Child Study Center at Yale University. Marc consults regularly with corporations like Facebook, Microsoft, and Google on integrating emotional intelligence principles into employee training and product design.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Omega 3’s from Beef

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I wore a continuous blood glucose monitor for a month and learned that certain fruits (mangos in my case) sent my blood sugar soaring, and even more surprising, my 3 am glucose levels often dropped so low I was in hypoglycemic state. And here’s the kicker: those hypo nights always followed an elevated glycemic day. Weird. I’d never learn this without a CGM, and the dietary shifts were super easy to make and the changes were almost immediate.

Why does it matter? I was regularly waking up semi-delirious, sweating through the sheets, convinced I was having some kind of nighttime anxiety attack. Nope. It turns out I was just having a low blood sugar event, and that’s a lot easier to fix than a mental health issue. 

The most common “health trackers” we use are the mirror in the bathroom and our favorite pair of jeans that may (or may not) feel tight in the morning. For obvious reasons, we tend to pay most attention to health warning signs we can see, visually, but the good news is that it’s getting easier and easier to see inside our blood to learn how we’re doing in real time.

On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet Jody Stanislaw, a type I diabetic whose career is focused on blood glucose management. 

Listen and learn: 

• Type I vs. type II diabetes - what’s the difference? 
• Why A1C tests are so valuable for everyone
• Why moderate carb, balanced fat and protein probably make sense for almost everyone
• How glucose can go from healthy to toxic when the body gets too much

Resources and links:

Jody Stanislaw’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jody Stanislaw is a naturopathic doctor that focuses specifically on Type I diabetes. She’s the author of a book called, HUNGER: An Adventurous Journey of Finding Peace Within. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Protein in the morning

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The Gut Immune Connection
with Emeran Mayer

There are an estimated 100 trillion bacteria in your gut right now that weigh 2-3 lbs. If you were to spread them out, they would cover the surface of an entire tennis course. These include good bugs, bag bugs, and even some pathogens lurking in the corners.

Your microbiome is believed to influence not just digestion and absorption of nutrients, but also mood, hormones, neurotransmitters, and more. People often compare the microbiome to the soil on farmland, but we know much more about topsoil than we do our own gastrointestinal tracts. 

What should we eat to feed our good gut bacteria? How do you prevent gut dysbiosis? Can supplements help or hurt? On this week’s show, Dr. Emeran Mayer will expand our understanding of our internal world. 

Listen and learn:

• Are probiotics really that harmful to your gut? 
• What is the ideal diet for a healthy gut? 
• Fiber, water, organics, and chemicals 

Resources and Links:

• Dr Mayer’s Website
• Dr. Mayer’s Books

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Emeran A. Mayer is the executive director of the Oppenheimer Center for Stress and Resilience and the Co-director of the Digestive Diseases Research Center at UCLA. He is the author of more than 300 scientific publications and several books. His latest book is called, The Gut Immune Connection, is available now. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Seaweed

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The Obesity Pandemic
Dr. Linda Anegawa 
----------
Hundreds of years ago, a portly belly was a sign of wealth. The royals ate and rank more than their fill while the serfs starved and toiled on the land. Today, not much has changed. Some of the wealthiest, most developed countries are plagued by weight gain and obesity, and the problem is quickly accelerating.

Pre-existing medication conditions were one of the biggest risk factors during the pandemic, but did you know that 69 percent of the U.S. population has at least one these risk factor? Their weight puts them at risk.

On this weeks’ podcast, Dr. LInda Anegawa shares her research and positive focus for a metabolically healthier future. 

Listen & learn:

• Body positivity vs. celebrating sickness - can it go too far? 
• Why you might consider getting a Coronary Calcium Scan and a Lipoprotein Fractionation test to better understand your risk factors
• How a ketogenic diet can cause short term hormonal challenges
• Why obesity is the #1 health threat for most people and the obvious area to focus on for the greatest impact
• How to take agency for your own health 

Links & Resources

Dr. Anegawa’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Linda Anegawa, MD physician-educator, writer, and consultant dedicated to the treatment of metabolic and weight-related disease. Dr. Anegawa speaks nationally on topics relating to the disease of obesity. She has received numerous teaching awards, including the Kaiser Foundation Most Outstanding Clinical Teaching award. She is the author of a book, Not Another Keto Book. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• GMO Corn

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Porn Addiction Pandemic 

by Joshua Shea
------------------
The book, Fifty Shades of Grey, is not just a bestseller, it’s one of the top 100 best sellers in history - and it’s not because it’s well written (it’s not). 13% of all websites are adult sites, and 30% of all data transferred online is x-rated.

Everyone likes to complain about the “big tech” influence of Facebook and Twitter, but we deliberately avoid the tube-sites that are responsible for nearly a third of all online activity.

Porn addiction is shrouded in so much guilt and shame so people often lose their jobs and their relationships as a result. On this week’s podcast, we’ll look at this issue head one, and explore some possible solutions.

Listen and learn: 

• How abstinence / prohibition is impossible 
• How the complexity of human sexuality manifest
• Why the shame and guilt around p addiction make it harder to address
• The need for open and honest dialogue with addicts and non-addicts alike

Links & Resources

Joshua Shea’s site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Joshua Shea is an author and public speaker. As a recovering addict himself, he has a number of books you can find on Amazon or on his website.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• MK4 VS. MK7 K2

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How to Recover from Exercise
with Dr. Andy Galpin

---------------------------
Has this ever happened to you? You’re on a roll with a new exercise routine. You’re going to yoga or the gym every day. You feel stronger and energized, and maybe you even lose some weight.

Then you get injured.

You hurt your back. Or your knee. Or your shoulder. You miss a few days, take some pain Once you’ve fallen out of the routine, it feels impossible to start again.

One small injury suddenly can turn your active lifestyle into a sedentary one - and what do you do? Rest, ice, compress, elevate? Ibuprofen? What else? On this week’s podcast, we’ll explore recovery and pain relief with Dr. Andy Galpin.

Listen & learn:

• Why it’s so hard for most of us to interpret research
• The double-edged sword of siloed experts 
• Rest, ice, compress, elevate? 
• Ibuprofen? 

Links & Resources
Andy’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Andy is a tenured Professor in the Center for Sport Performance at CSU Fullerton. A lifelong athlete, Andy played college football, competed in weightlifting, and Mix Martial Arts. His current focus is Sports Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Designing Exercise Programs, Applied Strength and Conditioning. He’s the co-author of a book called, Unplugged.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• How Much Salt

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The Future of the Quantified Self Movement
with Dr. Michael Snyder
----------------
What if a $50 smart watch could give you early warning signs for illness, infection, and even disease? Prevention costs less and is more effective than just about any cure, but most of us don’t even manage to get an annual checkup at the doctor. This needs to change. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a leading researcher in the quantified self movement actively working to democratize data and personal health.

Listen & learn:

• Genomics, proteomics, and omnics
• What you can learn from elevated heart rate
• The future of wearables
• Big data for health - will it happen?

Links & Resources:

• Dr. Snyder’s Book
• Join the Case Study Group
  

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Snyder received his Ph.D. at California Institute of Technology and carried out postdoctoral training at Stanford University. He is a leader in the field of functional genomics and proteomics,
and one of the major participants of the ENCODE project. He’s the author of the book: Genomics and Personalized Medicine: What Everyone Needs to Know.

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Melatonin

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How to Control Your Fear
with Dr. Amy Silver
---------------------------
Humans are hard-wired to fear anything that puts us in harm’s way. But what do you do when fear keeps you from taking the necessary risks toward achieving your goals?

Worried you might choose the wrong major in college? You probably will. Worried you’ll choose the wrong partner and get your heart broken? That will almost certainly happen. What if you start a new exercise routine and get an injury? Yup, that will likely happen too.

On this week’s podcast, psychologist, Amy Silver, will help you learn how to navigate the complexities of fear.   

Listen & Learn

• How social anxiety has heighted since the pandemic
• How to determine if fear is adaptive or debilitating
• Nature vs. nurture - where does fear come from?  

Resources & Links:
Dr. Amy Silver’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Amy is a Clinical Psychologist and has published in dozens of journals and magazines. She is the author of Conversations Create Growth, Brace for Impact, and her newest book, The Loudest Guest: How to control your fear.

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Raw Eggs

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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An Introduction to Mindfulness
Dr. Shauna Shapiro
-----------
Where were you when you learned that U.S. president #45 was elected? Do you remember the day when Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crashed?

How about your birthday three years ago - do you remember that one? What about your significant other’s birthday last year?

We often get caught up in the lives and events of other people more than our own, and while it’s easy to blame smartphones, this tendency for distraction predates the internet. Humans are distracted by nature which is why mindful focus is so highly-revered and sought after. On this week’s podcast, psychologist, Shauna Shapiro, will help you get started with practice. 

Listen & Learn

• Why intention, attention, and attitude define a mindful state
• How most people are distracted 47% of the time 
• How to be non-judgmentally present 
• The importance of self-compassion 

Links & Resources:
Dr. Shapiro’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Shauna Shapiro is an author, clinical psychologist and an expert in mindfulness. She is a professor at Santa Clara University and has published over 150 papers and three books on mindfulness. She has a TEDx Talk called, The Power of Mindfulness.
Her newest book is called, Good Morning I Love You.

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• What time to Exercise

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Brain Health Matters
Dr. Dale Bredesen 
-------------
The FDA approved a new Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm, and it’s estimated to cost medicare $57 billion per year. In the wake of the approval, three FDA advisory panel members resigned and medical professionals, patients, and taxpayers are understably worried.

That’s a boatload of cash. Does it even work?

My guest on this week’s podcast believes that the approval occurred simply because neurodegenerative diseases are such a huge issue with so few effective treatments. Perhaps the review board felt they needed to green light something? 

In case you didn’t know, neurodegenerative diseases are the third leading cause of death worldwide, but unless it’s a Hollywood actor or professional athlete that is ill, almost no one talks about brain health.  

Listen & Learn:  

• Why amyloid plaque is not all bad, and can even be neuroprotective 
• Why mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is not mild at all 
• How the “slow reaper” of neurodegenerative diseases makes them easy to overlook  
• Insulin sensitivity, mild ketosis, fiber and fat for brain health 

Links & Resources

• Apollo Health
• End of Alzheimer’s Book

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Bredesen is an expert in neurodegenerative diseases. He held faculty positions at UCSF, UCLA and the University of California, San Diego. He directed the Program on Aging at the Burnham Institute. He was the founding president/CEO of the Buck Institute. He’s the best-selling author of The End of Alzheimer's.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Pesticides

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Meditation & Neurofeedback
with Ariel Garten
--------------------
You’re probably tried meditation apps, but have you tried measuring your brain wave states during your meditation practice? Meditation informed by real-time neurofeedback is now possible, and if you’re a numbers person, it might be just what you need to “see” your results and remain motivated to keep going. On this week’s show, we’ll explore brain tech and mind-body practices. 

Listen and learn:

• How EEG can measure meditation 
• How to best use neurofeedback during meditation 
• Gamification and quantification of mind-body practices
  

Links & Resources:

• Muse

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Ariel is a neuroscientist, former psycho-therapist, former fashion designer, and

the co- founder of the neurofeedback assisted meditation headband, Muse.

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Fermented Foods

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Exploring the Hathapradipika
Dr. Jim Mallinson

--------------
Most yoga teachers cite the Yoga Sutras as the original source of modern practices, but the Hathapradipika is a much more relevant text that is rarely read or referenced. Written by Svatmarama in the 1400s, this is one of the first writings that codified the practices of Hatha Yoga: yoga poses, breathing exercises, kriyas, and mudras. For anyone interested in the roots of modern practice, this is a fascinating historical exploration. Dr. James Mallinson leads the discussion. 

Listen and learn: 

• How the practices of hatha yoga differ from the philosophical tradition of yoga that predates it
• How yogis used poses, breath, cleansing exercises, and mudra
• Yoga then vs. now
• Nonsectarian practices used in sectarian context

Links & Resources:

Jim’s Online Course
Roots of Yoga Book

ABOUT OUR GUEST

James Mallinson is a Senior Lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical and Indian Studies at SOAS, University of London. He has published eight books, all of which are editions and translations of Sanskrit yoga texts, epic tales and poetry. His recent work has used philological study of Sanskrit texts, ethnography and art history to explore the history of yoga and yogis. He also wrote a book in collaboration with Dr Mark Singleton called, Roots of Yoga.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Black Pepper

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Dangers Modern Medicine
with Dr. Robert Pearl
--------------------

How much would you spend to feel healthy and energized? If you were truly sick, you’d probably spend everything you had to feel well again. The USA currently spends about 20% of GDP on healthcare, and if that meant we were all glowing with health and living our best lives, the price would be a bargain. But that’s not what’s happening.

Our reactive healthcare system offers the most expensive, worst-performance outcomes of any system in the world. It’s bad for doctors, patients, and the economy. I’m not in any way qualified to offer solutions to this medical-industrial complex, but my guest on this week’s show is. Meet Dr. Robert Pearl, medical doctor and former HMO executive.  

Listen & Learn

• How individual incentives are messed up in the medical system
• Why primary care physicians outperform specialists in terms of absolute impact 
• Why culture and the system are to blame, no one person
• Countries and cultures to model 

Links & Resources
Robert’s Books & Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group (1999-2017). He was named one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 most influential physician leaders. He serves as a clinical professor of plastic surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and is on the faculty of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is the author of two books, his latest: UnCaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors & Patients.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• BCAA

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Sleep it Off
with Stella Loichot
----

If you sleep badly, it can create a metabolic storm that leads to elevated stress hormones, food cravings, and increased fat storage. Poor sleep makes it very difficult to manage your weight over time. On this week’s podcast, we’ll talk about the role of sleep in the size of your waistline.

Listen & Learn

• How poor sleep can lead to weight gain 
• Why daytime physical and mental activity can improve sleep
• When to track and when to stop
• Common missteps with caffeine and alcohol 
• How to ease your way into change 

Links & Resources

Stella’s Website

Sleep & Metabolic Problems (research)

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Stella Lichot is Certified by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) and trained in Behavioral Change, Motivational Interviewing, Weight Management and Diabetes Prevention Coaching. She is the author of the book, Sleep it Off. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Eating Local

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Improve Your Posture
with Matt Hsu
--------------------
Do you have a hunchback? Have high heeled shoes led to shortened hip flexors? Postural imbalances can sneak up on you in a matter of months as your body rearranges itself to new stresses and movement patterns. That’s the bad news. The good news is you can often reverse and correct your posture with self care. My guest on this week’s show will help you get started. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why everyone needs to train strength

• Start small, start slow, start now

• 4x per week, 20 minutes per session

• Passive therapy vs. self care

Links & Resources
Upright Health 

ABOUT OUR GUEST
NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, ACE Orthopedic Exercise Specialist, Graduate of Egoscue Univs Angelesersity Posture Alignment Specialist Program, Graduate of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute, B.A. University of California Lo

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Incomplete Protein

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Does Yoga Work for Weight Loss?
with Lucas Rockwood

Does yoga actually help with weight loss? Does it burn more calories than running or gym workouts? Summer is here, and I’ve been getting loads of weight loss questions. We’ve covered food and nutrition extensively, so this week we’ll deep dive into the mind-body effects of physical yoga practices for weight loss.

Listen & Learn: 

• How yoga works: hormones, sustainability, community
• Success stories 
• What the published research shows
• Best practices for you

Links & Resources

• Energy expenditure & yoga
• Yoga practice & weight loss
• Bariatric surgery stats
• Yoga that promote weight loss
• Yoga intervention for weight loss

ABOUT THE HOST
Lucas Rockwood is an internationally-renowned yoga teacher, trainer, TEDx speaker, corporate trainer, podcaster, and serial entrepreneur. YOGABODY & Yoga Teachers College Founder.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Matcha Tea Weight Loss

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Self-Care for Pain & Injuries 

with Dr. Dan Ginader 
--------
Have you ever gotten obsessed with a new diet or exercise routine? Enthusiasm is rare, so when you’re feeling it, you naturally want to go all in. But if your zero-to-hero journey is rushed, as it often is, you can end up with busted knees, a herniated disc, or plantar fasciitis.

My first two years as a yoga student, I was on-and-off injured constantly. I went to sports therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists trying to find someone to fix me.

A good therapist can be life-changing, but at the end of the day, you and your body have to work together to heal. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a physical therapist who will help you rethink pain and injury.  

Listen & Learn 

• How to incorporate your healing routine in your pre-existing exercise routine 
• Why consistent follow through is crucial for results
• To scan or not to scan (MRI?)
• The leading cause of injury (and how to prevent it) 
• How to determine whether your high risk sport is worth it or not

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dan Ginader is a physical therapist in Indianapolis. He’s a former Division 1 baseball player and he works with athletes as well as everyday people to manage pain and rehab from injuries. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Chocolate Protein Powder

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Magnesium, a Love Story
with Dr. Carolyn Dean
-----------------
Magnesium is a favorite among yoga students due to its crucial role in nervous system health and as a muscle relaxant. Magnesium is everywhere, but oddly, many people are still lacking in their daily diets. On this week’s podcast, we’ll unpack the myriad of health benefits magnesium provides.

Magnesium is a central atom in the chlorophyll molecule, an essential part of the process of photosynthesis.

Listen & Learn: 

• How magnesium is present in every single cell in you4 body
• How it’s crucial for both nervous system and muscle relaxant
• How to eat, supplement or soak in it 

Links & Resources

Carolyn’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Carolyn Dean is a medical doctor and naturopath. She’s the author of over 35 books including best seller The Magnesium Miracle along with IBS for Dummies, Hormone Balance, Death by Modern Medicine, and 110 Kindle books.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• What time to eat?

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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The Power of Dreams
with Charlie Morley

-------------------

Did you know that you have four-to-six dream cycles per night totaling about two hours? If you’re like me, you almost never remember your dreams - and certainly not two hours worth.

But does it matter? Are they important?

Yes, dreaming is adaptive. Just as your body recovers while you sleep, your brain uses dream states to consolidate memory, learn from experiences, and process emotions. If we can all agree that it’s beneficial to be mindful during your waking states, it’s reasonable to assume that a mindful dream practice should serve us as well. On this week’s podcast, we’ll deep dive into the importance of dreaming.

Listen & Learn: 

• Why nightmare’s are a good sign 
• How sleep hacks have limited efficacy for real trauma
• How pre-bed breathing can induce healthy sleep and dreams
• Why dream’s meanings are individual but their benefits are universal
  

Links & Resources

CharlieMorley.com

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Charlie Morley is an author and expert on Lucid Dreaming. He’s written a number of books including Lucid Dreaming Made Easy and Dream of Awakening among others.  

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Too Much Water?

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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What Comes Next? Q&As Galore

with Lucas Rockwood
--------------
Will you ever go back to the office? Will kids ever take in-person school seriously again? And what will the bounce-back look like this summer after more people are vaccinated? This week’s podcast is a departure from my usual guest interview, and instead, I answer select listener questions about my post-pandemic thoughts in terms of business and health.

Listen & Learn: 

• Will yoga studios survive? 
• Is the “laptop lifestyle” truly bad for spinal health? 
• How to (re)discover motivation to get into fitness
• Midlife fitness newbie - how to start? 
• What has changed in your diet since COVID? 

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Rethinking Physical Pain
with Aaron Kubal 
-------------
Have you ever experienced chronic back or knee pain? An estimated 80% of people have a major pain episode at some point in their lives, and it often leads to downstream mental and physical health problems.

But what if pain were a protective mechanism?

What if pain was your body’s way of telling you when you need to back off, be careful, move differently? On this week’s podcast, we’ll rethink pain from the ground up with special guest, Aaron Kubal.

Listen & Learn: 

• The risk vs. reward of spinal scans
• How to forget about finding a “healer”
• Why it’s important to take an evidence-based approach
• How to take advantage of the placebo effect without getting taken advantage of     

Links & Resources:

Aaron’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Aaron Kubal is a board-certified chiropractor who focused on rehabilitation and chronic pain. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Lemonade Diet

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Making Sense of Food

with Robb Wolf
--------

You step into your local health food store, and the confusion begins. Keto, Paleo, low fat, high fat. It’s all so overwhelming. One approach lowers your cholesterol but improves your blood sugar. Another diet is great for combating inflammation but causes constipation.

This impossible choice is happening to you and me locally, and it also plays out on the macro level with our food systems themselves. How do we end hunger, ensure nutritional needs are met, and protect our topsoil at the same time? This seemingly impossible balancing act might be one of the most-important issues of the next 30 years. Let’s get into it.

Listen in Learn: 

• How evolution continues today, and yet we are still mostly cavemen 
• The importance of ruminant animals for topsoil 
• Hidden inefficiencies of lab-grown meat
• Can we evolve to be healthy on carbs and canola?

Links & Resources

Robb’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Robb is a former research biochemist and is The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. Robb has a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. He’s a former California State Powerlifting Champion and an amateur kickboxer. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Keto salts

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Tendencies, Habits & Change
with Gretchen Rubin

----------------------------
Every few months a new productivity book hits the shelves, and of course, I read it. I’m a sucker for personal growth hacks. Do I need to fix my morning routine? What about a gratitude journal? Should I drink lemon water or celery juice in the morning? I joke that I’m a walking cliche - but that doesn’t change my behavior.

The reality is that personal growth is, well, personal. What works for me might not work for you. Your organizational system, your calendar or filing system that changed your life might do nothing to help me get things done. One this week’s podcast, you’ll meet returning guest and ultra-practical self help author, Gretchen Rubin. 

Listen & Learn: 

• What you can learn about envy
• Intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation 
• How to figure out what you really want
• Thoughts on work, life, family, and friend balance 

  
Links & Resources:

Gretchen Rubin’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Gretchen is a speaker, podcasterm, and the author of The Happiness Project, Happier at Home, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies, and Outer Order, Inner Calm.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Canned and frozen foods

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

Hope is a Verb
with Amy Downs

-------------

Amy was buried under the rubble of the Oklahoma City Federal Building during the 1995 attack. Fully conscious but completely incapacitated, she waited nearly an hour before her rescue. In her own words, her life flashed before her eyes complete with doubt, regret and fear.

The trauma of everyday life is unavoidable, but this was another type of experience altogether. Half her team lost their lives, she spent over a week in the hospital, and has spent all these years since that tragedy rebuilding her own life and her community. From trauma to triumph.

Listen & Learn: 

• How Amy lost over 200lbs  
• The power of community for health and wellness 
• Why it’s important to simply start moving forward, right now 
• How to create a future focus

Links & Resources
Amy’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Amy Downs is CEO of Allegiance Credit Union in Oklahoma City, which lost more than half of its employees in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.  In the years since the bombing, Amy became a mother, lost 200 pounds, competed in an Ironman Triathlon, obtained her MBA and became CEO of the same credit union that was bombed. She’s the author of a new book, Hope is Verb.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Carb Counting

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization
Michael Rintala, D.C

Have back pain? If you ask a yoga teacher, they will give you three stretches. If you go to a physiotherapist, they will give you three Bosu Ball exercises, and if you go to a personal trainer, they will give you three resistance workouts.

So who is right? They all are.

To heal a joint, you need to take a systems approach, and in almost all cases, there are multiple areas to address. Your path to healing is usually more complicated and longer than you anticipated, but the good news is that you can often find your way back to health.

Listen & Learn

• Why childlike movements (roll, crawl, squat, walk) can help you heal 
• How long it will take to heal chronic pain
• The role of breathing and the diaphragm muscle specifically 
• Why a whole-person approach is crucial 
• Why MRI / CT scans are not be a life sentence for pain 

Links & Resources

Dr. Rintala’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Rintala is a chiropractor specializing in sports medicine and rehabilitation. He is a member of the PGA Tour Sports Medicine Team. He is also an International Instructor for the Prague School of Rehabilitation on courses in: Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Vitamin A - Which Brand?

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Healing Trauma, Sexuality & Boundaries

with Kimberly Johnson
--------

Past traumas often haunt us emotionally and sometimes even manifest as physical pain or illnesses. Acute childhood trauma, for example, has been correlated with everything from premature births to obesity, debunking any delineation between mind and body. Your thoughts and feelings don’t just feel real, they are real.

So when you suffer major pain, how do you move on? How do you resolve it, integrate, and continue forward? My guest on this week’s show has some strategies. 

Listen & Learn: 

• How the rate and scale of events greatly increases trauma
• Whether to choose to speak or remain silent about your struggles 
• The victims need a voice and power, but what becomes of the perpetrators? 
• Navigating the impossible dynamic of male and female relationships

Links & Resources

• Kimberly’s Website
• Kimberly’s books

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Kimberly Johnson is a doula, Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing practitioner, postpartum care advocate and mother. She’s the author of the book, The Fourth Trimester and the new book, Call of the Wild. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Veganism

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Proactive Personal Health Care
with Dr. Doug Pucci
-----------

I went to the doctor to get routine blood work and was sent home with a prescription for benzodiazepines. I specifically said I didn’t want to take anything, but the doctor insisted that if I wasn’t sleeping well, and the smart thing to do was to medicate.

How does this happen? Why does this happen? And how can you be sure it doesn’t happen to you? The only person who can be in charge of your health is you, so you have to be proactive, but figuring out how to start can be difficult. My guest on this week’s show will help you reclaiming agency of your health 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why most standard blood test are useless
• How diet and lifestyle changes are often the best place to start
• How to think and plan long term for your health
• How to take charge of your own health 

Links & Resources

Doug’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Doug Pucci is a chiropractor and functional medicine practitioner, He won The Best Of 2020 Awards for Functional Medicine in Oradell, NJ, and entry into Trademark Publications’  Top Doctors of America, Who’s Who Directory – Honors Edition.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Green Tea Weight Loss

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Surviving the Mental Health Pandemic
with Guy Winch

----------------------

Suicide ideation is rampant among youth, divorce rates are skyrocketing, and the state of mental health, on a global scale, has never been worse. There have always been times of uncertainty and loss, but what makes our current challenge different is the compounding effects of loneliness. Without our tribe, we are weak.

On this week’s show, you’ll meet a prominent psychologist who shares his best ideas for navigating these challenging times. 

Listen & Learn

• Why loneliness is huge global health crisis
• How to approach mental health as a newbie
• How social media plus social isolation are a recipe for disaster 

Links & Resources

Guy’s Website 

Our Guest

Dr. Guy Winch is a psychologist, author, podcaster and speaker. He is the author of  Emotional First Aid, Fix a Broken Heart, The Squeaky Wheel.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• White vs Wheat Bread

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

How to Find Your Purpose
with Ashley Stahl
-----------------

Kyle invested his life savings into a health resort overlooking the sea. I told him it was a terrible idea, and I was wrong. Right up until the pandemic hit, he was doing great and living his dream life. But this year, he’ll most-likely go bankrupt. Arthur is the sole owner of an iconic NYC restaurant, open since 1997. It’ll most-likely close its door for good in 2021. Marta worked as a front-end designer in a fast-paced travel tech company here in Barcelona. She got laid off along with 1,000 others in May of 2020 and is considering leaving the country.

For billions of people, the past year has completely changed our work lives. Many of us have to pivot or even completely reinvent our professional careers. That’s terrifying, and my guest on this week’s show is a career coach who can help you navigate these uncertain waters. 

Listen & Learn

• Why passion is overrated
• How to find your core skill set, your true value
• How to ask yourself the hardest questions, including the ones you’ve been avoiding
• How to embrace change 

Links & Resources

• Ashley’s Website
• Ashley’s book

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Ashley Stahl is a career coach, speaker, and an author. She’s been featured in The Wall Street Journal, CBS, SELF, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune among others. She’s the author of a new book called, You Turn. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Salad vs Soup

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Breakup Bootcamp 

with Amy Chan
---------------------------
What is love? If you ask 100 people, you’ll get 100 different answers; and yet here we are, desperately needing love all the time. It shouldn’t be a big surprise, relationships don’t always work out. Everyone has a breakup story, and whether you’re 16 or 60, the pain and emotional spinout is pretty much the same. My guest on this week’s show helps coach people through a transition to a positive future. 

Listen & Learn

• Why you need at least 60 no-contact days
• How to focus on the future, not the base
• How to avoid trauma bonding with others
• Finding peace with yourself first and foremost 

Links & Resources

• Breakup Bootcamp 
• Heart Hackers Club

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Amy is the Founder of Renew. She is a relationship columnist and Editor-in-Chief of Heart Hackers Club, and the other of the book, Breakup Bootcamp: The Science of Rewiring Your Heart.

Nutritional Tip of the Week

• Food Before Bed

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

7 Steps to Self Confidence
with David Nurse
----------------
You’re on fire. Every decision, every conversation, and even the way your body moves feels like green lights today. When you’re grounded in self-confidence, everything is possible. But what about those days when your mind muck is so thick, you can’t manage a single email. Self doubt paralyzes you as you flip from your todo list, to Facebook, to Tiktok.

Thinking, re-thinking, doubting. Those days are the worst. 

On this week’s show, you’ll meet a former pro basketball player-turned-coach whose clients need to be at the top of their game, literally, in order to stay employed. His 7-step approach breaks self confidence into manageable steps that can be nurtured as a skill.

Listen & Learn

• Why comparison is not always a bad thing
• How to redefine your vocabulary for self empowerment 
• Why your sense of self is heightened by serving others 
• How to create your own “highlight reel” 

Links & Resources

• David’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

David Nurse is an NBA life and optimization coach, author and motivational speaker. A former professional basketball player smf coach for the Brooklyn Nets, David has personally helped over 150 NBA players with their personal and professional development both on and off the court. David is the author of, Pivot & Go.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Healthy Skin as You Age
with Dr. Shadi Kourosh
---------------------------
“You look old, Dad,” my nine year old told me. He was teasing me, of course, but it’s true. I have less hair, more wrinkles, and thinner skin than I did when he was born. I didn’t start wearing sunscreen until the age of 35, and I certainly regret it.

Father time is cruel, and he’s coming for all of us.

While we all have more meaningful things to worry about than our aging skin, I still do worry that I’ll be raisin-faced in my 70s. So let’s talk about it. This week, I’ll introduce you to Havard professor and dermatologist, Dr. Shadi Kourosh, who will share with us her best tips for slowing down time.

Listen & Learn:  

• Why Vitamin A is the secret ingredient in many oral and topical skincare creams

• What is clinically proven and what is just hype

• How to choose your dermatologist carefully

• Sun damage dangers  

• The importance of food and lifestyle for skincare 

Links & Resources:

• Dr Kourosh’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Shadi Kourosh MD, is a board certified dermatologist and Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School. She has an iphone app called, Skin Advocate, that connects patients with patient advocacy organizations for their skin conditions.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Body Composition

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

Turn Adversity into Advantage

with Doug Bopst

---------------

“I took the deal… and the last thing I did was snort a few hundred milligrams of oxy,” says Doug. This was right before he started a 90-day stint in jail where he was forced to sober up in a hurry. His cellmate was a fitness fanatic and Doug’s unofficial trainer on his path to recovery. Despite all the odds, Doug left prison in better shape than he went in. Today, Doug is clean and sober and is an author, fitness trainer, and speaker. 

Listen & Learn: 

• How hitting rock bottom can be a great gift
• Why there is not quick-fix to a long-standing problem
• How to surrender to the process of change  
• Finding fitness at any age

Links & Resources:

• Doug’s site
• Doug’s books 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Doug Bopst is an award-winning personal trainer, author, speaker and business owner. He is a former felon and drug addict, and the author of From Felony to Fitness to Free and the Heart of Recovery.

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Game Changers Film

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Psychological Flexibility

with Steven Hayes, PhD
-------------------------
The rate of change has accelerated 2-5x in the past year. The job change you were thinking about someday is now your top priority today. Your relationship doubt has flipped into a full blown crisis. Entire governments and industries have been turned on their heads. How are you doing?

The ability to ride the wave of change is something Steven Hayes refers to as Psychological flexibility, and just as we should all be working on our physical health, our mental health needs constant workouts too. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why mental health labels can quickly paralyze you
• How your past head trash can implode your current relationships
• How to accept and commit as part of your mental health regime

Links & Resources

• Steven Hayes’ Website
• Steven’s TEDx Talk

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Steven Hayes is the author of 44 books including, A Liberated Mind: How to Pivot Toward What Matters. He’s published nearly 600 scientific articles and his work focuses on understanding language and cognition to alleviate suffering. 

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Are Eggs Ok

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Thoughts on the End of Life
with Charles Garfield
---------
Death and loss are inevitable, nobody was prepared for this. COVID-19 has taken the lives of millions of people around the world, mostly older people, the wisdom class. On a local level, we all feel it; but from a global perspective, it’s very hard to begin to fathom so much loss in such a short period of time. How do we process this? Where to begin? On this week’s show, we’ll explore the “wisdom years” of life, end of life, and death. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why you should write a forgiveness letter to yourself
• The importance of older generations 
• The necessity of mourning 
• Virtual vs. in-person funerals 

Links & Resources

• Charles’ website 
• Shanti Project

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Charles Garfield is a psychologist, professor and lecturer, and the author of thirteen books including Our Wisdom Years and Life's Last Gift: Giving and Receiving Peace During the Dying Time. He has been recognized internationally as the founder of Shanti Project, a widely acclaimed AIDS and cancer service organization. 

 Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Allergic Mystery

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Get to Know Your Testosterone
by Dr. Tracy Gapin

-----------

Testosterone levels in modern men are lower than any time in recorded history. This causes low libido, low energy, and a lack of lean muscle; but low T can also decrease your motivation, your concentration, and even your mental health.

So where has all the testosterone gone?

Diet and lifestyle are huge factors, of course, but most people are completely unaware of the endocrine disruptors that have crept their way into our food, water, and homes. Everything from your shampoo to your takeaway coffee cup contributes to the hormonal dysregulation of our population. Left unchecked, many men lose their lust for life, in all senses, decades too soon.

On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a medical doctor who is passionate about educating men and helping them navigate the hormonal minefield of our modern world.  

Listen & Learn: 

• Why free testosterone is even more important than total testosterone
• How to understand medical reference ranges
• Self-assessment tricks for thinking about your own hormones 
• Xenoestrogens, phytoestrogens, and other disruptor landmines 

Links & Resources:

• Dr. Gapin’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Gapin is board certified by the American Board of Urology and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He is the author of, Male 2.0, a guide to the optimization of a man’s health and vitality.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Rapeseed Oil

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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In Search of Mastery 

with Michael Gervais

-----------

What does it mean to self actualize? To become your personal best at whatever it is you do?

For most of us, these questions conjure up images such as a finish line, a retirement, an award, or a specific bank balance. Most of us equate mastery with goal achievement, but ironically, those who have achieved real masterly tend to be laser focused on the process and the practice, not the outcome. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a high performance psychologist who shares his mental model for traversing this path of personal greatness.

Listen & Learn:

• How purpose, principles and vision can guide you
• Why fulfilled lives usually involve grappling with life’s biggest questions 
• Mastery of self vs. mastery of craft
• The hero trap

Links & Resources: 

• Compete to Create (Michael’s site)
  
  

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Michael is a high performance psychologist. He is the co-founder of Compete to Create, a digital platform to helpS people become their best through mindset training. He works with professional athletes and CEOs.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Old Spices

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Get To Know Your Genes
with Dr. Yael Joffe
-------
Have you done a DNA test to discover your true ancestry? Tens of millions of people give up their genetic information in exchange for a fun pie graph that attempts to detail their ethnicity.

It’s not too expensive, and it’s fun to learn - so why not?

If you’re concerned about personal privacy, there is real cause for concern. The data Facebook or Google have on you pales in comparison to your DNA data. Your favorite online videos and political preferences might change with time, but who you are, from a genetic perspective, is forever. Private companies are stockpiling genetic data, and in some cases, sharing it with both public agencies like the FBI and private pharmaceutical companies. On this week’s podcast, we’ll explore genetics, epigenetics, testing, and what all this data means. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why you and I are 99.9% similar, and how we share 50% of our DNA with a banana
• Nature vs. nurture from a genetic perspective
• The future of DNA test, tracking, and tracing
• Why data means nothing without interpretation and education 

Links & Resources

• 3X4 Genetics
• Are companies selling your DNA data?

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Yael Joffe is a dietitian with a PhD from the University of Cape Town where she explored the genetics and nutrition of obesity in South African women. She is the co-author of three books, It’s not just your Genes, The SNP Journal, and Genes To Plate. She is the founder of 3X4 Genetics.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Juice Fasting

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Fantastic Fungi 

with Eugenia Bone

----------------------

It’s mushroom season in Cataluña, so the markets are filled with orange, white, and even jet black “setas” that are almost all wild harvested. They're delicious and packed with a unique micronutrient profile that is great for your immune system. On this week's show, you´ll meet a mycophagist, writer, and teacher on all things fungi.

Did you know… 

• A single Portabella mushroom can contain more potassium than a banana
• Fungi are believed to cover the earth’s surface before the first trees
• A 2,400 year old fungus in Oregon is believed to be the largest organism in the world covering 2,200 acres (8.9 km2?
• Psychedelic mushrooms, including microdoses, have shown efficacy for for depression, PTSD, and other mental health challenges

LInks & Resources

• Eugenia’s site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Eugenia’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Saveur, Food & Wine, Gourmet, and The National Lampoon. She is the author of six books including her most recent award-winning Fantastic Fungi.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• How to Not Gain Weight - Holidays

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Happy Pessimist
with Mattias Lundberg

---------

Has your life been turned upside down in 2020? How are you feeling? Positive thinking and optimism are often considered one and the same, but you can be simultaneously positive and pessimistic - and it might be the smartest way to plan for 2021. You can gameplay the worst case scenario with a smile, prepare for the worst, and set yourself up to be pleasantly surprised.

On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a psychologist and author whose work focuses on the possessive,  productive value of pessimism in certain situations. 

Listen & Learn:   

• How negative thinking can help you with preparedness
• When optimism is becomes avoidance 
• Adaptive vs. non-adaptive responses   
• How to be positive but pessimistic at the same time

Links & Resources: 

• Mattias’ website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Mattias Lundberg is a Licensed Psychologist and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology at Umeå University. He is also an author and has published eight books. Mattias is known for his ability to explain complex psychological questions in an easy and often entertaining way. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• No Added Sugar Chocolate

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Overcome Fear  

with Kristen Ulmer

Extreme skiing is defined by an ever-present risk of death. It’s a sport that demands a deep relationship and acceptance of fear. An avalanche can bury you, a deadly fall down a sheer rock wall is just one wrong turn away, and there are times when the only chance of survival is from an emergency airlift to safety.

Why would you do this? 

The answer is, “I wouldn’t do it!” But my guest on this week’s podcast used her extensive experience in the world of extreme sports to learn to harness fear and develop a system for teaching this to others. Whether you’re scared of public speaking or simply too nervous to ask that guy or girl for their number, Kristen Ulmer’s approach to fear is unique and effective. 

Listen & Learn:

• Step 1: acknowledge fear as normal and natural
• Step 2: touch your body where you feel the fear bubbling up
• Step 3: let go for resistance to fear
• Suffering = discomfort x resistance 
• How to achieve a flow  state 
• Understanding the lure of extreme sports

Links & Resources

• Kristen’s Website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Kristen Ulmer is a fear and anxiety expert who draws from her experience with extreme skiing, studies of Zen, professional facilitation with 1000s of clients. She is the author of, The Art of Fear; Why Conquering Fear Won’t Work and What to Do Instead. Kristen’s work has also been featured in such media as NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, USA Today, The Megyn Kelly Show, The Robb Report, and Tim Ferriss’s Tribe of Mentors.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Cannot Digest Nuts

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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Mindfulness a Solution for Addiction?
Dr. Jud Brewer 

------
If we define addiction as continued behavior despite adverse consequences, we all have cause for concern. Perhaps you’re up so late watching Netflix that you make a mistake at work that costs you your job; maybe your pornography compulsion blocks real intimacy with your partner and derails your marriage; or maybe your online gambling leaves you with maxed out credit cards.

It all sounds ridiculous until you focus the lens on your own life, open up your definition of what addiction means, and immediately discover that you too have maladaptive behaviors that might warrant change. On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet an addiction psychiatrist who helps people use mindfulness on a path toward balance.

Listen & Learn: 

• How to know if you’re addicted? 
• How to analyse the trigger + behavior + results  
• Why you should focus on immediate experience (instead of long term) 
• How to start by knowing thyself 

Links & Resources

• Dr Jud’s Website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Jud Brewer is an Addiction Psychiatrist and the author of The Craving Mind and the creator of a number of mindfulness apps.  He is director of research and innovation at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University, and the executive medical director of behavioral health at Sharecare.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Melatonin for Sleep

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

Like the Show?

• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Respiratory Therapy

with Joe Lewis

If you’re interested in pranayama and breathwork, there is so much more to discover than simply “oxygenation.” As a student of yoga breathing for over a decade, there continues to be a lack of real scientific teaching, so on this week’s podcast, we’ll nerd out on biomechanics and chemistry of breathing.  

Listen & Learn: 

• Why you must consider both oxygenation and ventilation
• The importance of C02 
• Ideal blood oxygen content
• Education and career opportunities for potential respiratory therapists
• The utility of arterial blood gas (ABG) in an ICU

Links & Resources

• Joe on Instagram
• Joe on YouTube

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Joe Lewis has been a Registered Respiratory Therapist for 20 years with a primary focus in adult ICU.  He started teaching full-time in 2020, including both didactic and clinical course instruction.  

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• When to Eat Fruit

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

CBD for Pain & Sleep

with Mary Clifton

 

Marijuana is quickly becoming legal or at least decriminalized in most states. Billions of dollars of previously criminal revenue is suddenly on-the-books and taxable, and hundreds of products are flooding the market including everything from skincare to nutritional supplements.

But what does it all mean for you? 

CBD (cannabidiol) is just one of dozens of cannabinoids in marijuana, and it’s of particular interest for pain, anxiety, and sleep. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning you won’t get paranoid or faceplant into the couch, so it  can be a natural and safe alternative to prescription drugs.

On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a medical doctor whose work focused around the safe and effective medicinal use of this once-illicit plant. . 

Listen & Learn: 

• How to choose an effective dose 
• How much it will cost  
• Hemp-derived vs. cannabis derived CBD  
• Will I get stoned 
• When to add THC (psychoactive) to a CBD dose

Links & Resources

• Mary’s site 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Mary Clifton, M.D. is a board-certified, licensed, internal medicine doctor. She is an expert in CBD and Cannabis and the founder of CBDandCannabisInfo.com. Mary is the author of The Grass Is Greener: Medical Marijuana, THC & CBD OIL: Reversing Chronic Pain, Inflammation and Disease, and Get Waisted, as well as five companion cookbooks. She speaks at major cannabinoid events around the world, including Africa, Europe and Asia.  

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Super Green Powders

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Reflexology & Energy Balance

with Helen Chin Lui  

Set and setting are often overlooked when it comes to healing. Set refers to your mindset going in, and setting refers to the environment in which the treatment takes place. If you walk into a therapist's office with a “This will be so helpful!” attitude, and if the office is beautiful, smells nice, and is dimly lit, the deck has already been stacked in favor of a positive outcome.

Even for a diehard skeptic like myself, energy medicine practices like reflexology should not be ignored, particularly for issues like chronic pain, mental health, and inflammation. Whether it’s the placebo effect or the genius of ancient medicine at play, who really cares if it works? 

On this week's podcast, you'll meet a reflexologist who will help you navigate the world of alternative health.

Listen & Learn:

• What reflexology is how certification works
• Why it's so challenging to find a good Reiki practitioner
• How the body heals itself, the therapist just helps nudge it in the right direction
• Why most people give away their power to heal rather than taking control

Links & Resources:

• Helen Chin Lui website

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Helen Chin Lui is a certified reflexologist, energy medicine practitioner, and reiki therapist. Her interest in alternative health was sparked by a health crisis her son experienced and has become her life's passion. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Immune Boosters Covid

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

The Power of Pessimism - COVID-19 Survival
with Lucas Rockwood

-----

What if this COVID-19 crisis lasts another six months? Or another two years? Our work and lifestyles are being radically redefined, and most people are taking a “wait and see’ approach, doubling down on Netflix, and waiting for big pharma to fix this mess.

Maybe it’ll work. Maybe it’s almost over. Or maybe, this is just the start of a whole new future we can’t even fully comprehend yet. 

Human psychology is such that fear and pain incite personal growth more than pleasure or optimism. With that in mind, what if we all game-out the worst case scenarios. Let’s assume for the sake of this exercise that this crisis will last one or two years more, and let’s use this uncertainty as a forcing factor for changes that would otherwise take five or ten years to manifest.

On this week’s podcast, we’ll explore the power of pessimism, the importance of focus, and how to find the signal through the noise during these challenging times. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why “Defensive Pessimism” can set you up for a win during crisis times 
• Why a “smile or die” outlook can be personally and professional dangerous 
• How to embrace change and embrace loss
• How to focus on health, wealth, relationships during this time

Links & References: 

• The Power of Negative Thinking 
• Defensive Pessimism 
• The Happy Pessimist 

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Lucas Rockwood is a yoga trainer, writer, and keynote speaker. He founded YOGABODY and The Yoga Teachers College and has certified over 12,000 teachers working in 41 countries. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Cranberries Any Good?

Got Questions?

• Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

Understanding Your Bloodwork
with Todd Strong

When was the last time you went to your doctor for a checkup? Did you make any requests or did you just let them do their thing and trust they’d let you know if something was amiss?

Allopathic medicine is exceptional at treating illness and disease but not great for preventative care. For health-seekers, this means you need to take ownership of your health, ask questions, and request the tests and analysis you need to understand your own body. 

But where do you start? On this week’s show, we’ll help you think strategically about getting your bloodwork done and interpreting the results. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why elevated cortisol and adrenal dysfunction can often be the root of modern health problems 
• Why standard thyroid test are often incomplete and how to request comprehensive testing
• Should you pay out-of-pocket or will insurance cover it? 
• Why many issues can be correct functionally 

Links & Resources:

• Todd Strong’s website

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Strong is a certified functional medicine practitioner based. He is kinesiologist and chiropractor and helps people with comprehensive, personalized treatment plans.

He is the author of the books, Understanding Your Bloodwork and How It Relates to Your Health Issues and Reclaim Your Brain. Both are available on Amazon. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Addicted to Chocolate

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: yogabody.com/asklucas/
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Reverse Aging with Lifelong “Play”
with Stephen Jepson

-----------------------------------------------

Aging starts with the loss of lean muscle and mobility. Next, you notice you’re not sharp as you used to be, and then things accelerate as you become less active, less engaged in the world, and one step closer to the grave. Death is inevitable, but “healthspan” is something we can control: how healthy will you be in those years you do have on this planet? Do you want to die riding a skateboard or stuck in a nursing facility? Do you want your best years to be in the past or in the future?

Our guest on this week’s podcast is in his late 70’s and learning new skills daily, skills that even 20-year-olds find challenging.

Listen & Learn:

• Why bilateral training is the key to cognitive health
• How there are countless examples of people going from wheelchairs to full function, from bedridden to active—so why not you?
• How eating and writing with your non-dominant hand can be a simple hack to lay down new neural wiring
• How neuro-plasticity and neurogenesis can happen at any age if you keep learning and keep playing
• Why you should never stop playing

Links & Resources:

• Stephen’s Website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Stephen Jepson is the creator of a lifestyle he calls: Never Leave the Playground. He rides a unicycle, juggles while balancing on a bongo board, throws knives and plays jacks with both hands, walks a tightrope, swam across Iowa's Spirit Lake at age 66, and has won over 80 gold medals in swimming since age 65. And more. Much more. After a career in pottery, both teaching and creating, he now dedicates his time to the research of this lifestyle fitness plan.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• How Much Fiber

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: yogabody.com/asklucas/
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

Sex Robots & Vegan Meat
Jenny Kleeman
--------------
Disruptive technology has defined our generation and captured our collection imagination. I haven’t owned a television or a landline phone since the 90s. Google Maps has made it possible to navigate any city as a tourist with more accuracy than a local resident, and healthy food is becoming cheaper and more widely acceptable every day.

But there are downsides to disruption too - lots of downsides. 

In the next decade, technology won’t just disrupt industries, it will disrupt the moral fabric of society. How do we navigate the complexity of artificial wombs, lab-grown meat, sex robots, and euthanasia? Do you have a firm moral stance on any of these issues? I don’t, and I’m not sure how to resolve these open loops.

On this week’s show, you’ll meet journalist and author, Jenny Kleeman who shares her deep-dive research into morally disruptive technologies. 

Listen & Learn: 

• The reality of sex robots and the real risks vs. rewards in the future 
• How lab-grown meat could replace our dependence on factory farms
• Where to draw moral lines in the sand when it comes to artificial wombs, designer babies, and medically-assisted death 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Jenny Kleeman is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. Her articles appear regularly in the Guardian and also in the Sunday Times (London), The Times of London, The New Statesman, and VICE. She won the “One World Media Television Award” for her work on, Unreported World', and was nominated for the Amnesty International Gaby Rado Award. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Kitchari

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: yogabody.com/asklucas/
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

How to Succeed with Yoga & Fitness At Home 

with Lucas Rockwood

COVID-19 has forced and inspired hundreds of millions of people to start at-home yoga practices and exercise routines - this is amazing! But how do you make it last? How do you stay motivated? And perhaps most importantly, how do you avoid the temptation to bail out of your workout halfway through and scroll through your social media newsfeed instead? 

This week’s podcast is a solo show where I’ll share five tips for success with an at-home yoga or fitness regime based on my 17 years experience.  

My Top Five Tips: 

• Get some nice clothes
• Get a nice mat or some nice equipment
• Pair your practice with learning or entertainment
• Trust someone else, not your own system
• Try not to be alone

ABOUT LUCAS ROCKWOOD
Lucas Rockwood is  yoga teacher, speaker, trainer and serial entrepreneur. He’s the founder of YOGABODY and the Yoga Teachers College. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Plant vs Animal Nutrition

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: yogabody.com/asklucas/
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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Is Personality Permanent?
with Benjamin Hardy

Have you ever taken an online personality test? Myers-Briggs, Kolbe or the “Big 5”? If you have, you no-doubt read the results with both pleasure and unease. Am I really a pushover? Am I more neurotic than most? It’s true past behavior is probably the best predictor of your future self - but it doesn’t have to be.

The guest psychologist on this week’s show dispels the myth that personality is fixed and unchangeable, and suggests strategies for creating a new future for who you are, personality-wise, that is not bound by the past. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why proception, the ability to dream and plan for the future, even future emotional states, is a huge part of what makes us uniquely human  
• How to measure the gain (not the gap) from who you were and who you are 
• How to look for past evidence of who you’d like to be not evidence of the smaller you 
• The importance of a growth vs fixed mindset 

Links & Resources

• Benjamin’s Website 
• Triumph of Experience

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist and author of Willpower Doesn't Work and Personality Isn't Permanent. He has been featured on Forbes, Fortune, CNBC, Cheddar, and Big Think. 

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Vit D & Covid

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: yogabody.com/asklucas/
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

Fast, Feast, Repeat

with Gin Stephens
--------------

When we think of dieting and weight loss, the first thing that comes to mind is calorie counting, portion control, and a list of “good” and “bad” foods. But what if there was a much simpler way to start? What if, before you superimpose restrictions and rules, you could achieve huge benefits simply by altering your meal timing? 

Enter: time-restricted eating (aka intermittent fasting). The simple practice increasing the break time between your last meal today and your first meal tomorrow can have exciting effects on your hormones, blood sugar, body fat, and overall weight. For most people interested in weight loss, this is the simplest, safest, and easiest place to start - so why not? 

My guest on this week’s podcast lost 80lbs with timer-restricted eating, and she’s kept it off since 2005.

Listen & Learn: 

• How diets involved trying to override your biology and fight your body instead of working with it naturally
• How simply skipping breakfast and reducing your eating window can sometimes lead to exciting changes in your body and health 
• How quickly the results of meal timing can manifest
• How to stop with negative self-talk, guilt and shame around food 

Links & Resources: 

• Gin’s website
• 2016 Nobel Prize for fasting and autophagy 

ABOUT OUR GUEST
Gin Stephens is a teacher, writer, podcaster and intermittent fasting advocate. She’s the author of a number of books including: Delay, Don’t Deny, Feast Without Fear, and Fast, Feast, Repeat.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Herbs for Libido

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

But What if Your Workplace is Toxic? 
with Robert Glazer
---------------

I had an office job that was so boring, I used to photocopy my face while guzzling free office coffee and snacking on breath mints. As long as I was hovering near the copy machine, everyone assumed I was doing something productive.

After a few days of this linger-guzzle-mint-chomp routine, my colleague, Cynthia, felt we needed to add some occasional stapling to our escapades lest we be found out. So we started making zines out of my best xeroxed smash-face printouts. Oh, good times. 

Life is too short to hate your job, and yet most of us do. With telecommuting at an all-time high, some jobs have become more tolerable, but do you truly feel meaning and purpose at work? Do you feel like you’re working toward a worthy goal? These are hard questions I don’t have the answer to, but my guest on the show has created a multi-award winning workplace, so he’s got some great ideas. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why lack of value alignment is perhaps the biggest job problem of all 
• How to both employee and employers need to think about the end at the beginning
• Why “2 weeks notice” is terrible for everyone
• How COVID-19 is affecting communication and connection 

Links & Resources

• Robert’s Website 

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Robert Glazer is the founder and CEO of Acceleration Partners marketing agency.His agency has won numerous awards including Glassdoor's Employees' Choice Awards (2 years in a row), Ad Age's Best Place to Work, Entrepreneur's Top Company Culture (2 years in a row), Great Place to Work & Fortune's Best Small & Medium Workplaces (3 years in a row) and Boston Globe's Top Workplaces (2 years in a row). His writing has been featured in Forbes, Inc. and Entrepreneur magazines, Bob shares his ideas and insights via Friday Forward email newsletter, his Elevate podcast, and his books including: Friday Forward and Elevate.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Restless Leg Syndrome

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back 

with Esther Gokhale 
----------------
Office chairs were always bad news for spinal health, but now most people are working hunched over a laptop on their coach - and many of their kids are doing the same! In 2019, we spent too much time on screens, but in 2020, it’s gone to a completely new level and we all need to spend some time thinking about work stations, postures, and spinal health.

On this week’s show, you’ll meet returning guest, Esther Gokhale who has spent her career researching, writing, and teaching spinal health. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why an S-curved spine is incorrect, and why a J-shape is more natural 
• Why to stop chasing ideal posture and simply work with the body and life you have in our modern world 
• Chairs, shoes, and workstations - what do do?

Links & Resources

• Esther’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST 

Esther Gokhale studied biochemistry at Harvard and Princeton and, later, acupuncture at the San Francisco School of Oriental Medicine. Post-pregnancy back pain and a failed back surgery inspired Esther to begin a lifelong crusade to vanquish back pain.

Gokhale's book, 8 Steps to a Pain-Free Back, has sold over 200,000 copies and has been translated into ten languages. Gokhale has taught at corporations such as Google, IDEO, and Facebook, presented at conferences including TEDx(Stanford) and Ancestral Health Symposium, consulted for the trainers of the SF 49ers and several Stanford sports teams.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Top Food for Weight Loss

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

 

The Importance of Friendship

with Lydia Denworth
----------------
I spent six weeks in March and April of this year in a fairly strict lockdown in Barcelona, and then two weeks in May completely housebound in Germany. COVID-19 has affected every single aspect of my life both for good and bad.

What about you? Were you on lockdown?

If so, who did you call? Who did you turn to (virtually) for help? If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s taught us that humans are social beings through to our core. Even the most introverted types (like me) have felt the longing for group gathering, social interaction, and connection with friends. 

But what is a true friend? And how does that change from your teen years into adulthood, middle age and beyond? From an adaptive perspective, why is it that strong friendships are correlated with longevity and overall healthspan? On this week’s podcast, we’ll explore the importance and science behind deep social connections. 

Listen & Learn: 

• Why you really only need one true friend (but more are great too) 
• How digital and long-distance friends stack up to old-fashioned, in-person connections 
• Why true friendships should be long-lasting, stable, and cooperative 
• How to embrace the natural change of friends at different stages of life
  
  

Links & Resources

• Lydia’s Website
• Lydia on social media 

ABOUT OUR GUEST 

Lydia Denworth is a science journalist and contributing editor for Scientific American. She writes the Brain Waves blog for Psychology and her work is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Nutritional Tip of the Week:

• Healthy Eating While Travelling

Got Questions?

• Send me a voicemail here: Ask Lucas a Question
• Or write to us: podcast@yogabody.com 

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• Leave us a Review on iTunes

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 

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• 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 

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• 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 

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• 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 

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• 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 

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• 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 GUEST
Rick 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 GUEST
James 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