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wise athletes podcast

achieving peak performance for older athletes, with an eye for athletic longevity

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Amanda Wiggins, PhD* Amanda Wiggins completed a BSc(Hons) in Neuroscience at University of Otago in New Zealand. University of Otago * She then earned a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Melbourne in Australia. University of Otago * Her interest lies in turning neuroscience/brain research into useful products — especially given the rising prevalence of neurological conditions as populations age.

In our conversation.....* What “brain-fitness” means in the context of an athlete who’s been training for years and now faces the extra variable of aging and brain-health risk. * How to measure risk. * The research-based links between physical activity, vascular health, cognitive resilience, and how athletes might benefit—or in some cases put themselves at risk—if they don’t pay attention. * Practical, actionable habits and interventions that older athletes can adopt today to sharpen their mind, and guard against memory loss, dementia or cognitive decline. * And lastly: how to take all this science and apply it to training, recovery, lifestyle and mindset in a way that feels meaningful, sustainable and empowering.

cGP Supplement -- Why take it? (from cGP Health website)* From around the age of 50, IGF-1 activity naturally begins to decline, and this process can be accelerated by stress, poor lifestyle choices, or specific genetic conditions. When IGF-1 levels or function are reduced, the body’s demand for cGP increases, yet it becomes harder to produce enough. Without adequate cGP, IGF-1 cannot work effectively, which may affect brain health, cardiovascular wellbeing, and energy levels.

Episode Resources* Foodforthebrain.org * www.cgp-health.com * How to Order cGP: https://cgpmax.com/ * https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract

Related episodes & links:* Episode 161 | Omega 3 Science vs Hype | Bill Harris PhD * Episode 154 | Adaptive Range Expansion for Peak Performance | Mike T Nelson PhD * Episode 147 | Solving Inflammaging | Dwayne Jackson PhD * Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Fat %? | Vyvyane Loh MD

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to be medical advice

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Michael J. Ormsbee, PhD

Michael J. Ormsbee is a professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food & Exercise Sciences at FSU.
He serves as the Graduate Program Director and is the Director for the FSU Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine (ISSM).
He holds the Margaret A. Sitton Endowed Professorship at FSU.

Professor Ormsbee’s work focuses on how exercise, nutrition, and supplementation interact to influence:

Body composition, metabolism, and performance
Pre-sleep (nighttime) feeding strategies and their effects on recovery, metabolism, and body composition
The role of macronutrients (especially protein and types of carbohydrates) in fat metabolism, hormonal responses, and performance across both healthy and clinical populations
Applications in athlete populations, as well as in metabolic disease, obesity, and clinical scenarios

Today I have the exact right person to talk about targeting optimal body composition. Mike Ormsbee PhD. Mike is a scientist athlete, researching health, body comp and human performance as the Director of the Florida State University’s Institute of Sports Sciences and Medicine. Dr Ormsbee agreed to join me to help us Wise Athletes to understand how exercise, nutrition, and supplementation can be used to optimize metabolism, body composition and performance

Principals

Speed of adaptation reflects health status and resilience: fuel switching speed, sugar tolerance, temperature tolerance, HR capacity (max vs. resting), endurance, mobility and strength provides headroom to recover from problems.
Benefit stacking: getting multiple benefits from our actions and food
Health maintenance is the real goal. Achieving goals is nice, but sustaining fitness and health is the real achievement. The key is fuel matching and non-linear calorie imbalance. (Practice maintenance)
No suffering; stay within yourself but push a little most days.
“Better is better”. Optimal is elusive but will slowly be achieved for each person
Little things add up. Start with easy to gain momentum and motivation for harder change.
Exercise doesn’t have to dominate your life; you just need to do enough of cardio/ endurance and HIIT/ strength work.
More variability = better resilience
Consistency of effort (we are forming new habits, need time to obtain positive feedback)
Progressive overload (change is painful, but only a little and only some of the time, if done right)
Modulated workload (for recovery, adaptation, mental health, and practice for maintenance mode)

Episode Resources* Mike's Body Composition training course ---Link to Amazon or Great Courses

Related episodes & links:* Episode 172 | Levers of (Food) Satiety | Ted Naiman MD * Episode 142 | Fasting Mimicking Diet | Joseph Antoun MD PhD * Episode 137 | The #1 Secret to Healthy Fat Loss | Vyvyane Loh MD * Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Fat %? | Vyvyane Loh MD

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Leave a review (or share this episode)
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*This content is never mea

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Dr Ted Naiman Bio:

Dr. Ted Naiman is a board-certified Family Medicine physician in the department of Primary Care at a leading major medical center in Seattle. Dr. Naiman holds an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, which influences his analytical approach to medicine. He earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University in 1997 . Initially raised in a near-vegetarian Seventh-day Adventist household, he experienced personal health challenges that led him to explore alternative nutritional strategies. This journey culminated in the development of the P:E Diet, focusing on the protein-to-energy ratio in foods, and now, Satiety per Calorie: Eating, solved, to promote fat loss and muscle gain.

For decades, diet books have focused on what to eat—low-carb, low-fat, paleo, keto, and everything in between. Today learn what really works for anyone who wants to improve health, body composition, athletic performance....longevity in sport.

What You’ll Learn Today:

✅ The four key factors that determine satiety per calorie✅ Why protein and fiber are the ultimate weight-loss levers✅ How to structure your diet for maximum satiety and effortless fat loss

Episode Resources* Satiety per Calorie website -- SatietyperCalorie.com * Dr Ted Naiman's personal website -- TedNaiman.com

Related episodes & links:* Episode 145 | Food for Thought | William Li MD * Episode 142 | Fasting Mimicking Diet | Joseph Antoun MD PhD * Episode 137 | The #1 Secret to Healthy Fat Loss | Vyvyane Loh MD * Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Fat %? | Vyvyane Loh MD

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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Hunter Allen Bio:

Hunter Allen, ex-pro cyclist, coach and author has recently authored “Training and Competing with a Continuous Glucose Monitor”. Hunter is best known for his work with power meters and for developing the power training principles. He’s the co-author of “Training and Racing with a Power Meter”, along with “Cutting Edge Cycling” and “Triathlon: Training with Power”. Hunter was one of the co-developers of TrainingPeaks WKO software and a co-founder of TrainingPeaks. He founded and currently operates The Peaks Coaching Group.

Key Ideas:

Managing blood glucose is not only important for health and longevity, it impacts athletic performance in real time
Wearing a CGM provides access to the raw data needed to manage glucose via diet, feed schedule, activity
For athletic performance, keeping blood glucose in the high performance zone means no bonking or premature fatigue.

Episode Resources* Hunter's Coaching Website -- PeaksCoachingGroup.com * CGM Book Website - TrainingandCompetingwithaCGM.com

Key Discussion Points:* Discover how and why seeing your continuous blood glucose with a CGM in real time will give you an edge in your sport with the ability to: * Optimize the timing of nutrition intake (for exercise, for sleep…?) * Determine the correct serving of foods to positively impact energy levels * Understand the proper type of foods to use to “prime” your system before training or an event (“top off glycogen stores” without causing hypo-glycemic rebound?) * Recognize patterns of poor nutrition and correct them (food combos, volume of fast carbs) * Learn your blood glucose highs and lows throughout the day to correct them for better glucose stability (why correct them?) * And so much more

Related episodes & links:* Episode 87 | Zeroing in on Fun AND Fitness part 2 of 2 | Hunter Allen * Episode 86 | Make Training Fun for Better Performance part 1 of 2 Hunter Allen

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
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*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guest: Frank Schwartz, Nant'an (CEO) of F3 NationFrank Schwartz, known in the F3 community by his nickname "Dark Helmet," serves as the CEO (referred to as "Nant’an") of F3 Nation. F3 Nation is a free, peer-led movement designed to help men get fit, build bonds of friendship, and learn how to join forces to serve the community. As Nant'an, Frank leads the strategic vision and cultural stewardship of F3, which has grown into a global network supporting thousands of men across the U.S. and internationally.

Frank’s F3 journey began like so many others: a early morning workout, a goofy nickname, and a gut-level recognition that something life-changing was underway. Since then, he’s become a guiding voice in shaping F3 Nation: 100's of independently operating chapters around the USA and the World. He’s all-in on helping men become what they always wanted to be.

Key Ideas:

If you change a man, you change the world
Leave no man behind; leave no man where you found him
No rules; only principals to guide men remaking themselves

Episode ResourcesThe Starfish and The Spider -- Link to Amazon

Freed to Lead 2 - Link to Amazon

F3 Website -- F3Nation.com

Key Discussion Points:1. Why is this happening…this lack of close friends among men? 2. What is the effect of not having good friends? 3. Is a close friend for a man the same as a close friend for a woman? 4. How does F3 work? What are the rules and methods that have been stolen and honed to craft the experience that served men? Why does it work so well, and I speak from personal experience. 5. What is to be gained from a men’s group like F3? Starting or joining one? What is the stair-step of benefits that are available to men who participate, who maybe are just looking for fitness, but if they want to change their lives more profoundly, they can get much more than mere fitness.

Related episodes & links:* Episode 122 | How to Stay Young or Die Laughing | Bill Gifford * Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the always discount)

Do you feel like you are drifting through life always waiting on something?
Do you feel dissatisfied and unfulfilled?
Is time flying by?

About the guest: Adrian Kelly, Author of The Success ComplexDrawing from his experiences as a solicitor, entrepreneur, and sports coach, Kelly examines the skills essential for overcoming challenges and achieving sustained success. Adrian joins me to discuss how to shift into living a big life, rather than merely a long one. Adrian says:

Most of us don’t just want simple happiness; we want intensity. We want to feel that sense of existential urgency we get when we are engrossed in some meaningful project, when we know you are doing something important and good.
Link to Amazon: Success Factor

Episode Summary:Adrian Kelly’s Success Complex explores the hidden emotional and psychological burdens that often accompany outward success, especially for men. It challenges the traditional view that success—defined by wealth, career, and achievements—automatically leads to happiness. Instead, Kelly argues that many high-performing individuals are silently struggling with stress, disconnection, and a lack of purpose.

Core Aspects of Spirituality Connection: A feeling of being linked to a higher power, nature, or the collective human experience. * Purpose and Meaning: An ongoing quest to understand one's role and significance in the world. * Transcendence: Experiences that go beyond the ordinary, often described as profound or mystical * Inner Peace*: Cultivating a sense of calm and contentment through practices like meditation, mindfulness, or prayer.

Key Themes:1. The Illusion of Success -- Success is often externally validated—money, titles, status—but it can mask deep dissatisfaction, anxiety, or emotional repression. Many men achieve success only to find it unfulfilling. 2. Performance-Based Identity -- Men often tie their self-worth to performance. When they stop achieving or face setbacks, they feel worthless or lost. 3. Emotional Suppression -- A major cost of the “success complex” is emotional disconnection. Men learn to suppress vulnerability, which leads to isolation and strained relationships. 4. The Masculine Mask -- the “mask” successful men wear to appear confident, in control, and stoic. Behind it, many feel burned out or uncertain. 5. Breaking the Pattern -- Healing begins by questioning the cultural narrative around masculinity and success. This includes: * Reconnecting with emotions * Seeking genuine relationships * Redefining success through internal values rather than external metrics 6. Authentic Living -- shift from achievement-driven living to values-driven living—embracing meaning, connection, and self-awareness.

The ABC Framework: Activity (A): Engaging in purposeful actions…a means to an end * Balance (B): Maintaining equilibrium between various life aspects. * Congruence (C):* Aligning actions and values to achieve a state where success is both sustained and sustaining

Prioritizing What Truly Matters* In a world filled with opportunities, Kelly encourages us to reflect on our true goals and values, suggesting that genuine success may differ from societal expectations.

Related episodes & links:* Episode 122 | How to Stay Young or Die Laughing | Bill Gifford * Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guests: Richard LaFountain, PhD & Brandon Fell, MSClinical Staff at Healthspan (gethealthspan.com)

Rich LaFountain, PhD - Health coach and science writer; his academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.

Education: Ph.D. in Kinesiology from The Ohio State University; Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College at Brockport, State University of New York.
Research: His academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Current Role: Senior Scientist on Healthspan's clinical staff

Brandon Fell, MS - Wellness Coach, with expertise in keto nutrition, clinical research, and longevity science.

Education: M.S. in Kinesiology (OSU, 2020); Dietetic Internship with rotations through Volek’s lab.
Research: Graduate Research Associate in Dr. Jeff Volek’s ketogenic diet studies; major controlled trials.
Current Role: Head of Metabolic Coaching at Healthspan

Episode Summary:In my followup chat with Healthspan, we talk about Methylene Blue and Urolithin A, the darlings of the mitochondrial boosting party set.

Healthspan offers both supplements as a part of its suite of longevity and healthspan offerings.

Methylene Blue is very edgy, so I wanted to understand how Healthspan came to believe it was safe for their clients/patients (I take Methylene Blue)

Urolithin A is very new and somewhat controversial. I wanted to know how Healthspan came to believe it was effective (I take Urolithin A).

Some important notes:

Webinar for healthspan onboarding
gethealthspan.com
MB
What is it, and how it is used in medicine?
Why does Healthspan believe it is a useful supplement to use chronically?
What are the targeted symptoms and effects of MB? Dosing? Take regularly or only when symptoms arise? How long to feel an effect?
Does it help athletic performance? (I found it makes exercise feel harder)
What are the side effects to be cautious of?
Who should not take MB?
Urolithin A
What is it, and why do people need to supplement it?
Why would a bacteria post biotic signal the mitochondria to scavenge old mitochondria? Is it similar to an internally made chemical used for the same purpose?
I’ve heard a lot of marketing of Urolithin A by the company that patented its delivery mechanism, and I’ve heard scientists say there is no real proof it works.
What did Healthspan uncover to prompt it to offer it?
What are the targeted symptoms and effects of UA? Dosing? Take regularly or only when symptoms arise? How long to feel an effect?
Does it help athletic performance?
What are the side effects to be cautious of?
Who should not take UA?

Related episodes & links:* Urolithin A -- Nature Paper * Episode 128 | Mitochondrial Powerup w/Methylene Blue | Dr Scott Sherr * Episode 144 | Muscle for Athletic Healthspan | Mark Tarnopolsky MD PhD

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guests: Richard LaFountain, PhD & Brandon Fell, MSClinical Staff at Healthspan (gethealthspan.com)

Rich LaFountain, PhD - Health coach and science writer; his academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.

Education: Ph.D. in Kinesiology from The Ohio State University; Bachelor of Science in Biology from the College at Brockport, State University of New York.
Research: His academic and research focus centers on metabolic health, cardiovascular physiology, and the optimization of physical performance through dietary and exercise interventions.
Current Role: Senior Scientist on Healthspan's clinical staff

Brandon Fell, MS - Wellness Coach, with expertise in keto nutrition, clinical research, and longevity science.

Education: M.S. in Kinesiology (OSU, 2020); Dietetic Internship with rotations through Volek’s lab.
Research: Graduate Research Associate in Dr. Jeff Volek’s ketogenic diet studies; major controlled trials.
Current Role: Head of Metabolic Coaching at Healthspan

Episode Summary:Blood testing isn't perfect but it's one of the best tools available to shine a light into the black box of your personal physiology to see how your body is doing: compared to other healthy people and compared to yourself over time as you age and implement health and longevity interventions. Healthspan now offers an online Longevity Pro Panel blood testing and analysis service to provide expert guidance into lifestyle-based health enhance, and as a gateway into more aggressive interventions to recover lost athleticism, extend healthspan, and maybe even life a long healthy life.

Healthspan comprehensively analyzes pivotal longevity biomarkers to help you optimize your metabolic and cellular health. Examining over 100 biomarkers, Healthspan identifies health insights, enabling personalized recommendations for a successful longevity journey.

Some important notes:

Webinar for healthspan onboarding
gethealthspan.com
What is Healthspan, and why does it offer the blood testing / evaluation service?
Blood panel is a big part, but what else is needed to fully assess biological age status (identify areas for improvement)? BP, DEXA: bone, lean mass, visceral fat, VO2Max, grip strength (bar hang time), etc.
Reliability of blood tests for identifying “optimal” vs. “problems”? wide ranges based on population “normal” (40% obesity rate), different labs/procedures, test result variability, time of day test taken, workouts / foods eating in proximity to testing, blood is only a proxy (not the same thing as organs)
Personal trends vs. “vs. normal” vs. low ACM? Or centenarian typical blood marker ranges?
Need to look at multiple blood markers and understand context to interpret blood test results
Example of a blood panel review session (using Joe Lavelle's data)

Related episodes & links:* Episode 141 | Your Blood Tests Results May Vary | Dr Austin Baraki * Episode 154 | Adaptive Range Expansion (Functional Youth) | Dr Mike T Nelson * Episode 161 | Omega 3: Science vs. Hype | Bill Harris, PhD * Episode 140 | Solving Low Vitamin D | Dr Grant E Fraser * Episode 139 | Finding Your Iron Sweetspot for Performance and Health | Dr Grant Fraser

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guest: Matt FitzgeraldAuthor of over 30 books on running & endurance

Matt Fitzgerald, a certified sports nutritionist, started running on April 19, 1983, one day after watching his father complete the Boston Marathon. This began a lifelong love affair with the sport. Having completed 50 marathons of his own, authored more than 30 books, cofounded the world’s largest online provider of endurance training resources, and coached dozens of his fellow runners to their goals, Matt lives by the motto, “Let your passion, not your ability, decide how far you go.” That’s why he created Dream Run Camp–to enable runners of all abilities who share his passion for the sport to see just how far they can go.

Episode Summary:How do you know what you are capable of doing if you don't try? Matt Fitzgerald trains athletes of all ages, including older athletes, but he doesn't have "older athlete training plans". Matt says everyone has limiters...you have to choose to go at them or around them, or let them define you. Older athletes often self-limit themselves to play it safe but with careful attention to building up capacity, older athletes are proving themselves to be capable of more speed, more strength and more endurance than ever before.

Our talk today is about how can the older athlete avoid settling for being older...how to find compensations and motivations and expert tricks for retaining or regaining the athletic capacity of yesteryear.

Some important notes:

Don’t let the expectations of declining athletic capacity turn. Into a self fulfilling prophecy
…”not every man truly lives”
You have to push the envelope regularly or the envelope shrinks in on you
Focus on the big rocks: training hard frequently (finding your own way that works for you), keeping the joy in it, setting and reaching for big goals )
Everyone has limiters. They are unique to the individual and they change over time. You have to treat the training process as an open ended experiment. You have to identify the limiters and then work towards or around them. But find out what they really are not what you think they are because you are older.
Keep moving. But use different forms of movement to spread the load.
Scale back the volume but maintain the intensity
Treat “niggles” with care. Incremental Retreat — backed progressively to be careful without being fearful and losing big chunks of fitness.
Training as treatment - ryan whited. Motion is lotion.
Disadvantages AND advantages of being older: youth is wasted on the young.
Compensate for losing some athletic capacity by tightening down the lifestyle that you couldn’t bother to do when younger. Diet, sleep, better training protocols.
Diet: eat enough of a wide range of whole foods with enough of all macros. Avoid processed foods.
Avoid reductionist rabbit holes.
Supplements: case by case. Most people can benefit from: fish oil , iron (if you need it), creatine
Cross training: lifting weights, physical skill acquisition, balance and coordination, don’t stop playing
Periodization is a good practice. Weekly / monthly / seasonal cycles

Related episodes & links:* Stronger, Faster, Older * Episode 91 | Successful Aging | Dr Alan Castel * Episode 109 | Physical Intelligence for Heathy Aging | Dr Scott Grafton * Episode 124 | Pain and Performance | Matt Fitzgerald and Ryan Whited * Episode 148 | Adventure for Life | Brian Keane

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guest: Trevor Connor is an exercise physiologist, endurance sports coach, and former professional cyclist with nearly 20 years of racing experience. He has coached at national performance centers in both Canada and the U.S., managed teams such as Team Rio Grande, and holds a master's degree in exercise bioenergetics and nutrition. He is also the co-host of the Fast Talk podcast, which focuses on the science of endurance performance.

Trevor earned his master's degree in exercise bioenergetics and nutrition from Colorado State University, where he was the final graduate student of Dr. Loren Cordain, the originator of the Paleo Diet. His research focused on the effects of a Paleo-style diet on autoimmune conditions, including multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease

CEO of The Paleo Diet, LLC: Since 2018, Connor has led the company, overseeing its programs, certifications, and branding initiatives
Co-founder and CEO of Fast Talk Laboratories: He co-founded this platform dedicated to endurance sports science, offering resources on training, nutrition, and performance
Cycling Career: A former semi-professional cyclist, Connor trained at the Canadian National Center and managed Team Rio Grande, a top-ranked amateur team in the U.S.

Episode Summary:The Paleo Diet. Initially skeptical of the Paleo Diet, Connor's perspective shifted after personal experimentation led to improved health and a return to competitive cycling at age 40. He now advocates for whole-food nutrition and challenges traditional high-carbohydrate sports diets, emphasizing the benefits of healthy fats and reduced sugar intake

Our talk today is mostly about how can the older athlete get the most out of the Paleo Diet and how to personalize it to make it work for each of us. What are the most important guidelines of the Paleo Diet that should guide and simplify our food decision-making. Foods to emphasize and minimize. Eating (and not eating) patterns that matter.

Some important notes:

Macronutrient based diets are hard to get right because there are healthy and unhealthy versions of all macronutrient diets. Paleo is not about macros, but instead about whole foods that mimics the food supply 10,000 years ago. Fruits, vegetables, naturally grown meat and fish, and nuts and seeds sparingly. Limit grains and minimize dairy. Some people should also limit legumes (beans / pulses / lentils / etc)
Eating whole foods means not just getting the vitamins and minerals and macronutrients but also the food matrix....all the other stuff in things that were once alive. Everything provides some benefit as long as we don't overdo it. But eating processed foods without the food matrix is a poor health choice.
An ancestral diet is hard to define exactly and impossible to replicate today, but some features can be mimicked: not eating the same things all the time or out of season, not eating the full daily calorie requirements every single day, eating foods that were recently alive are hard to chew (good for oral health and is satiating), not over-eating foods that didn't exist (dairy, processed food) or were in short supply (grains, beans).
Eat more potassium and less sodium (people generally get too much sodium; avoid processed food with sodium)
Eat more magnesium and less dairy (less calcium). Target 2:1 calcium to magnesium; most people are 4:1 calcium to magnesium.
Supplements recommended by Trevor: Vitamin D, Fish Oil (EPA/DHA), Magnesium (especially if consuming dairy: heavy calcium source), Taurine (especially vegans or low seafood consumers)
Protein: one source of protein is not the same as another source of protein so you cannot just talk amount of protein in a healthy diet. Protein from dairy is not the same as protein from muscle meat (animals / fish). Dairy comes from cows for their babies to grow up fast. The effect of dairy (whey / casein) is not the same as the effect of protein from muscle meat. Low / no dairy is best unless you need to build muscle as fast and as big as possible, but it comes with heath effects.

Related episodes & links:* Dietary Patterns and Non-Communicable Disease Biomarkers: A Network Meta-Analysis and Nutritional Geometry Approach (Paleo vs Mediterranean and other diets) * Summary of Paleo vs Mediterranean (from ThePaleoDiet company) * Episode 100 | Practical Tips for Phytonutrients and Fiber | Dr Jed Fahey * Episode 94 | Phytonutrients the 1% the Makes All the Difference | Dr Jed Fahey

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Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
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*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

Professional Grade Supplements for WiseAthletes

About the guest: The TriDoc Podcast is a bi-weekly show hosted by Dr. Jeff Sankoff, the host of the TriDoc podcast, is an emergency physician, Ironman triathlete, certified coach, and older athlete (58). Dr Sankoff is the exact type of expert for the Wise Athletes podcast. Dr Sankoff specializes in providing athletes with evidence-based insights into health, wellness, and training, and helping us all distinguish scientific facts from marketing hype.

TriDoc Podcast
TriDoc Coaching
Tempo Talks Podcast

Episode summary: * OTC Drugs -- impact on exercise performance -- aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol, anti-histamines * Pharmacutical Drugs - impact on exercise performance -- cholesterol, BP, heart rhythm, prostate meds, ED meds * Jeff's 3 Supplements

Related episodes & links:* Episode 36 | Dr Jeff Sankoff is the TriDoc

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

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Episode 36 | Dr Jeff Sankoff is the Tri-Doc

Professional Grade Supplements for WiseAthletes

On today's show, Dr. Merijn van de Laar, a recovering insomniac, sleep therapist, and the author of How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest, will tell us how learning about our prehistoric ancestors’ sleep (via studying the Hadza) can help us relax about our own imperfect sleep. He explains that the behaviors we think of as sleep problems are actually normal, natural, and adaptive. Merijn destroys the myth that you have to get 7-9 hours of sleep a night, and how being awake during the night is normal, and how efforts to change normal healthy sleep into "perfect" sleep scores is detrimental to our health.

Today’s episode is not for those few, lucky souls who fall asleep the moment their head hits the pillow, cruise through the night, and bounce out of bed in the morning ready to take on the world. Good for you—but seriously, get out of here. This one’s for the rest of us wise athletes who work hard to be fit and healthy—through exercise, through diet—only to be undone by poor sleep. The poor sleep that slows your recovery, ramps up your risk of illness, and leaves you reaching for caffeine just to survive the day, and then something else entirely just to shut down at night and squeeze 7-9 hours into the 6-hour window we allow for.

This talk is not a list of sleep hygiene factors and discount codes for fancy tools that work well to lighten your wallet without addressing the real reasons for poor sleep. Dr. Merijn van de Laar says "sleep is cheap" and that we've been sold a bunch of BS about sleep. This isn’t about chasing perfection. This is about letting go of the pressure and easing into realistically healthy sleep—the kind your ancestors would recognize—without needing to track every blink and breath.

So unplug, lie back, and listen up—because it’s time to learn how to Sleep Like a Caveman.

About the GuestDr Merijn van de Laar (https://merijnvandelaar.com/the-sleep-scientist/)

Merijn van de Laar studied biological psychology at the University of Maastricht and obtained his PhD on the subject of personality and sleep and the treatment of insomnia. He worked for years at Kempenhaeghe, Center for Sleep Medicine, and treated people with insomnia, parasomnia and delayed sleep phase syndrome. He is now adjunct director at the University of Maastricht.

Merijn’s professional and personal mission is to create restful nights across the world. His motivation to give people a better night’s sleep arose when he experienced what it was like to have chronic insomnia in his twenties. He did not receive the right care and, in retrospect, not the right scientifically substantiated information that could have helped him get rid of the problem much sooner.

Merijn’s slogan is “Sleep is Cheap”. By this he means that most people with insomnia do not need expensive products, apps or medication at all and that these often don’t help or even worsen the problem. For most people, a good night’s sleep can be achieved through natural solutions that cost little but are very effective. In many ways, we should learn to sleep like Cavemen again.

Merijn van de Laar website

Episode Summary:* Why do modern people report worsening sleep quality, despite the emergence of optimized sheets, mattresses, sound machines, and sleep trackers have emerged during that time, and despite the fact that the amount of time people are sleeping hasn’t decre

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About the GuestRoger Seheult, MD, MedCram Co-Founder & Instructor (MedCram.com website)

Dr. Seheult is currently an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the School of Medicine and Allied Health at Loma Linda University. Dr. Seheult is also quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Episode summary: NEWSTART Pillars of Health are different than any other "pillars" I've encountered....the typical pillars, and there are so many, are so generic as to be useless. NEWSTART is different in two ways: (1) it brings attention and priority to aspects of health that are missed by the generic pillars, and (2) uniquely, it brings a focus to the entire point of remaining healthy or returning to health and fitness....and that is "purpose". Why do you want to be a fit, strong athlete? Is winning races really that important, or is health and fitness ultimately an means to an end. Where will your fitness take you? What will you do with the gift of life you have been given?

This is what I am thinking about after my conversation with Dr Roger Seheult of MedCram.

I hope you get as much to think about as I did.

Related episodes & links:* Episode 148 | Adventure for Life | Brian Keane * Episode 143 | Nasal Breathing | George Dallam PhD * Episode 144 | Muscle for Athletics & Healthspan | Mark Tarnopolsky MD PhD * Episode 149 | Near Infrared Light is the Missing Puzzle Piece | Scott Zimmerman * Yield and Overcome Mindset * https://newstart.com/home

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About the guest: Bill Harris, PhD in Human Nutrition

Dr. William (Bill) S. Harris is an internationally recognized expert in omega-3 fatty acid research, particularly concerning cardiovascular health. He earned his Ph.D. in Human Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and completed post-doctoral fellowships in Clinical Nutrition and Lipid Metabolism at the Oregon Health Sciences University. In 2009, Dr. Harris founded OmegaQuant, a company specializing in omega-3 blood testing, notably the Omega-3 Index test, which he co-invented in 2004. This test measures the levels of omega-3 fatty acids in red blood cells and has been widely used in research and clinical settings.

Over his 40-year career, Dr. Harris has authored more than 300 scientific papers on fatty acids and health. His significant contributions have earned him recognition as one of the top 2% of scientists worldwide based on research impact. In late 2020, Dr. Harris transitioned from his role at OmegaQuant to establish the Fatty Acid Research Institute (FARI), where he serves as President and focuses on conducting and publishing research on fatty acids and health.

Dr. Harris is also a Fellow of the American Society for Nutrition and has co-authored multiple American Heart Association scientific statements on fatty acids and cardiovascular disease.

Episode summary: Omega 3. EPA/DHA. Our talk today is mostly about how can the older athlete get the most out of the omega 3 nutrient…sources, forms of supplements, how to dose, what to take it with for better bioavailability, and anything else we should know. We also explore three other areas:

what does our body do with omega 3’s? Is more better?
should we take only EPA or only DHA?
what’s the real story behind the recent negative headlines on omega 3’s (failed pharma studies, Afib risks, DHA is detrimental)?
what’s the deal with the new stuff being marketed to us now such as SPMs (specialized pro resolving mediators) and Fatty 15 (they sure are good at marketing…is this a replacement for EPA/DHA?)

EPA & DHA are not "essential fatty acids" but if you are interested in any of the many available benefits, eat more fish....or take fish oil or algae oil. Don't let your body be short of these vital nutrients.

Lower resting HR (resulting in better oxygen to heart)
Anticoagulation like aspirin but without stomach issues
Reduced homocysteine
Lower triglycerides
Improved mitochondrial energy production
Lower chronic inflammation
Speeds resolution of acute inflammation (from injury or training)

Related episodes & links:* Nature article: Blood n-3 fatty acid levels and total can cause specific mortality from 17 prospective studies * OmegaQuant website

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About the guest: Mark Faulkner, President & Founder of Vireo Systems. After graduating college with a degree in physics, accompanied by a heavy emphasis on biochemistry and research, Mark began his career in the “business of science” at one of the largest publicly traded multinational diagnostics, pharma, and medical device businesses. Mark later co-founded a forensic toxicology and healthcare laboratory that provides science-driven drug testing, post-mortem, and consulting services. Based on that experience, Mark founded Vireo System to manufacture CON-CRET, the only US manufacturer of creatine to provide athletes and everyone else high quality creatine formulations.

https://vireosystems.com/
https://con-cret.com/pages/science

Episode summary: Creatine is no longer just for muscle building or improving power; creatine makes cells everywhere in the body more efficient at making energy. Creatine is now at the top of my supplement list, but I've been taking it incorrectly for 30 years. Check out my conversation with Mark Faulkner, Founder & CEO of the only US manufacturer of creatine. We discuss how creatine helps the muscles, brain, bones, immune system and more, how to dose, what to mix creatine powder with to improve absorption, and much more.

Discussion points:

What is creatine? Arginine, Glycine, Methionine in a chemical structure.
How does it help so many aspects of health? The body makes creatine so it is expecting it. More than we can make or eat can be used.
How to dose and take creatine to get the benefits desired? The key is solubility via chemical make-up or via temperature of mixing liquid.
What are the various types of creatine....why not just use the regular variety (monohydrate)? Consider, gut issues / bioavailability (do you have stomach upset?) vs cost (modesty higher expense for higher solubility and US/European manufacture)
Considerations for quality? Testing certifications. Country of origin.

Creatine's Role in Energy Efficiency and Oxidative Stress

Creatine does make cells more efficient at energy production, particularly during high-intensity activities, while also potentially reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation through several mechanisms:

Energy buffer system improvement
Creates a rapid ATP regeneration pathway independent of oxygen
Reduces the demand on other energy systems (glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation) during intense efforts
This metabolic efficiency means less byproduct formation per unit of work
Mitochondrial protection
Recent research suggests creatine helps stabilize mitochondrial membranes
May improve mitochondrial function and reduce electron leakage (a major source of ROS)
Can potentially increase mitochondrial efficiency, reducing the oxygen required for ATP production
Direct antioxidant properties
Some studies indicate creatine has mild direct free radical scavenging abilities
May help neutralize certain ROS, though this is not its primary mechanism
Anti-inflammatory effects
By reducing cellular stress and improving energy efficiency, there's less metabolic disruption
Less disruption means reduced inflammatory signaling cascade activation
Studies sho

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About the guest: Bob Seebohar is a board-certified specialist in sport dietetics, an exercise physiologist, a strength and conditioning coach, and a USA Triathlon certified elite, youth, and junior coach and a competitive endurance athlete.

Bob Seebohar was the director of sport nutrition at the University of Florida and a Sports Dietitian for the US Olympic Committee where he traveled to the 2008 Olympic Games as the sports dietitian for the U.S. team. He now runs his own practice eNRG Performance (enrgperformance.com) and serves as the consulting sports dietitian for the Las Vegas Golden Knights professional hockey team and the consulting dietitian for the entire University of Denver athletics program.

He has authored many books including:

Nutrition Periodization for Athletes,
Metabolic Efficiency Training: Teaching the Body to Burn More Fat,
Caffeine Protocol for Endurance Athletes,
Sodium Loading for Endurance Athletes,
Metabolic Efficiency Recipe Book,
Neuromuscular, Dynamic and Functional Exercises for Athletes,
Prehab Exercises for Athletes,
Fuel4mance Smoothie Recipe Book,
Performance Nutrition: Applying the Science of Nutrient Timing, and
Sports Nutrition for Young Triathletes.

He currently also owns & operates

Fuel4mance, a sports nutrition consulting company (www.fuel4mance.com),
Elite Multisport Coaching, an adult endurance coaching company (www.teamemc.com) and
Kids that TRI, a non-profit youth triathlon organization (www.kidsthattri.org).

Episode summary: Teach your body to burn more fat to improve health and performance. The concept of Metabolic Efficiency (ME) can be applied to individuals just beginning exercise, fitness enthusiasts and the seasoned athlete.

Metabolic Efficiency describes the relationship between the body's ability to use fat and carbohydrate as energy sources across a variety of exercise intensities. ..more than ability…it’s the training of the body to use the right fuels at the right time. Being more of a "fat burner" will allow you to improve your health, reduce risk for chronic disease, lose weight and body fat, improve athletic performance and eliminate gastrointestinal (GI) distress.

According to Bob Seebohar, older male athletes looking to improve fat burning and reduce insulin resistance should focus on these specific strategies:

Train in Zone 2 consistently - Prioritize longer, lower-intensity aerobic sessions (heart rate around 60-70% of max) to enhance mitochondrial function and fat oxidation
Implement "fuel timing" - Practice strategic carbohydrate periodization by limiting carbs during easy training and saving them for around higher-intensity sessions
Practice overnight fasting - Extend the natural overnight fast (12-14 hours) to enhance fat adaptation, potentially combined with some fasted morning training
Focus on protein quality and timing - Consume adequate protein (1.6-2.0g/kg bodyweight) distributed throughout the day to maintain muscle mass, which is crucial for metabolic health in aging males
Include strength training - Incorporate 2-3 weekly sessions of resistance training to support muscle mass and insulin sensitivity
Address testosterone naturally - Support natural testosterone production through adequate dietary fat intake (especially monounsaturated sources), zinc-rich foods, qua

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About the guest: Ellie Phillips DDS is a dentist with over four decades of experience, focusing on empowering patients to stop cavities and heal gum disease naturally. She recommends a specific collection of commercially available oral care products, but ONLY when used in a particular synergistic sequence to balance mouth biochemistry, protect enamel, and fight plaque (without harming nitric oxide production).

DrEllie.com

Dr Ellie's credentials:

Graduated as a Dentist from Guy’s Hospital Medical School in London
Worked in three countries: the U.K., Switzerland and the United States during the 40 years of my career, serving a wide array of patients including: special needs, seniors in nursing homes, babies and preschool kids.
Previously a faculty member at the University of Rochester in New York
Creator of Zellie’s - a line of dental mints and gum sweetened only with 100% pure xylitol.
Founding Member of the American Academy For Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH)
Author of: Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye and Mouth Care Comes Clean

Episode summary: Dr Ellie is a highly experienced dentist and a leading advocate for people to take such good care of their mouths that they don't need dentists. Dr Ellie agreed to help Wise Athletes by explaining the basics of how the human mouth repairs damage to keep teeth and gums strong and healthy over a long lifetime, while also not allowing oral bacteria to infect the body which leads to heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Dr Ellie also explains how people undermine those natural functions with entirely avoidable errors....leading to tooth decay, gun disease, and poor nitric oxide production. For the older athlete, oral health is low hanging fruit for higher performance. The upside is a better smile, a healthy mouth, and a long, healthy life.

After talking to Dr Ellie, I am convinced that oral health is a missing pillar of health that is so easy to do right if we only knew what to do. You've come to the right place to find out how.

Impact of Oral Health on Overall Health

Cardiovascular Disease: Poor oral health, particularly gum disease, has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. The bacteria from inflamed gums can enter the bloodstream, potentially leading to arterial plaque formation and heart complications.
Diabetes: There is a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. Individuals with diabetes are more susceptible to infections, including gum disease, which can, in turn, affect blood sugar control.
Respiratory Infections: Inadequate oral hygiene can lead to the inhalation of bacteria from the mouth into the lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
Cognitive Decline: Emerging research suggests a connection between oral health and cognitive functions. For instance, a study found that individuals with fewer natural teeth at age 70 had a higher risk of cognitive impairment and mortality.

The 4 Keys To Oral Health: Daily oral care, Good saliva, Lifestyle & daily habits, Repair & Maintenance

Key #1 -- Daily Oral Care -- oh so important. But before you rush to "brush and floss", consider a few important things about your choice of toothbrush and toothpaste and how (or if) you should rinse or floss

Toothbrushes

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About the guest: Olle Johansson, PhD, is a former associate professor at the department of neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet. His research focuses on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields and the potential consequences of unbridled expansion of global communications networks. He is outspoken in his desire to inform the public of the known dangers of electronic devices and wireless technologies, particularly to children, who are more susceptible to the effects.

Please consider funding Prof. Johansson’s research: https://research.radiation.dk

Olle is a past associate professor at the Karolinska Institute, Department of Neuroscience, and head of The Experimental Dermatology Unit as well as a guest and adjunct professor in basic and clinical neuroscience at the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. He has published more than 600 original articles, reviews, book chapters and conference reports within the fields of basic and applied neuroscience, dermatology, epidemiology, and biophysiology.

Article from Johansson O, "Stop! In the Name of Life!”, Jan 9, 2025 -- https://newsvoice.se/2025/01/radiation-exposed-bacteria/

Episode summary: How can you protect yourself and family from possible harms of nnEMF without giving up every modern convenience? Look for opportunities to reduce power, increase distance, and eliminate exposure wherever the inconvenience is low: while you sleep, what you didn't even know was turned on....or the exposure is high (cell phone in your pocket all day everyday)

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
Email us your questions at info@wiseathletes.com.

*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.

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About the guest: Gage Banks's expertise encompasses the complex relationships between airway function, hearing, vision, dental occlusion (how teeth align), and tongue positioning—all of which play crucial roles in regulating body tension and balance. By integrating this specialized knowledge with his foundation in orthopedic care, breathwork, and neurovisceral techniques, Gage helps patients understand how these systems influence their movement patterns and daily function. His comprehensive approach addresses various conditions, including TMJ dysfunction, sleep apnea, breathing disorders, and dental-related pain, working collaboratively with local dentists to provide coordinated care for optimal results.

"Just mobilizing joints, giving patients stretching and strengthening exercises, or having a patient participate in 'core stabilization' is not sufficient to address the complex interrelationship between the available mobility of the human system and the integration of automatic and volitional motor strategies.”

Gage's Credentials:

Gage Banks website - kinectphysicaltherapy.com

Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MSPT)
Manual Therapy Certification (MTC)
Certified Functional Manual Therapy (CFMT)
Fellow of Functional Manual Therapy (FFMT)
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy (FAAOMPT)

Episode summary: Gage Banks came recommended to me as a voodoo healer, a bringer of solutions for inscrutable problems. I found Gage to be an intelligent problem solver who opened my eyes to the problems we create for ourselves by living a modern, habitually unbalanced life.

Our physiology is a magnificent thing. Billions of years of trial and error have led to a self repairing and adapting mechanism that is us. Our modern world has changed the game faster than our instinctive mechanisms can change so it is up to our conscious selves to know what can go wrong to take corrective action.

Bullet point summary:

It’s when we get so out of balance that we cannot find balance when we need it
Reintegrate ourself in the world so we can flow in the world
Stand on one leg with your eyes closed to see if you are overly focused on central vision
Tongue extension: deviation and impression of teeth
Grabbing the pen with your eyes closed
Watching your feet when you walk to be careful
Looking at the stairs when you walk on them.
Being too careful means you are locked up.
Walk with a forward head. Not swinging arms when you walk.
How to put yourself in the world?
(1) Look at your heels (or the underside of the chair) the entire time while you stand up or sit down (avoid the "plop")
(2) Walk and notice what you do: look at the ground near your feet? just notice what you do.
(3) Walk and pick a place to look off in the distance while noticing the peripheral vision (without looking at the things in the periphery)
(4) Walk and swing your arms forward and backward while rotating shoulders....see your arms with your peripheral vision
(5) Then look for tension where you don't need it....let it go. Emphasize rhythm and flow.

Related episodes:

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About the guest: Dr. Gillett enjoys providing holistic individualized care to his patients. His practice includes preventative medicine, aesthetics, sports medicine, hormone optimization, obstetrics and infertility, integrative medicine, precision medicine including genomics, and aesthetics. He believes that each human is a unique creation that requires attention to their body, mind, and soul. He uses shared decision-making and an evidence-based approach. He firmly believes “food is medicine” and “exercise is medicine”. Dr. Gillett describes the “7 pillars of health”: exercise, diet, sleep, stress, social, sunlight, and spirit. These are more powerful than any medication or supplement. He enjoys spending time outdoors on the farm with his wife, two sons, daughter, and wolfhound.

Kyle's website: kylegillettmd.com/
Gillett Health website: gilletthealth.com/
Kyle's YouTube Channel

Kyle's Credentials:

Dr. Kyle Gillett is a dual board-certified physician specializing in family medicine and obesity medicine.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency at Cox Family Medicine Residency

Episode summary: Kyle walks me through the details behind: hair loss, BPH (benign prostate hyperplasia), and low T, what we can do to keep it from happening or stop it, and his perspective on choosing between finasteride and dutasteride....two of the major players in solving the big 3.

Key Points:

General recommendations for older m
1. once a week 1mg dutasteride is a good preventative program (hair and prostate) with limited side effects (sunflower lethicin )
2. Low dose tadalafil EOD or daily
3. TRT if needed and risks (cancer) are low
Hair loss regiment ( 3 layers)
1. anti androgen (dutasteride)
2. growth agonist (minoxidil)
3. micro needling
Big 3: hair loss, prostate growth (and cancer), and low T. Related?
People with insulin resistance, higher IGF-1, more pronounced metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes) are more prone to issues
Metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea are the two leading causes of low total testosterone (but not necessarily causing low free testosterone)
Free T and DHT matters more for athletic performance and body composition
Total T matters more for how you feel, and for delivery of androgens to the prostate (growth)
Several different types of 5 alpha reductase enzyme; finasteride and dutasteride have different effects on each which is why they can have different effects.
It mostly about the ratio of testosterone plus dht vs estrogen. If the ratio changes you are more likely to have symptoms of high estrogen
Free T = calculated with total T and SHBG (tightly binding) and albumin (loosely binding)
Free T should be 2-3x lower than estrogen (in normal, not same units). If 4-5 lower estrogen too high.
free t of 15 ng/dl

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About the guest: Dr. Mike T Nelson is a research-fueled Fitness and Nutrition educator. Dr. Mike has spent 18 years of his life learning how the human body works, specifically focusing on how to properly condition it to burn fat and become stronger, more flexible, and healthier. Better health as a foundation for better athletic performance is his specialty. He is the legendary creator of the Metabolic Flexibility and Physiological Flexibility programs.

Dr Mike T Nelson Website

Dr Mike's Credentials:

PhD in Exercise Physiology from University of Minnesota
BA in Natural Science from St. Scholastica
MS in Biomechanics from Michigan Technological University
Adjunct Professor in Human Performance for Carrick Institute for Functional Neurology
Adjunct Professor & Member of American College of Sports Medicine
Instructor at Broadview University
Professional Nutritional Member at the American Society for Nutrition
Professional Sports Nutrition Member at the International Society for Sports Nutrition
Professional NSCA Member at the National Strength and Conditioning Association

Episode summary: Dr Mike is famous for his ability to develop training protocols that bridge the gap between scientific research and actual results for his athletes.

Dr Mike joins me to provide a framework for the crazy stuff we've all heard about and done....that might even make a big difference in reducing biological age and unlocking peak athletic performance. Some of this these therapies you may already be doing, such as sauna or cold therapy, or Wim Hof breathing or breathholds. But listen in to understand why these interventions work and how to organize them intelligently to enhance your resilience, longevity, and physical potential.

Whether you’re an athlete or someone striving to feel younger and stronger, this episode is packed with insights to help you thrive.

Rebuild your Physiological Flexibility -- the 4 regulators to train: pH, temperature, CO2 tolerance, and expanded fuels.TEMPERATURE --Cold and heat exposure – embrace the temperature extremes. Turn your body into a machine that thrives under temperature duress.

Hot -get hot outside or sauna
Cold - cold water immersion, get cold outside, cold showers (see protocol below)

pH -- ACIDIC vs. BASIC -- teach your body to handle high intensity exercise ("the burn") as well low-CO2 from hyperventilating

Acidic: HIIT -high intensity exercise (Maximum Effort for a short time)
Basic: Fast Breathing (supra ventilation) techniques like Wim Hoff and others, lower intensity exercise (Sustainable Effort for a long time)

O2 & CO2 REGULATION -- expand your tolerance of higher CO2 with restricted and nasal breathing

High CO2 Tolerance: light exercise with nasal breathing, slow/restricted breathing techniques and breath holds
Low O2: high altitude training if you have access, shallow breathing for 10 minutes to bring SpO2 down and hold under 90%

EXPANDED FUELS -- train your body to burn everything (fat / ketones vs. carbohydrates / lactate), and switch between fuels easily. Intermittent fasting and keto cycling aren’t di

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About the guest: Nic Verhoeven PhD is the host of Physionic, an educational platform on YouTube dedicated to making medical research understandable to empower individuals to make informed health decisions. Dr. Verhoeven's specialty is translating hard data from complex scientific studies into understandable and actionable information for the lay public. In this mission, Nic is entirely successful.

Youtube.com/physionic

NIc's Credentials:

Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine / Cell & Molecular PhysiologyCell & Molecular Biology Researcher [10 years]M.S. Exercise PhysiologyProfessor of Physiology, Nutrition

Episode summary: Nic and I boil the ocean on many topics that needed answers from the best source of scientific research findings. Nic is the best science communicator in the business. Our chat ran a bit long but it will be worth your time. Enjoy!

Below are my notes that Nic referred to during our conversation....Nic agreed with some of my thoughts but not all...listen to Nic, not me.

Layer #1 – the base layer…stuff to avoid… interventions with the fewest side effects are the stupid things you stop doing….any thoughts on the stuff to avoid?

Avoid narrow diets for long periods of time…eat a variety of foods
Avoid pollution / toxins….no smoking or any smoke in lungs, avoid heavy metals, plastics, nnEMFs, other?
Stop screwing up your circadian rhythm…don’t need stimulants to wake up and drugs to feel sleepy…nighttime lighting, eating late, etc…”coffee is good for you” yeah, but don’t need it
Stop drinking poisons…using alcohol (in drinks, in mouthwash) that kills NO production from diet.
Stop sitting all the time … Move throughout the day not just during workouts. And don’t wear shoes all the time…your feet will thank you
Stop being inside all the time …losing out on NIR/UV…too much blue spectrum from “white” LEDs. Get sunlight …open a window, go outside, use a full spectrum lamp if you cannot get out enough

Layer #2 – the stuff where the max or min is better (no U shaped curve)…so much of biology is about the sweetspot…not too high or too low…but some things DO fall into the bucket of extremes are best …. any thoughts on these?

apoB low as possible?
Polyphenols… high as possible? 30 plants every week
Fiber …for SCFA, for bowel transit…keep chronic inflammation low
Advanced glycation end products (keep blood glucose in normal range & minimize burned foods)
Fat isn’t bad…Visceral fat is bad … keeping / building muscle while losing / avoid adding visceral fat
Alcohol doesn’t help much…reduces glutathione, impairs sleep, …learn how to relax without drugs
Smoke in lungs – smoking, fires, etc
Mouth breathing… Minimize mouth breathing….filtering, moisturizing, NO from nasal passages
Viral load – exposome?
Stimulants – caffeine, nicotine – double edge sword…don’t need it
Max Mitochondria / ATP production – energy to power the cells to live and function properly…see layer #3

Layer #3 –a vigorous life for a dynamic physiology…the older athlete does not have the resilience of the young….we have to be more mindful…more purposeful in providing the right stimulus to the body to encourage the adaptations we want. A steady state is only for dead people…. So, what can we do to cre

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About the guest: Dr. Cory S. Goldberg BSc, MD, MASc, FRCS(C), FACS, MBA is a Plastic Surgeon with a fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

He is a diplomat of the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He earned his MD degree from Queen’s University, Canada and completed his Plastic Surgery residency training at the University of Toronto, including a Master’s of Applied Science in Biomedical Engineering. He subsequently did sub-specialty fellowship training in Craniofacial Plastic Surgery at University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.

https://www.corygoldbergmd.com/
https://www.beautyspan.com

Episode summary: Dr Goldberg explains his journey from plastic surgeon to longevity medicine, and explains how skin is a two-way window into our health status today and our trajectory for healthspan in the future. The short version is take care of your skin, and be careful of popular beauty products that only fake the look of health while actually injuring your skin.

How are you doing in your health trajectory? You are doing well if you:

have healthy looking skin (not: thin, crepey, spotty)
are strong enough in all muscles
have endurance for movement
have little pain in your body
have regular (daily at least) bowel movements
are able to sleep and wake on a natural circadian rhythm without drugs
can go without eating for a day without a problem

GliSODinStudy undertaken to examine the effects of an orally effective antioxidant supplement consisting of vegetable origin SOD chemically combined with wheat gliadin, GliSODin, on parameters of muscle damage, inflammation, and work performance in elite rowers during intensive physical activity. https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/11/10/1437

Link to a website for a research community dedicated to the understanding and advancement of GliSODin SOD / gliadin complex

Related episodes:Episode 123 | Inspiring Stories of Older Athletes | Lauren Hurst

Help the show:3 ways to support our show:

Leave a review (or share this episode)
Check out our Fullscript site to save big on high quality supplements. Thank you!
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About the guest: Rick Olderman, a licensed physical therapist with over 25 years of experience, is a best-selling author and respected speaker in chronic musculoskeletal pain. Rick transformed countless lives at his Denver clinic with his innovative approach to treatment. Rick is also the creator of a online programs revolutionizing treatment for chronic back, knee, head, shoulder, hip, foot, and migraines.

Rick's latest book, Pain Patterns: Why You Are in Pain and How to Stop It, is a groundbreaking guide for overcoming chronic back pain, sciatic pain, and SI joint pain. Rick shares the insights and techniques that have helped thousands of patients solve pain problems without giving up what they love to do.

rickolderman.com

Episode summary: Rick walks me through his journey to solving pain problems remotely....without hands-on treatment....and his confirmation of the importance of first identifying the root cause of pain before launching into a series of generic solutions to find something that helps the symptoms. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions for pain.

During the chat Rick walks me through a low back test and solution, and an upper back test and solution...both of which have been helpful to me. Do you have low back pain or upper back or neck pain? You will get immediate help from this episode.

Click the book to read more on the Amazon website.

Related episodes:Episode 73 | An Easy End to Pain | Rick Olderman

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Leave a review (or share this episode)
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Hey Everyone, welcome to WiseAthletes, your source for discovering how to flourish as an older athlete, and find your path to longevity in sport. I'm your host Joe Lavelle.

Today on Episode 150 I am presenting Part 2 in my series on Near Infrared (NIR) light, an important environmental factor that our bodies expect to have and need for our health. But in a narrowly focused effort to improve energy efficiency, our society has shifted our indoor lighting to LEDs which are the least power hungry way to illuminate our homes and offices....but in focusing on visible light, we have lost something very important to our health. This loss is compounded by the increase in time spent indoors (estimated at 90%). Part Two of the series is with Professor Glen Jeffrey PhD, an research biologist, who has been focused on using Deep Red/NIR light to preserve and improve eye health. His lab has also discovered that a short exposure to deep red (670nm) light measurably reduces blood sugar. Deep Red (670 nm)/NIR (700-2,500nm) light acts to increase ATP production and while blue light reduces ATP production. Low ATP production leads to, in the short term, lower visual acuity, while in the long-term, to photo receptor death (macular degeneration).

"Retina has an enormous metabolic rate...things that burn a lot of energy age fast...by the time you are 70 years old, you've lost 25%-30% of the central photo receptors in your eye....even if you are healthy"

"Retina is a sports car....goes like crazy, burns vasts amounts of energy, but also has a frailty in it. It needs a lot of looking after." You cannot recover lost photo receptors but you can slow the rate of decline by preserving the function of mitochondria in the retina. And you can improve eye function within 3 hours with as little as 1 minute of exposure to deep red and NIR light (targeted LEDs and the effect lasts for days. Incandescent lights also work (if your government hasn't banned them), and natural light is the best solution (if you live far enough South, or it's the right time of year).

The morning is the best time of day for red light to improve mitochondria energy production (it doesn't work after norming!)

Overall metabolic health PLUS deep red light ---> helps the mitochondria in the retina to produce a youthful level of energy to continue to function well enough to survive and allow us to see.

The scary bit is you and I have already lost a lot of our photo receptors (vision)...we just cannot tell yet. Now is the time to stop it.

Meet Glen JeffreyProfessor of Neuroscience, Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London (UCL Profile)

Professor Jeffery researches the intricate relationship between light, mitochondria, and health. Mitochondria (the “powerhouses of the cell”) are responsible for producing nearly all of the energy produced in the body. Sufficient exposure to red light / NIR lightwave frequencies can significantly boost mitochondrial function, leading to a range of health benefits, including:

Improved cellular energy production
Reduced inflammation
Accelerated tissue repair
Enhanced cognitive function
Anti-ageing effects

Social Media (Glen and others mentioned)* Glen Jeffery (@glen_jeffe5111) — biologist specializing in NIR light effect on the body * Bob Fosbury (@BobFosbury) — astrophysicist expert in light (electromagnetic waves in frequencies from UV to IR) and penetration into the human body * Scott Zimmerman (@SZimmZoo)— optical e

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Hey Everyone, welcome to WiseAthletes, your source for discovering how to flourish as an older athlete, and find your path to longevity in sport. I'm your host Joe Lavelle.

Today on episode 149 I am starting a 2-part series on Near Infrared (NIR) light, an important environmental factor that our bodies expect to have and need for our health. But in a narrowly focused effort to improve energy efficiency, our society has shifted our indoor lighting to LEDs which are the least power hungry way to illuminate our homes and offices....but in focusing on visible light, we have lost something very important to our health. This loss is compounded by the increase in time spent indoors (estimated at 90%). Part One of the series is with Scott Zimmerman, an optical engineer, who has been focused on quantifying the health effects of natural sunlight and designing indoor lighting that reintroduces near-infrared into our homes and offices (that does not run afoul of the Department of Energy). NIR light acts to increase ATP production and while blue light reduces ATP production. But blocking blue is a half-measure The real problem is the missing NIR light that you can get in the sun (or better yet, shade) if you would only spent a lot more time outside. Or, you can fix your indoor lighting.

Meet Scott ZimmermanFounder of Silas, Inc., maker of NIRA lighting (https://niralighting.com/). Scott has more than 35 years of experience in the fields of lighting and displays. His innovations and inventions have been used successfully in a wide range of military and commercial products that include night vision displays, liquid crystal display backlighting designs, and lighting fixtures.

Scott Zimmerman (@SZimmZoo)— optical engineer specializing in building light sources which minimize the health detriments of indoor lighting
Glen Jeffery (@glen_jeffe5111) — biologist specializing in NIR light effect on the body
Bob Fosbury (@BobFosbury) — astrophysicist expert in light (electromagnetic waves in frequencies from UV to IR) and penetration into the human body

Website & MedCram videos* https://niralighting.com/ * https://youtu.be/6Win49aeh8A?feature=shared * https://youtu.be/16UHK1gPUO8?feature=shared * https://youtu.be/isz2IQs_EPg?feature=shared * https://youtu.be/wadKIiGsDTw?feature=shared

Related info and episodes:* Episode 108 Red-NIR Light Therapy w/Dr Zulia Frost * Episode 105 -- UV Light Sweetspot w/Prof Prue Hart/

Relevant Scientific Articles: Dallaghan, Paul. “Mitochondria (Cellular Energy Batteries) Enhancement with Red Light and Near-Infrared (NIR) Light Therapy.” Samahita Retreat*, www.samahitaretreat.com/mitochondria-cellular-energy-batteries-enhancement-with-red-light-and-near-infrared-nir-light-therapy/. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. * Reiter, Russel J. and Zimmerman, Scott. “Melatonin and th

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Hey Everyone, welcome to WiseAthletes, your source for discovering how to flourish as an older athlete, and finding your path to longevity in sport. I'm your host Joe Lavelle.

Socrates warned us to beware the barrenness of a busy life. I understand that all too well these days. If you are like me, you are so busy doing the many things you HAVE to do plus your athletic longevity efforts to live long strong, including getting good sleep, eating a good diet with enough of this and not too much of that, and getting enough high and low intensity exercise … that the days just flash by. Time is flying by. Which is the exact opposite of what I am after.

The missing ingredient, I think, is marking time with powerful memories: and for me powerful memories come of adventures that provide experiences that had such powerful emotions that my brain stored the memories very securely. These experiences mark time and give my life a sense of fullness.

This idea is why invited Brian Keane to the show for episode 148. You probably know Brian. He is famous for his epic adventures in the Sahara desert and the arctic and more.

In our chat we discuss how to pick adventures and how to up your game to prepare for them while accomplishing your health and fitness goals for life.

I have to say that Brian is amazing and my conversation with Brian has had a big impact on my thinking. My mind is now focused on returning to my roots as an adventurer. I hope Brian has a powerful effect on you too

Who said “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”?

Why do Adventures?* Powerful memories to mark time for a full life * Feel proud of overcoming fears * Motivation to up your fitness game, both mentally and physically * Find your people; make life friends

Bio: Brian Keane* Brian has also completed some of the worlds most gruelling endurance challenges, such as six back to back marathons through the Sahara desert, a 230km through the Arctic and multiple ultra-marathons, including a 100 mile ultra-marathon in the desert in Nevada. * Brian is the host of one of Ireland and the UK’s top health podcasts, which is regularly featured #1 on the iTunes Health Charts. * Brian is a three time best-selling author with The Fitness Mindset, Rewire Your Mindset and The Keane Edge: Mastering the Mindset for Real Lasting Fat Loss. * Over the past ten years, Brian has become one of the most recognised faces in the Irish health and fitness industry. He has spoken at major wellness events such as Wellfest Ireland and Mefit Dubai, was a Keynote speaker at Google HQ and has done corporate wellness talks for Allianz Partners, SAP and Acorn Insurance. * briankeanefitness.com * @brian_keane_fitness - Instagram

Links:* Joe & Pete's Matterhorn & Mont Blanc trip report * 5 14ers on my 40th Birthday with Brian trip report * The 2 Joes Bolivia Peak Bagger trip report

Professional Grade Supplements for WiseAthletes

Hey Everyone, welcome to WiseAthletes, your source for discovering how to flourish as an older athlete, and finding your path to longevity in sport. I'm your host Joe Lavelle.

Chronic low grade inflammation underlies all states of sickness and disease associated with aging. Everything that is "healthy" is probably good for chronic inflammation but eating blueberries or taking magnesium or focusing on nasal breathing are just too specific... not fundamental enough. What I want to know is what is the #1 best way to target inflammaging that will make a difference....I can worry about the marginal gains later.

Having said that.....what would you ask if you got a chance to talk to a PhD who is a retired academic researcher in multiple areas of human physiology, was a professional athlete in two sports, has been a lifelong bodybuilder, and who is now coaching top level athletes and older high performing older around the world? What would you ask him? Right....so would I. On episode 147 I took a deep dive into inflammaging with Dr. Dwayne Jackson to understand his approach to stop chronic inflammation from reducing our ability to perform and recover, and improve our health along the way. He did not disappoint.

Dr Jackson even shared his secret breakfast feast that I have been eating every morning ever since. Be ready to take some notes.

This episode will definitely help if you find that you are....

Recovering from exercise more slowly?
Cutting calories but still cannot lose that last bit of visceral fat?
Eliminating healthy foods because you can't digest them well...feel bloated...get constipated?

All right, let's talk to Dr Dwayne Jackson about resolving chronic inflammation.

Bristol Stool Chart
Monash FODMAP Info & App

Bio: Dwayne Jackson, PhD* Dr. Dwayne N. Jackson is a dad, athlete, health specialist, medical educator, scientist, and entrepreneur. He has over 12 years of university education in exercise/human physiology, medicine, and nutritional biochemistry. Dr. Jackson holds a PhD in neurovascular physiology and has been educated at some of the top academic institutions in North America including University of Ottawa, the University of Western Ontario, and Yale University School of Medicine. * drdwaynejackson.com * dwayne@yourvitalscience.com * @drdnjackson - Instagram * @drdnjackson - Twitter / X

Notes:Lower inflammation

gut health : healthy poops
How to get a healthy gut?
Don’t major in the minors. Focus on what matters. Highly processed food isn’t ideal but it won’t make a big difference if it is occasional. Mostly eat a whole food mostly plant based diet.
Seed the biome with diversity and fertilize / feed the biome a diverse diet to provide food for the

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If you are like me you have been investing time and effort into getting stronger and building a foundation of health with a variety of activities including resistance training, endurance exercise, high intensity intervals, and playing games requiring hand-eye coordination. I thought that was enough but what I haven't been doing is working directly on my foundation as an athlete....my feet. In my daily routine I do not have a single drill or protocol for making my toes and feet stronger to better control my body. And when I look at my feet I can see the impact of a life of wearing shoes that are pointy and tight. I have shoe shaped feet, and it turns out that shoe shaped feet are not very good for what I need my feet to do...control my balance, agility and dexterity. Oh, and it turns out that shoe shaped feet are also not good for producing power. Dang.

Today is going to be a treat. On episode 146 I am joined by Tyler Benner, who is an athlete just like us who discovered that his athletic performance, which was world class in archery, was sub-optimized by his poor foot strength. Tyler joins us today to explain his long journey to figure out how to improve himself and his feet to improve his athleticism.

"Athletes deserve to know"....what do strong feet look like and what can strong feet do? how do you know if you have strong feet?
"Performance isn't always what we think it is"... In other words, how much performance improvement are we missing by only focusing on just strength or power output? Power is important, but what else is important in athletic performance? Where does agility and balance and dexterity come into play in your sport?

Here's two great videos for strengthening your feet:

Foot Mobility Fix (3 Fast, Effective Exercises!)

Build Big Toe Strength

Strong feet must have space to spread your toes for optimal force production, agility, power, and balance.

Bio: Tyler Benner* Strong Feet Athletics was founded by Tyler Benner, internationally competitive Olympic archer and author. With a deep study of the human body, Tyler believes good posture and daily movement help people do life better. * Tyler takes a holistic approach to posture and foot health. Inspired by Katy Bowman’s concept of Nutritious Movement, or how movement variety can be thought of like food groups, Tyler believes a well-rounded movement diet is required for optimal foot strength and balance. * https://youtu.be/d262lidaOPo?feature=shared (foot transformation) * https://www.strongfeetathletics.com * Follow:1) @venndesign2) @astraarchery3) @strongfeetathletics

Bullet points: * Foot Mobility Fix (3 Fast, Effective Exercises!) by Z-Health * Build Big Toe Strength * The number of

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Food as medicine is an old idea...it's the original idea on how to be a healthy person dating back more than 2000 years, but can food be the way to achieve athletic longevity? Can wise athletes target certain foods to target faster recovery, better health, and longer life? Can it be done without extreme or highly restrictive diets?

Today on episode 145, I am joined by Dr William Li...a physician, scientist and author of "eat to beat disease" and "eat to beat your diet" to discuss his research on using plant and animal based foods to boost our 5 body defense systems to fend off the chronic diseases associated with aging. And, in particular, I asked Dr Li to talk about combating chronic inflammation and activating stem cells to rebuild our body.

All right, let's talk to Dr Li .

Bio: William Li, MD* William W. Li, MD, is a physician, scientist and author of the New York Times bestsellers “Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself” and “Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer.” His research has led to the development of more than 40 new medical treatments that impact care for more than 70 diseases including diabetes, blindness, heart disease and obesity. His TED Talk, “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” has been viewed more than 11 million times. He is President and Medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and he is leading global initiatives on food as medicine.

Bullet points: * Science shows many foods can prevent, halt or even reverse cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other life-threatening chronic diseases. * Over the past decade, the Angiogenesis Foundation has discovered and gathered evidence that fruits, vegetables, herbs, seafood, tea, coffee, and even chocolate contain natural substances — bioactives — that can prevent and intercept disease by influencing angiogenesis and other defense systems in the body. * What we eat and drink is enormously impactful when it comes to preventing disease.

5 body defense systems -- key pillars * Each of these systems is influenced by diet. When you know what to eat, to support each system, you can then use your diet to maintain health and beat disease. The five defense systems are angiogenesis, regeneration, microbiome, DNA protection, and immunity. * Angiogenesis: The process by which blood vessels are formed. Angiogenesis keeps the sixty thousand miles of blood vessels found in your body working to support health and fight disease. This is the common component in cancer tumors. Barley and mushrooms are good for growing blood vessels where you need them. * Regeneration: The process of creating and renewing 750,000 stem cells that power our bodies. Stem cells maintain, repair and regenerate our bodies. Avoid too much salt, saturated fat, alcohol, smoking. Do eat dark chocolate, barley, mushrooms, fruit skins (apple, pear, peach, strawberry...also anti-inflammatory)...to get stem cells to come out to heal the body. * Microbiome: The bacteria that is found within our bodies that act to defend our health. * DNA Protection: This is our genetic blueprint. Foods can help repair damaged DNA caused by daily living, but can also help lengthen our telomeres, which protect DNA and slow aging. * Imm

Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer

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Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell....yes, but what does that mean? What can we do, as Wise Athletes, to have enough healthy mitochondria in our muscles and everywhere else powering our bodily functions for optimal brain power, energy levels, we well as muscle power and endurance?

These questions and more are addressed by Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, neurologist, mitochondrial researcher, lifelong elite athlete. Mark is the real deal who knows both sides of the story....the science and the practice of building muscle and VO2Max for performance today and a long stay on the planet as a strong athlete.

All right, let's talk to Dr Tarnopolsky about the single best way to stay healthy and strong as we get older....exercise.

BIO: Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD, FRCP(C)* Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, CEO and CSO, Exerkine Corporation, * Director of Neuromuscular and Neurometabolic Clinic, * McMaster University Medical Center

Bullet points -- Muscle & Mitochondria* "We all are suffering from the mitochondrial disease called aging" * "An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure"...Muscle loss prevention is ideal but it’s never too late to restart exercising; benefits accrue to everyone who starts exercising at any age. * Aerobic training is very good, but we also need weight training. Exercise provides a modest 4-year lifespan extension but a 10-year healthspan extension as it lengthens the time in life we can be mobile and take care of ourselves. * Do at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday * VO2Max is a function of and delivery of oxygen (heart stroke volume and heart rate) and extraction of oxygen (capillarization of blood vessels into muscle and mitochondrial volume to use oxygen) * Vo2max: * At rest: 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kg of body weight per minute * Min. to live without assistance: 12 ml/kg/min * Mark's VO2Max at his athletic peak: 88.2 ml/kg/min * VO2Max falls from 25/30 yo but older athletes have higher vo2max than sedentary young people * But VO2Max isn’t enough for longevity. We need 3x/week of endurance training for VO2Max and 2-3x week of resistance training to build and maintain muscle mass. * Longevity metrics: VO2Max, leg strength, waist-to-hip circumference * Elite athletes need 2x the protein of sedentary people * Don’t train with futility: Get enough high quality protein (aim for 1.2g/kg), don’t be deficient in Vit D (take a supplement), get sufficient calcium in diet. Milk and egg whites are the best quality proteins. Collagen is low quality protein (used as the no-protein control in experiments) * Running or cycling at 65% of VO2Max (approx. lactate threshold; top of zone 2) 3-5x per week for 30-60 minutes a day will increase mitochondria. * Interval training will increase the pace and HR possible at a zone 2 (“all day pace” of work) by increasing the lactate threshold. Once lactate starts to accumulate, it is only a matter of time before exhaustion sets in. * Weight training in untrained older people does build mitochondria, and there is a spill over into VO2Max development * Weight training for endurance athletes is about building muscle mass for strength and healthspan * Fast vs. Slow twitch: * Slow are the endurance fibers that are full of mitochondria, can go all day without fatigue, can burn every fuel we have with oxygen, but are smaller (to allow better oxygen delivery) and slower to turn fuel into energy. These fibers and their mitochondria come from a demand (consistent exercise) for long, moderate effort of work. * Fast are the stronger fibers that have some mitochondria but not as much, burn glucose with or with oxygen, are bigger and stronger but tire easily. These are the fibers we build lifting weights that usually does not stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis

Why do we lose muscle? What can we do to stop it?1. Lack of use is the big one 2. Loss of enervation…the nerve that connects the muscle fiber to the brain dies, and now the muscle cannot get any signal to move, so the muscle is lost. On average people lose 30% of the muscle nerves. This seems to occur more frequently in people who do not exercise. Nerve talks to muscle; muscle talks to nerve. 3. Mitochondrial damage from oxidative stress. Antioxidants made by the body and in our diets can help. As we lose mitochondria, the remaining mitochondria make more reactive oxygen species which cause oxidative damage. And old mitochondria have accumulated more damage and make more ROS. Exercise stimulates mitophagy…the clearing out of old mitochondria. But the ROS is also a signal to make the cells stronger and more resilient, so some ROS is good while too much can cause extra damage. 4. Taking antioxidants after moderate exercise is probably not helpful and might impede adaptation but antioxidants after very hard, perhaps excessive exercise can be helpful to minimize the damage 5. Other things Mark takes: a multi-vitamin, Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), coQ10 because he exercises hard 7 days a week. 6. Deficiencies are never good: get iron/ferritin levels checked, b12 is often low, check thyroid…low thyroid is bad for mitochondria, vit d, lipids, 7. Anabolic resistance…older people have a lower level of muscle protein synthesis for a given level of stimulation (exercise or amino acids). Largely related to poorly functioning transporters that bring the amino acids into the muscle cell to use to make more muscle. Probably from oxidative stress, AGEs damaged proteins, 8. 0.8 g/kg is not enough for trained athletes training very hard…cannot fully recover. When training 1.5-2 hours a day, athletes need almost double the protein (1.6-1.7g/kg per day).High quality protein is best at these minimum intakes. 9. Older adults should aim for 1.2g/kg/day vs the RDA of 0.8-1.0 unless training heavily and then aim for 50% more than younger athletes training the same amount 10. “humanized milk” = 60% casein & 40% whey 11. Autophagy is increased by exercise, which is safer for older athletes than fasting or caloric restriction. 12. To adapt to training you need to match calorie intake with calorie expenditure AND get enough protein. Eat a variety of colors (phytonutrients are important). Eat “close to nature”. Avoid simple sugars and highly processed foods. Antioxidants in food are always good. 13. Chronic inflammation is a cause for reduced muscle mass and slower muscle building. Exercise lowers chronic inflammation. A healthy gut comes from a healthy diet. Avoid the highly processed food (i.e. peanut butter) with emulsifiers. 14. Mitochondria are not just in the muscle…but exercise is good for mitochondria everywhere in the body. Exercise is the key to healthy aging as well as health today. Cataracts, hearing loss, 15. Supplements: 16. fish oil (best in fish) good for muscle and mitochondrial preservation during disuse, ALA and Vit E and creatine combined lowered oxygen-related stress, creative alone is useful for improved sleep and muscle strength and brain health 17. TRIM7 -- Obesity supplement also is good for mitochondrial health: Coq10 ALA, Vit E, beet root extract, Green tea extract, green coffee bean extract and mint extract called Forskolin. Browning of white fat….helps people to lose weight without losing muscle. 18. Urolithin A – poor evidence of efficacy. 19. NAD+ boosters….may not be good and some evidence of problems from niacin and niacatinamide. 20. MUSCLE5 – creative, humanized milk, vit D, calcium.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 128-mitochondrial-power-up-w-methylene-blue-scott-sherr-md/ * Episode 127-how-to-get-great-bones-dr-keith-mccormick/

More Tarnolpolsky info:* Mark's Supplement Company: Stay Above Nutrition: https://stayabovenutrition.ca * Exerkine (Revolutionizing Medical Nutrition): https://www.exerkine.com/

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, please leave us a review. And, be sure to check out our FullScript supplements link to see the amazing prices on the best brands on the planet.

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We all want a healthy heart, lungs, and brain. Can you guess at the single behavior that connects the dots on solving: the ability to run or ride at the same speed using 25% less breathing, reducing the occurrence of the so called exercise induced asthma or bronchoconstriction (EIB), eliminating side stitches while running, avoiding frequent sinus infections and bronchitis, and even dodging aFib and dementia?...and what if it cost you nothing but your attention? Well, listen to this: The latest science is showing us that while breathing with an open mouth allows for an increase in ventilation, increases work capacity (think: vo2max), and actually feels more comfortable and normal, doing so also predisposes us to a variety of potential health problems over time. Right, today we are going to talk about nasal breathing.

while nasal breathing may have fallen off the internet talk circuit as a popular biohack, wise athletes should always pick the low hanging fruit.

so coming back to our show on episode 143, the one and only Dr George Dallam walks us through his personal benefits from adapting to nasal breathing nearly 20 years ago, and the latest research into the health and physical performance benefits available to us all...without ingesting any chemicals, or changing our diet, or buying a single thing. All you have to do is breath through your nose. Its a simple prescription; ....if only it was easy to learn.... i say since i have failed to fully adapt in the two years since i first spoke with dr dallam...

All right, let's talk to George Dallam, author of the just published book, the-nasal-breathing-paradox-during-exercise

George Dallam PhD

Dr. Dallam holds the rank of Distinguished Professor in the School of Health Science and Human Movement at Colorado State University - Pueblo (CSUP). Dr. Dallam has been involved in numerous research studies examining various aspects of triathlon performance and training, diabetes risk factor modification, and the effects of functional movement improvement on running. His primary research interest recently is focused on the capability of human beings to adapt to nasal only breathing during exercise as a way to improve both health and performance.

Dr. Dallam has received both the United States Olympic Committee's Doc Counsilman Science in Coaching award (2004) and the National Elite Coach of the Year award (2005) for triathlon. Finally, Dr. Dallam has been continuously training and competing in triathlon since 1981.

Bullet points -- The Nasal Breathing ParadoxBenefits of nasal breathing: * Better filtering of particles and viruses (less nasal infection, bronchitis). Filtering becomes even more important when exercising because we take in so much more air. * Less water lost though breathing * Less energy spent on breathing (more energy for locomotion); higher O2 extracted per breath (higher efficiency) * Recovery from “EIB” exercise induced bronchoconstriction (exercise induced asthma) * Provides a powerful training stimulus to improve fitness…make you faster even if you go back to mouth breathing in high intensity efforts, such as races * Improved stress management * Better sleep, and overall improved recovery from exercise (lower stress, avoidance of snoring) * Better posture and movement ability with improved diaphragm activity * Functional movement benefits —diaphragm is a major core muscle that is under strength when we mouth breathe. * Avoids possible damage to the heart from over breathing (a hypothesis from Dr Dallam) * Effect of nasal breathing during exercise on brain health (https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss15/103/)

Myths about breathing:* I feel the need to breath faster when I need more oxygen — mostly false. It is the presence of higher than usual CO2 in the blood that causes the “air hunger” * CO2 is bad, and needs to be removed as fast as possible — false; CO2 is necessary for normal bodily functions. Too much AND too little CO2 are bad for the body. * Breathing faster brings in more oxygen (superoxygenation) — no; red blood cells are generally 95-98% oxygenated after passing by lungs. You don’t get more oxygen into red blood cells, you just lose more CO2 from blood plasma, which creates problems for the body * Breathing doesn’t take much energy or use much oxygen to do — false. During exercise, breathing can use as much as 15% of the total energy burn of the body…15% of the oxygen being used. If we can save 25% of that by breathing more efficiently (less breathing for same oxygen), we’ll have more oxygen left over for other muscles to use. * An athlete cannot get enough oxygen for exercise though just nasal breathing — false. It is easy to see why people would come to this conclusion after one attempt, but with adaptation, many elite athletes compete using just nasal breathing.

What does the nose do for us?* Conditioning of the air: humidifying the air and warming up the air. Reduce lung dehydration and related wheezing and breathing problems * Filtering: particulates (dust, smoke), viruses are captured instead of putting in lungs. Avoid damaging lungs long-term (emphysema, cancer) and reduce infections impacting lungs. * Increasing air resistance…forces a recruitment of the diaphragm which is the best muscle for efficient breathing. Breath through the nose, then you will breath diaphragmatically without thinking. You can stop trying to train yourself to “Belly Breath”. * Calming. Reducing stress. Deep slower breathing vs. quicker shallow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system…lowers the stress level of the body. This is definitely true at rest. For athletics, peak performance comes of being able to relax into the effort..not by trying as hard as possible, so stress level might also play a role in athletic performance. * More efficient breathing: breathe less to get the same amount of oxygen. 25% less breathing when nasal breathing. So the 15% of total energy expenditure being spent on breathing is lowered to 11.5%….a 3.5% point reduction in energy used for breathing that can now be used elsewhere. This is the same level of economy improvement that elite endurance athletes seek to obtain from using weight training…and this is just from breathing through your nose. * Avoids the over breathing associated with mouth breathing. Over-breathing MAY be a cause of damage to the heart seen in endurance athletes as a higher incidence of AFib….lowering of CO2 in blood (from over breathing) results in blood flow restriction, which may be a cause to a lack of blood flow (a lack of oxygen) to the heart.

Related to Exercise Induced Asthma / Bronchial restriction (EIB)* The lungs are filled with alveoli … the little sacs that allow the body to exchange gases. Single cell thick, covered in a surfactant that allows the sacs to stay open even at low pressure. * The lung environment is very liquid and very delicate. * Imagine blowdrying wet tissue paper with a hairdryer…not good. * When the air comes into lungs via the mouth, the air is not treated. Everyone has experienced coughing…the only way we have to get stuff out of our lungs that shouldn’t be there. It also is what happens when we have damaged our lungs, whether from breathing air that is too cold or too hot or too dry or too wet or filled with damaging particulates or just through over extertion. * Our body creates “broncho constriction” to protect the lungs. If you ever had a wheeze at the end of your exhales, you’ve had this thing. * This correlates very highly with mouth breathing athletes. Bronchio restriction is vey common among elite athletes…cycling, swimming, running. 20-50% of population vs. 5% among sedentary population. The more you breath, the more important it is to treat the air you breath and protect the lungs. * The availability of broncho inhalers may just be serving to allow us to overcome our natural defense again damaging our lungs from mouth breathing.

HOW TO NASAL BREATHE? The transition to nasal breathing is easier for some people. Some people feel a terrible air hunger while others get used to it very quickly. The path forward for everyone is to find your way to just the threshold point that your body can do it…with just a suggestion of air hunger…and then move higher over time. * It takes 6 weeks to 6 months. Three key variables that impact time to adapt: * Existing sensitivity to CO2. If low sensitivity, then short time to adapt. * How well developed is the diaphragm muscle. The more you need to build, the longer it will take. * How dedicated is the effort to adapt. The more you nasal breath, the faster you will adapt. * What do you need to do to be able to nasal breathe all the time? * Break / Start the Habit* * Break the habit of mouth breathing. Do it whenever you realize you are not nasal breathing. Set reminders. (See Episode 45 - Build Strong Habits ) * During exercise, put a little water in your mouth so you don’t have to think about nasal breathing. * According to Dr. Dallam, “I also found that focusing on nasal breathing during exercise facilitated focusing on it throughout the rest of my life as well. While subjective at best, I consider that I am more relaxed, more thoughtful, sleeping better and happier as a direct result.” * Once you can do your endurance & recovery workouts while nasal breathing, the adaptation will go very fast because that is most of your training. And, if you are nasal breathing outside of exercise as well, you are essentially always nasal breathing at this point. * You’ll adapt even faster if you will take down the level of effort to match your ability to perform while nasal breathing, and only increase as your nasal breathing improves. * Separately work toward nasal breathing during sleep. This is harder as you will be unconscious, but this will have a gigantic impact on your health and ability to recover from exercise. Look into mouth taping and breathing exercises to open nasal passages before sleeping.

Reduce CO2 sensitivity: By nasal breathing more, you will have less CO2 in your blood. Your body will get used to that …meaning it will start to feel normal quickly (in days). Keep pushing on the edge of discomfort to keep lowering your sensitivity. Pushing too hard will backfire, so take your time. This is not the place to develop a psychological problem. And, this adaptation will happen faster than the muscle development so there is no payoff from pushing harder than just enough. * “Breathe light” exercises: just breathe more slowly while resting…until you feel an urge to breath more….just experience the feeling (from Patrick McKeown) * Do breath holds while moving (walk, light jog). Hold until the air hunger is strong. Recover your breath fully, then repeat (from Patrick McKeown) * Do HIIT intervals breathing nasally...start short and build up longer and longer. * Muscle development: * Training the breathing muscles to get stronger. This happens simply by using nasal breathing. Just give the muscles some time to adapt. It’s like getting used to using a bigger gear on the bike….You can do it for a short time right away, and over time you will get more muscular endurance as you get stronger. * The Diaphragm muscle has to adapt. At first, you won’t be strong enough to keep nasal breathing (i.e., pulling air through the nose and down into the bottom of the lungs) for a long time. But the diaphragm muscle will get stronger and eventually you will be able to breath diaphragmatically for as long as you need and train for. This might be the slowest part of the adaptation.. * The nose muscles have to adapt as well. * Nasal passage recovery: * If you haven’t been using your nasal passages in this way, you will have to get them adapted to this level of use. * The most important thing is to just breathe through your nose as much as possible. * It will probably help to start using a Neti pot or Neti bottle (there are many varieties). Use distilled or boiled water, not tap water. Remember to not blow your nose too hard after rising nasal passages with water…you may inadvertently push water into your ear tubes which may cause irritation. I do it first thing to let the water fully drain out before I sleep. The first few times will be unpleasantly reminiscent of getting water up your nose at the beach. But do you remember how amazingly good your nasal passages felt after a day in the surf? This is the same thing. After doing it for a week, you will never want to stop. And it will make nasal breathing so much easier * Use BreathRight strips or the like to hold open the airways in your nose. George says his nose muscles got stronger after a while, so this may be a temporary thing. But it does make an enormous difference in the beginning. There are other nasal dilator devices to try if you like the idea of stuff up your nose. I don’t. * Try the Buteyko (bu-tek-o) method for clearing mild nasal congestion * Metrics: * It can help to track improvement if you use metrics but you don’t have to do so because the goal is NOT to breathe less, it is to use nasal breathing. The rest comes naturally. * HRV — your HRV level should start to increase, especially if you can nasal breath while sleeping * HR — you may find your HR starts getting lower for the same power / speed. This doesn’t occur for everyone. * Breaths per minute — monitor your natural breathing. Oura ring & Whoop strap do this for sleep, which is a good way to see if it is falling. You want to get to 14 or less breaths per minute. 10-14 breaths per minute is normal, according to Patrick McKewon. * Length of time until air hunger — 5 normal breaths. Exhale. How long until impulse to breath? 25 seconds minimum. 40 seconds target. * Maximum breathlessness test: normal breath in and out of nose. Exhale, then hold and see how many steps you can take. 60 steps is minimum for “good” CO2 sensitivity. * How to get started with nasal breathing during exercise, According to George:* * Get on an indoor device you like to use: stationary bike, treadmill, etc. * Get going at a pace that is lower than normal * Breathe nasally. * Every 3 minutes increasing the pace just a little, and rate how much the air hunger you feel. * When you find the level at which you feel you cannot keep going, back off just a little so you can keep going. It will feel hard but not feel like you are suffocating. The effort should be in the challenge of pulling the air in and out, not in staying conscious or in dealing with the fear of suffocating. Another thing to watch is a rising HR…if your HR is higher than it should be for that level of power / pace, then you are struggling too much…just back down a little until the HR stabilizes * The next workout, try to go a little harder while nasal breathing to see if you can do it. You will probably find you can go harder every time for a while. The early, beginner gains will be the easiest, as in most things. * Continue the upward progression over time * Feel free to mouth breathe once in a while if you want to go harder. It won’t be a set back, but it won’t help you progress toward 100% nasal breathing. Just don’t lose track of the behavior change you are trying to instill as a habit.

Related info and episodes:* breathing-well-is-a-skill-w-george-dallam-phd * protecting-lung-health-meilan-k-han-md/

More Dallam info:* George Dallam CSU-Pueblo profile * Book: the-nasal-breathing-paradox-during-exercise-george-dallam

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Professional Grade Supplements & 5-Day FMD Kits for WiseAthletes

Like so many people, I have struggled to lose my visceral fat while I have continued to put on muscle.... but there is more to being a wise athlete than having maximum muscle. I also want to live LONG as a strong athlete. The prevailing wisdom says that when you fast or when you cut calories, you lose fat and muscle. So the challenge remains….how to thread the needle on losing the visceral fat while keeping my muscle. And what about the battle between the high protein for maximum muscle growth vs low protein for low IGF-1 and life extension? Is there any way to get the best of both worlds?

Today on episode 142 I am joined by Dr Joseph Antoun, a medical doctor who is now the CEO at L-Nutra, the company that makes Prolon, the 5-day FMD food kits (wwwprolonlife.com). Could fasting mimicking be the answer to losing visceral fat while retaining muscle and at the same time extending lifespan as a strong athlete? After talking to Dr Antoun, I am convinced it is…and as of today, I am on day 2 of my initial 5-day FMD.

Listen in to see if you come to the same conclusion.

And please forgive the inconsistent recording quality….but if you want to give the Prolon FMD a try, click on the link at the top of the show notes to get a great discount.

All right, let’s talk to Dr Joseph Antoun about fasting mimicking for athletes.

Joseph Antoun, MD, PhD, MPP

Joseph Antoun, MD, PhD is the CEO of L-Nutra, a Food as Medicine leader using Science to Nutrition research first to uncover what humans should eat to live healthier longer and second to help patients achieve better health outcomes.

Bullet points Food as medicine & muscular longevity

Use your body's built-in system to renew and fine-tune cells. ProLon, a 5-day precision nutrition program, and Fast Mimicking Technology formulation, is designed to trigger your body's built-in system to renew and fine-tune cells - by mimicking a fast.
Fasting mimicking (not fasting per se) to get the renewal signal without resource depletion (Joe's take: long water only fasts are the equivalent of overtraining…too much signal without enough recovery)
Periodic fasting mimicking turns on cellular renewal without forcing the body into restructuring into a low resource phenotype
GH is a stress hormone. In water only fasting the body doesn't have the resources to maintain muscle. With FMD the minimal resources provided are enough to work with GH to maintain muscle while getting fat loss and autophagy
Eat the least protein necessary to build and maintain the body and lifestyle you want. Any more than the minimum is age accelerating without muscle benefit.
The amino acid composition matters. Focus on plants with some fish protein. That’s good enough for muscle building when combined with FMD a few times a year. Eat 0.8-0.9 g/kg on average per day (less if you aren't an athlete). Perhaps cycle between higher and lower amounts of protein around resistance training.
For me, that means i'm cutting back from 200g/day to an average of 100g/day (I'll adjust after seeing how my body reacts)... I already started.
I'm on day 2....looking in the box I can tell you it would be hard to pull it together myself. For now I will buy the box to see if it really does work for me. It’s pricy but tolerable. And the Fast Bar is delicious.
Prolon info
Clinical studies have shown that the ProLon formulation can specifically target belly fat and promote safe and effective weight loss.
Why not just fast? Despite the potential benefits, fasting is hard to do. Hard on the body.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Bodyfat %? * Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism * Episode 137 | Healthy Fat Loss

More Prolon info:* prolonlife.com * https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-45260-9.pdf * https://www.valterlongo.com/daily-longevity-diet-for-adults/

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"In science and engineering, convention dictates that unless a margin of error is explicitly stated, the number of significant figures used in the presentation of data should be limited to what is warranted by the precision of those data."

Why don't I see error bars on my blood test results...?

We love to say that what is measured, improves. It is a fine idea that applies to many walks of life including athletic performance. Starting with Inside Tracker in 2009, an industry has emerged to help wise athletes and longevity seekers alike to measure, track changes over time, and even optimize lifestyle behaviors, supplements and pharmaceuticals to target “low all cause mortality” levels for blood based bio markers. And since the human body relies on many organs and biological processes to survive and thrive, scientists have developed biological age calculators that combine a set of the actual vs optimal blood markers to assess overall health status relative to “normal” to calculate a biological age or rate of aging. In longevity circles, a biological age lower than chronological age is a badge of honor. And it’s a booming business.

But just how accurate are these blood tests that all of this science and my own blood test results are based on? It’s a question that has been haunting my thoughts over the last year as I have aggressively measured my blood markers and calculated my biological age every 3 months in an effort to fine tune my longevity interventions.

So, today on episode 141 I am joined by Dr Austin Baraki who argues that blood testing is an important but challenging area of medicine. He argues that people should not put too much faith in imprecise technology measuring indirect markers of biological function. False precision can lead to over confidence, and distract people from the lifestyle improvements that would really make a difference. And he also shares his tips on reducing the variability and error in your own blood test results.

British Medical Journal: your results may vary: the imprecision of medical measurements (20 February 2020)

Dr Austin Baraki BioDr. Austin Baraki is a practicing Internal Medicine Physician, competitive lifter, and strength coach located in San Antonio, Texas. Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, he completed his undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the College of William & Mary, his doctorate in medicine at Eastern Virginia Medical School, and Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

After a 15 year career as a competitive swimmer through the collegiate level, he discovered the barbell and began training for strength and competitive powerlifting. He also coaches individuals ranging from beginners of all ages to national and internationally competitive athletes.

His interests include the application of strength training in the context of complex medical conditions, sarcopenia, pain neuroscience & rehabilitation, as well as cognitive and sport psychology.

Related Episodes * Episode 35 Inside Tracker

More Dr Baraki info:* barbellmedicine.com * Dr Baraki Article: Where-should-my-priorities-be-to-improve-my-health/

Your Results May Vary website...see if your blood test result variations are significant (click photo)

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Vitamin D isn’t a vitamin but a hormone, and it plays an important role in our bodies including the building and repair of muscle.

Can you just take a vitamin D pill and forget about it? Do you have to get sunshine to get sufficient vitamin D? Can you be low on vitamin D despite getting lots of sunlight? How much vitamin D can you take before you are risking getting too much? 2k, 5k, 10k every day?

The big question: is low vitamin D a cause or an effect of poor health?

These questions and more get answered or at least discussed in detail in my followup chat with Dr Grant Fraser who is passionate advocate for vitamin D supplementation.

To be honest, I've been a vitamin D supplementation skeptic for a long time, in part based on scientific studies that say supplementation doesn’t affect outcomes. Dr Fraser says …not so fast, pal!

Well, one thing is clear, everyone should get their vitamin D levels tested to see where they stand. If yours is low, today’s talk can provide a path forward. Fortunately the at home test only costs $37…mine is already on the way.

Grant E. Fraser MD, ABAARM, DABFM, FRACGP, FACRRM, GEM

Grant E. Fraser, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine, and more and is passionate about helping patients improve their quality of life, reverse health conditions, and live longer and happier.

Related Episodes * Episode 139 Finding Your Iron Sweetspot w/Dr Grant Fraser * Episode 105 UV Light Sweetspot (more than Vitamin D) w/Prof Prue Hart

More Dr Fraser info:* https://www.grantfrasermd.com/ * https://www.grantfrasermd.com/blog

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We’ve all heard about anemia and iron deficiencies hurting our athletic performance and our overall energy level. But the latest thing is iron overload and dumping iron. So is iron good or bad??…the answer is yes. Iron is both a toxin and a nutrient.

What I’ve learned for myself is the older athlete needs just enough iron but no more. So the right question is …how to tell where you are on iron storage in your body, and how can you help your body not hold too much iron while avoiding having too little.

We all need 3-5 grams or 3000-5000 mg of iron in our bodies every second of every day and we only can absorb 1-2mg of iron per day from our food and supplements…plus or minus a bit using various techniques to raise or lower iron.

Too little iron can mean chronic fatigue, brain fog, and breathlessness. Diets low in animal proteins, frequent hard workouts, low stomach acid, gut issues causing poor nutrient absorption, and of course bleeding can lead to lower iron.

Too much iron, unless dramatic, is harder to feel and more likely for older athletes. Without blood loss, iron tends to accumulates in organs during aging and leads to dementia, heart disease, T2D and much more, and is worsened by drinking alcohol.

Donating whole blood can lower iron but moves the needle very slowly as only 100-250mg of your total 3000-5000mg of iron is lost at each donation. That’s the equivalent effect of not absorbing iron from food for 3 months, so it’s something.

The key is to plan ahead.

So how to know if you are low or high? Or on the verge of being low or high? How to know if donating whole blood every 8 weeks is a good idea or a bad idea? How can you make donating blood less unpleasant? And what else can you do to stay in your iron sweetspot and to avoid both of these terrible outcomes for athletic performance, quality of life, and overall health?

To answer these questions and more today on episode 139 I am joined by Dr Grant Fraser who is board certified in the United States in anti-aging and regenerative medicine and in family medicine. Listen in while Dr Fraser helps me to sort out what is going on and how to plan ahead to get into the iron sweetspot.

Grant E. Fraser MD, ABAARM, DABFM, FRACGP, FACRRM, GEM

Grant E. Fraser, M.D. is Board Certified in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine, and more and is passionate about helping patients improve their quality of life, reverse health conditions, and live longer and happier.

Bullet points * What is iron? * Iron is a very common mineral on Earth * It has a highly stable nucleus and is capable of accepting and donating electrons easily, which makes it react with water to form rust and is very useful for biological organisms. * We use it to grab oxygen from air and carry it around the body, we use it in the chemical chain that makes ATP or energy the body uses to power itself, and iron is a necessary part of many proteins. * Our bodies need iron every second of our lives, so we keep extra on board just in case… we have 3-5grams in our bodies and we absorb about 1-2mg a day. That’s 1-2 mg vs. 3000-5000mg…we can’t get much very fast. So mostly we recycle it, and we keep some stored away in protective cages that keep the reactive iron from damaging our cells. * So it’s like calcium (stored in bones) and proteins (stored in muscle and elsewhere) that we scavenge when we need some. But iron is so reactive it will damage our cells, so we lock it away and convert it to less reactive forms? * In addition, most bacteria that infects us needs our iron to grow, so our bodies react quickly to inflammation to stop absorbing more and stop releasing iron from storage. * So where is the iron and how does it get moved around, and what is measured in understanding iron status in the body when we use blood samples? + Hemoglobin: 2 g (men), 1.5 g (women) – our red blood cells to carry oxygen + Ferritin: 1 g (men), 0.6 g (women) – mostly in cells around the body but some in blood plasma? Why is it in the blood? + Hemosiderin: 300 mg -- ? + Myoglobin: 200 mg – in muscles? + Tissue enzymes (heme and nonheme): 150 mg + Transport-iron compartment: 3 mg (transferrin?) – moving the iron to where it is needed…mostly bone marrow? Why so low? * When the liver or brain or arteries have too much iron, how is that stored? * So why do we measure iron from the blood? It’s the easiest to get at? Issues with using blood measurement? Getting the tail end of a process? * What do we measure and what does it tell us? Do we want to be at the low end of the range…at the high end? What is best for longevity? + Serum iron – includes what? Iron in transferrin being moved around the body? + Ferritin – cage for iron…why in blood? Decreases with low iron and increases with high inflammation…if droppoing suddenly look into why + Transferrin – increases when….can be low even when iron is needed because… + Saturation? 30% is normal. Why measure it? + TIBC – total iron binding capacity – measures the amount of transferrin. Why? + Other? + Red blood cell count & mass? – a check for anemia…a clue to sleep apnea? + Hematocrit - what is it? + RDW- why important? Increase if building fast… + MCV – what does it tell us? Size of red blood cell…iron deficient blood makes small cells. 80-100…decrease iron def…going up vit 12 def + MCHC – what does it tell us? * It helps to look at iron in vs. iron out to get a handle on where problems might come from. * Iron in – issues + Plant based diets – low absorption of non-heme iron, plant compounds binding to iron to block absorption. Calcium, tea/coffee, + Medicines – PPI, antihistamines, + Under eating – RED-S in athletes and other + Gut issues reducing absorption – IBS, celiac, crohns + Inflammation reducing absorption – from infection, hard exercise (for 4-6 hours), metabolic disease + Eating too many iron supplements * Iron out – some issues here + Bleeding: surgery, menstrual cycle, bowl cancer, ulcer, etc. + Pregnancy – baby needs iron + Growing – children need iron + Sweating -- can lose iron in sweat + Foot strike red blood cell breakdown * Low iron is a problem for many people. The challenge in getting in iron is particularly important for people who are growing or bleeding regularly. It can also be an issue for people with chronic inflammation, such as in obesity or with metabolic illness or with chronic iron absorption issues. Athletes can have issues without bleeding causes due to overtraining, heavy sweating, eating iron close to exercise which limits absorption. And low iron can come from GI bleeds, bowel cancer, ulcers…so figuring out why iron is low is important…don’t just supplement iron * Low iron appears slowly usually…here are the official “stages of low iron” + Stage 1 - Ferritin low while hemoglobin normal - some depletion for energy intracellularly + Stage 2 - lethargy starts - more effects on cellular energy as tries to take iron to preserve hemoglobin level + Stage 3 - anemia: ferritin and hemoglobin low. Compromised function * Now let’s talk about my main interest….high iron. * High iron is mostly a problem for people with genetic issues related to reducing absorption but can also be a problem for older people who have been accumulating iron for a long time: eating a lot of iron, drinking alcohol, or maybe its just a breakdown of the normal homeostatic mechanisms like many other things that don’t the way they used to? * I’ve heard about things we do that interfere with iron management and contribute to higher iron… + Zinc over supplementation (copper) + Copper deficiencies (copper vs. magnesium) + Vit c with iron meals + Supplementing with iron unnecessarily (multivitamins) + Estrogen supplementation (increase absorption if iron) + Alcohol * High iron is associated with many illnesses. People with clearly high iron should take aggressive action to reduce it. But what about people like me: my iron biomarkers are all in the green. Could I have accumulated iron in my organs that doesn’t show up in my blood? If iron is associated with neurological disease, metabolic disease, heart disease and more, would I be crazy to actively knock down my iron if I am eat an iron rich diet? * Donating blood regularly… I do it every 3 months (for the last year)…I haven’t seen any impact on my iron markers. I’ve stopped drinking alcohol almost entirely, * What else makes sense to drive down iron * Emla – reduce pain from needle pain from donating blood

More Dr Fraser info:* https://www.grantfrasermd.com/ * https://www.grantfrasermd.com/blog

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Jeff Patterson….martial arts expert and author of The Yielding Warrior.

After teaching 25,000 students ni his martial arts academy and earning the equivalent of black belts in the martial arts of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Eskrima, Tai Chi, Qigong, Muay Thai, and Kenpö, Jeff now shares personal experiences, age-old wisdom, and the philosophies of meditative arts with his readers.

In The Yielding Warrior, you will learn how to:

attain a higher level of proficiency in any sport or physical activity
enhance emotional control and sharpen intuition for increased happiness and self-acceptance
deepen self-awareness and esteem through the benefits of yielding
apply meditative practices to excel in interpersonal communication and business relationships
improve your focus by applying the skills attained through yielding awareness

The Yielding Warrior is about the concept of yielding and how it can be applied to almost any area of life

--> "everyone should meditate for 20 minutes a day unless you are too busy, then you should meditate for an hour"

Related episodes:* Episode 121 | Brian Mackenzie of ShiftAdapt * Episode 119 | HRV Biofeedback w/ Marco Altini * Episode 110 | Mental Fitness w/ Kate Allgood * Episode 70 | Healing Yourself w/Joe Taft

More Jeff Patterson info:* https://www.theyieldingwarrior.com/ - Jeff Patterson's website

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As a followup to my chat with Dr Vyvyane Loh, Glen and I sat down with Dr Loh to get into the HOW of losing excess body fat without losing muscle. Dr Loh does not disappoint as she shares her tips on how she has helped so many people successfully navigate the changes needed to get to a healthy body fat level AND a healthy body muscle level...both are necessary for health and athletic performance.

Check out my own Dexa Scan at the bottom of the show notes that reveals the details we all need to know to assess bone and fat and muscle health status, and to set improvement goals. I used dexascan.com via a provider in my area. My scan showed that while my body fat % is only 16.3%, I still need to lower my visceral fat from 87.7 cm2 to 70.0 cm2. I'm working on it.

Episode #135 | What's Your Healthy Fat %

Dr Loh is board certified in internal and obesity medicine, and she runs a medical practice helping people of all shapes and sizes to solve metabolic health challenges.

Bullet points How to lose excess fat while retaining or gaining muscle?

Good Sleep #1 (to keep cortisol and sex hormones healthy; recovery)
8-9 hours of good sleep for athletes (consistent sleep schedule every day & avoid use of sleep drugs that interfere with sleep architecture (melatonin okay)…eye mask, noise protected, test for sleep apnea
Circadian rhythm— set by light and eating. Be consistent everyday.
Respecting the timing of meals: Eat breakfast (within an hour of waking) with protein to end catabolic state
Protein: eat 30-35 grams of complete protein per meal, up to 5 meals per day. Everyday. Animal sources of protein allows for lower calorie burden to get the protein.
Exercise
Resistance training is key (3X/week)
Work at end range (maximum range of motion under tension but be careful)
Essentric (lengthening) movement better than concentric (shortening)
Also isometrics (good during injury recovery)
Cardio is good also (do after resistance training if on same day)
HIIT 2x/week (20-45 minutes) targets visceral fat. Has to be really hard. Dread it.
Diet:
Higher percentage body fat — with a calorie deficit in diet doesn’t mean less availability of calories. Still need enough protein to hold onto muscle
Near goal body fat — eat 5 times day and getting enough protein. Working out. No calorie deficit.
If fat is okay but low muscle? Get extra protein everyday. Maybe extra protein before bed to reduce muscle loss.
Low carbs to manage calories but need enough carbs. No keto. Low carb is good for calorie control. 80-100g of carbs. Need more carbs if alot of high intensity.
Insulin is a growth factor. Extra protein to get extra insulin to stimulate muscle growth. And extra protein can be turned into glycogen
The key is to be clear about goals.
Changing lifestyle is hard. Start with identity and making it hard to cheat.
Everyone is ready when they seek help. It’s after they’ve lost weight at people lose focus. “Just ….” means you are in trouble because you are rationalizing.
Just a little…just this one time…etc. watch out.
Moderation is a loser strategy. We’ve tried that experiment across the country. Now we are all obese. Rising metabolic disease.
Either you are getting the results you want or you are not. Focus on results not on theory and what we want to be true.
Other topics:
Rising fat in body leads to falling blood flow to brain. Leads to shrinkage of brain. Brain can’t get more blood flow but it can get more sugar per volume of blood. Crave sugary foods. High blood sugar.
Don’t make it hard for yourself. Don’t put those foods in your home.
Declare your identify as a person that doesn’t eat that sort of thing.
Over eaters are fine in front of other people if they have declared publicly that they don’t eat crap and over eat. But when they get home, all bets are off of the foods are in the house
Drinking alcohol also interferes with healthy eating. Alcohol calories. Decrease in willpower
What about pleasure in eating? “As I got bigger my world got smaller”. Let’s be accurate…if you are over weight you might be enjoying the few minutes of eating but you are not happy most of the day. Getting healthy can you a boatload of happiness. Plus, stop hiding from the real problem. The food isn’t really solving the problem.
GLP-1 good? Look for Dr Loh’s paper. (Didn’t sound positive)
Vyvyanelohmd.com
Sign up for Dr Loh’s newsletter, and send email on website asking for link to fat-muscle-bone talk

Related info and episodes:* Episode 135 | What's Your Healthy Bodyfat %? * Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism * Episode 120 | Recover from Food Madness

More Dr Loh info:* Vyvyanelohmd.com - Dr Loh's website

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The USA declared war on heart disease in 1955. 70 years later it is still the leading cause of death. What about statins and all that medical progress we’ve had. Exactly, what about it?

Dr Michael Twyman is a board certified cardiologist who runs Apollo Cardiology, a clinic serving patients from all over the world. His approach is to understand cardiovascular health from a whole body perspective. Rather than focus on LDL and HDL and apoB, he says we need to look at the bigger picture of cardiovascular health….namely cardiovascular health as a marker of whole body health. He says plaques can start building early in life....stop the progression now to eliminate the need for dramatic interventions with significant side effect later in life.

We discuss specific behaviors and supplements and even medications to signal the body to stop building plaques. A statin is only one of many potential solutions. Since recording this episode, I have stopped taking my low-dose statin that was significantly reducing my muscle power, and replaced it with better tools.

Stop damaging the Glycocalyx (the protective barrier to the lining of arteries)
Stop making so many ApoB particles
Make more receptors to remove more ApoB particles
Lower reabsorption and absorption of cholesterol from food in gut

Bullet points * Damage to glycocalx + Causes: high oxidative stress (mitochondrial disfunction), inflammation from any source: gut related, infection (COVID), smoking, high insulin, high glucose + Signs: high BP, erectile dysfunction * Supplements to consider + Vit k2 - keep calcium in bone not arteries + Garlic - support glyocalix health + Berberine — increase LDL receptors (like a weak pcsk9) + Bergomot - lower LDL production (like a weak statin) + Ezetimibe (not supplement) — reabsorption of cholesterol + Aspirin (81 mg) - complicated. Had an event? Aspirin for life. No event yet? Higher CAC? Aspirin. Unless high risk of bleeding. * Blood markers review + Homocysteine <10 + GGT high means low glutathione (high oxidative stress) + Uric acid. High means poor metabolism. A marker of gout but also damaging to glycocalyx. + Oxidized LDL — 5 alarm code + hsCRP — good to know but if high doesn't point to the problem + Myeloperoxidase (increase with infection) — HDL dysfunction + Boston heart panel

Related info and episodes:* Episode 103 | Boosting Nitric Oxide * Episode 105 | UV Light for Health * Episode 112 | Simple Solutions for AGEs

More Dr Twyman info:* drtwyman.com - Dr Michael Twyman's website

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Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

Pro Level Supplements for WiseAthletes

If you look around you can see that body fatness is a bigger problem now than it used to be. Officially the statistic is approximately 45% of Americans are obese measured by BMI. But if we measure body fat as a percentage of total body weight, the metric is closer to 90 percent. because of the many people who don’t look obese but have high fat combined with low muscle mass. What's even more concerning for wise athletes is that the level of body fatness that is unhealthy varies dramatically between people because the location of the fat is what matters. Some people have a very low threshold for fatness before they start to experience metabolic problems that are associated with obesity including higher rates of Cancer, t2d, and CVD. So what is my threshold for unhealthy fat? What is yours?

Today on episode 135, Dr Vyvyane Loh joins the show to explain what is happening to our bodies and why, and thankfully she shines a bright light on the pathway to metabolic health and athletic longevity. Dr Loh is board certified in internal and obesity medicine, and she runs a medical practice helping people of all shapes and sizes to solve metabolic health challenges. And she has answers to my questions on how to know if this applies to you, and how to avoid the excessive catabolism that comes from sitting too much, over weighting endurance exercise, eating too little protein, intermittent fasting, frequent dieting, and more.

Bullet points * People generally think their body fatness is lower than it really is. The “pinchable” fat under the skin isn’t the problem. Fat can be hidden under the abdominal wall and in organs: muscles, heart, lungs, liver, pancreas …wherever your body could put it after your “under the skin” (subcutaneous) fat storage filled up. * Note: Ectopic (abnormal place) fat includes visceral (in the abdomen) fat * Obesity measurements based on weight miss the key point. It’s the amount of ectopic or "out of place" fat that drives metabolic illness. And each person has a different amount of healthy fat storage before the unhealthy storage begins. So the amount a person weighs can be misleading if the fat increase is offset by muscle and bone losses, and for people who have very low healthy fat storage. In fact, muscle and bone losses on top of fat increases is an even bigger problem even though BMI is “normal”. * Obesity definition — body fat % + Men: 25% or higher + Women: 35% or higher * If you are using a bio-impedance device add 10-15 points (men) or 20-25 points (women). Use Dexa “body scan” to get an accurate reading. Very low radiation. * You can’t get an accurate assessment with body fat photo comparisons or bio impedance or using blood markers of inflammation * The key: find your body fat % and where is the fat located * Dexa breakdown + Fat mass + Lean mass (muscle, organs, protein in bone, water) + Mineral mass of bone * A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan can measure bone mineral density and body composition, including lean mass, fat mass, and muscle mass. Lean mass is made up of everything that isn't bone mineral or body fat, including organs, skin, connective tissue, and water. However, DEXA scans don't show body water as a separate component. * People lose 3-8% of muscle mass per decade of aging * On top of that loss, “catabolic crises” cause additional muscle (and bone) loss. Illness, injury, surgery. Also weight loss is a catabolic crisis. * Catabolic crises + “Aging” + Injury & Illness + Yo-Yo dieting (30% of weight loss comes from lean mass but weight regain is nearly 100% fat) + Excessive endurance exercise + Intermittent fasting and extended fasting + Losing muscle mass leads to less space to put the excess calories eaten. Now the extra calories have to go to fat storage which eventually becomes dysfunctional and inflammatory. This inflammatory state accelerates the muscle and bone loss, as well as the diseases of “aging”. * Solution + Resistance training is key: 3 full body sessions per week + Metabolic conditioning: HIIT (“talk test” & “high exertion”) two 30 (maybe 45 minutes) minute sessions per week (3 / week of only doing 2 resistance training session per week + Some endurance exercise is okay but do less low intensity if exercise time is constrained. Dr Loh says 1 slow endurance exercise day per week + Mobility day — no exercise for except mobility work + Protein: 120-150g per day divided into 30-35g per meal. Animal sources. + Don’t skip meals. Breakfast protein is important to break the catabolic + Sleep is critical. Work on circadian rhythm. Muscle builds during sleep. Low sleep makes hunger worse. + High BP that is resistant to medication means sleep apnea is a likely problem. + Creatine can help + Fish oil is good + Stay away from antioxidants right after workouts; wait 6 hours after workouts

Related info and episodes:* Episode 132 | Measuring Metabolism * Episode 129 | Optimal Human & Bone Health * Episode 127 | Great Bones

More Dr Vyvyane Loh info:* tulaversity.com - Dr Loh's Coaching platform * vyvyanelohmd.com - Dr Loh's website * Dr Loh's podcasts -- for medical professionals and laypeople who want details * Courses/info-metabolic-health-practitioner-certification-program-level-1 * Dr Loh's YouTube Channel - for laypeople

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Should I take TRT? Should my testosterone be higher? I've been thinking about testosterone for 15 years, and of course the issue goes way beyond athletic performance enhancement ... wise athletes have serious questions about testosterone's impact on health and longevity. We all want to be better athletes, to be stronger and recover like we used to. Is there a way to boost testosterone that gives me all the benefits of getting back to my youthful levels of testosterone without injuring my ability to be a strong and healthy athlete throughout a long life? To answer those questions and more, on Episode 134 I am rejoined by Rick Cohen MD, a longevity and hormone health expert who works with athletes of all ages to find a safe and sustainable path to being the strong athlete we all want to be.

Bullet points * On one hand, there’s the TRT advocates who say “everyone should have 1000 ng/dl testosterone”…”don’t let your doctor scare you”….these guys usually also say ..”come to my low-T clinic”….or “buy my testosterone book”…These guys focus on making HIGH T a badge of honor and promote “testosterone envy”… * But just as annoying is the old school doctor who says…aging is natural, and falling sex hormones is a normal part of the life trajectory that everyone goes through. People need to get used to these changes. See a psychiatrist if you need help. This group deals in fear… talks about getting cancer and losing natural testosterone production * Testosterone Envy is bogus: Higher T is not better unless it is too low. Too high is not healthy but too low is also bad. * Each man has a T level that suits his body. The body works hard to maintain the “right” level of sex hormones (symptoms tell the story better than blood tests). * But current T level is affected by two overlapping buckets of issues: (1) health status (chronic inflammation, low mitochondrial function) and modern life issues (constant stress, sedentary lifestyles, nutrient shortages, medicines) * Adding in TRT creates a lot of side effects that have to be worked out plus it is a lifetime commitment to continuing it because the body will stop making its own T. This should be the action of last resort, not the first or second action * The body knows what to do….i just need to make myself as healthy as possible, and not screw up the program by not providing enough of the right nutrients and stimulus for my body to recognize that a “strong Joe” amount of testosterone is warranted. * Get sleep, move, lift heavy things, get off of toxic foods, don't over-train...quick fixes. Lifting heavy and sprinting are the big levers. * Fasting all the time isn't a good idea, but periodic fasting can fit into a good overall program of repeating cycles of growth and repair * Traditional low testosterone symptoms: falling asleep after dinner, no sex drive, no motivation to exercise, losing muscle mass, no morning wood. * Low T is the warning light that something is wrong. You have to fix the problem to signal the body to go back to making a desirable level of testosterone. * Sometimes people need a short treatment of medication to stimulate natural T production to boost motivation and mood so that they can do what is needed to do to increase testosterone production back to normal without drugs. Enclomiphene. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). * Supplements mentioned: Akarkara root, Pine pollen, Tongat Ali * Do not take iron supplements. Donate blood to keep iron from getting too high.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 96 | Longevity Medicine w/Daniel Tawfik & Rick Cohen MD * Episode 67 | Hormone Health w/Dr Kyle Gillett * Episode 63 | Boosting Testosterone Right w/ Dr Rick Cohen

More Dr Rick Cohen info:* Pure Clean Performance website: Lab Assessments & Supplements

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WiseAthletes Fullscript Store

Gut health is all the rage now but it is so complicated and everybody has a different solution…from eating lots of fiber to eating only meat to taking probiotics. How can we figure out what to do? Is improved athletic performance possible from gut health? Today in episode 133 I am joined by Ross Pelton, the Natural Pharmacist who recently published a paper on the microbiome theory of aging in the medical journal Integrative medicine. Ross shares his deep knowledge about improving gut health and also his knowledge about an emerging topic for me….postbiotics which are beneficial substances made by bacteria that our bodies rely upon and respond well to when we do have an optimal gut. We’ve all heard of SCFA (short chain fatty acids), well that is only one of many substances made by bacteria in a healthy gut but now are available in supplement form to help us all get our gut back on track. Ross works with Dr Ohhira's Probiotics & Postbiotic Metabolites which are available in the Wise Athletes Fullscript store if you’d like to check it out. Ross shares several medical studies using Dr Ohhira's including one with athletes that showed significant increases in vo2max and lactate threshold.....legal doping!

Paper: The Microbiome Theory of Aging, January 2023

Link to get free copy of book: Dr. Ohhira's Probiotics & Postbiotic Metabolites

Ross's website: naturalpharmacist.net

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Everybody knows exercise is good for us but why? And why doesn't my food tracker balance my calories even when I weigh my food and use a power meter and heart rate monitor to track energy usage? Do I really have to step on a scale everyday to know if I am eating too much? And how can I tell if I'm eating too little to build muscle and to avoid bone and immune function issues down the road?

Today on episode 132 I am joined by Hari Mix, a Stanford University PhD and the Founder and CEO of Calorify, an emerging technology company providing athletes and sports teams with the world's most accurate measurement of energy expenditure, powered by doubly labeled water. Only by accurately measuring metabolic activity can athletes and everyday people know if we are consuming too much or too little food to power our athletic pursuits and the bodily functions that repair our bodies and keep us healthy for a long time.

Hari Mix explains that professional athletes are shifting from "how little can I eat and still perform" to "how much can I eat to perform better", and he walks us though what is known about these complicated and vexing questions about balancing calories in vs. out, and why exercise is not a great tool for losing weight.

The image below is a weak illustration of the idea that your metabolism changes in response to changes in energy availability / left over after exercise. It works both ways: too little available energy will turn down metabolic rate while too much energy availability will turn up the metabolic rate. The metabolic rate of energy usage is indicative of bodily function activity level: energy surplus: growing muscles and bones and other organs, energy shortage: scavenging of old and damaged proteins in muscles, bones, immune cells, etc. (autophagy, mitophogy):

Related info and episodes:* Episode 131 - Supplement Quality & Efficacy * Episode 129 - Bone Health * Example Calorify report * Metabolism by Age chart (full image)

More Hari Mix & Calorify info:* Exercise Paradox article by Dr Pontzer * calorify.com

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

Fullscript for WiseAthletes

I think it is clear that nutritional supplements are a useful and medically legitimate way for me to meet my nutritional needs and support my efforts to be a strong athlete for a long time. Yet, the question of which nutritional supplements to buy turns out to be much more complicated than it appears … my conversation today will make that challenge less overwhelming.

If you have ever dared to wonder if that nutritional supplement you have been taking for the last year with no or little effect really contains the real botanical or amino acid or whatever you wanted and expected, then you have already realized you have no idea and no way to find out.

Sure, you can use 3rd party services like ConsumerLab but that can’t tell you if the bottle in your hand is the same as the one they tested. So what is a wise athlete to do?

Today on episode 131 I am interviewing Dr Jeff Gladd who is a medical doctor with his own clinic and the chief medical officer of Fullscript, a wholesale nutritional supplement fulfillment service serving over 6 million patients through 100,000 healthcare providers. Dr Gladd knows the ins and outs of the nutritional supplement business, and he shares his tips for how to find brands and to source product that provides the best chance of having the purity and potency you and I seek. And he also shared his advice on specific supplements for the older athlete.

And be sure to explore the WiseAthletes Fullscript site where you can see for yourself if the product selection and pricing is as good as the quality control offered by FullScript. I am no longer buying from Amazon as I have done for years. It's time for me to make sure I am getting the purity and potency I need.

Bullet points: Navigate the nutritional supplement industry by focusing on quality first and then cost. A quality product in your hand can only come through quality control maintained throughout the manufacturing and distribution process...any step along the way with a company you can't trust and that hasn't been checked by 3rd party certifiers means you don't know what you are getting. * Start with goals: what are you trying to accomplish: (1) do everything you can through lifestyle improvement, (2) then turn to supplements to fill in gaps: start at the top...what are the most important things to address, (3) don't take 25+ supplements...take 5-6 high quality nutritional aids that you can expect to work, and then test to be certain, (4) move onto the next thing to address. * Certifications available: Certified Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, cGMP, NSF, Kosher Check, Certified Vegan, Certified Halal. UL, Informed-Choice, Informed-Sport, Friend of the Sea, Certified B Corporation, Non GMO Verified, USP, USDA Organic, GOED, IFOS, ISO, Certified Organic, Certified B Corporation®, NSF Certified for Sport, MOSA Certified Organic, QAI, Homeopathic, Clean Label Project™, MSC Fish, 1% For The Planet, Non-GMO, NSF Certified, Halal, Keto Certified, Plant-Based Certified * Allergen indicators*. Animal product free, Artificial color free, Artificial flavor free, Artificial preservative free, Artificial sweetener free, Casein free, Corn free, Crustacean/shellfish free, Dairy free, Egg free, Fish free, Gluten free, GMO free, Grain free, Grass-fed, Hydrogenated oil free, Hypoallergenic, Keto friendly, Kosher, Mustard free, Organic, Paleo friendly, Peanut free, Preservative free, Rice free, Salicylate free, Salt free, Sesame free, Soy free, Starch free, Sugar free, Tree nut free, Wheat free, Whey free, Yeast free

Related info:As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jeffrey Gladd advises on company and product direction with the perspective of integrative and family medicine. In 2010, Dr. Gladd opened GladdMD Integrative Medicine, blending health-promoting care with high access technology. In 2011, he created and launched the web’s first nutrient depletion tool, www.mytavin.com. Dr. Gladd is a sought after speaker in his field, speaking at TEDx and being featured in various industry publications.

Dr. Gladd has been featured in:

Blog Talk Radio: Interview with Hello Health Customer Dr. Gladd
Business People Magazine: Creating a Culture of Health
RETHINKing Healthcare: Fort Wayne TEDx talk
The Future of Medicine: Functional Forum

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

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Breathing is the essence of life. Yet lung function declines as we age. The chemicals and small particles breathed into our lungs leave a mark and reduce lung function, a little here and a little there. But we can slow the decline, and we can even recover lost function with targeted effort. Do you know how to protect and strengthen your lungs?

Today I am joined by MeiLan K. Han, MD, a pulmonologist and the Chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the University of Michigan, and a national spokesperson for the American Lung Association. Dr Han is also the author of Breathing Lessons ... a rallying cry for lung health. With the authority that only a practitioner and medical researcher can deliver, Dr Han reveals the latest scientific thinking about the leading respiratory risks — including indoor and outdoor pollution, smoking and vaping, and wildfire smoke during outdoor exercise — and offers practical advice on how to protect the lungs.

Listen in to learn about treating your lungs well and maintaining or recovering effortless breathing as you age.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 103 - Nitric Oxide w/Beth Shirley * Episode 50 -- Breathing is a Skill w/ George Dallam, PhD * Air Quality Index info

More Dr MeiLan K. Han info:* DrMeilanHan.com * Dr Meilan Han on X (Twitter) * Breath Lessons book on Amazon * Dr Melan Han website * @meilanhan on both Instagram and Facebook

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNTS

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This is part 2 of my bone health exploration, and this time the question is what should I do if I have osteoperosis? Is it game over? No. Absolutely not. But you will need to work hard to recover the bone health you lost.

Doug Lucas, DO, Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon and Anti-Aging Specialist, will give you insight into the lifestyle, nutrition, testing, and medical solutions for Osteoporosis management and yes, possibly, even reversal. Avoiding pharmaceuticals if at all possible.

Dr Doug Lucas is a double board certified physician specializing in optimizing healthspan and bone health. Seven years after completing his training at Stanford and starting his career as an orthopedic surgeon Dr Doug left the traditional medical model to pursue a second fellowship and board certification in anti-aging and regenerative medicine and achieve the status of fellow in Anti-Aging and Metabolic Medicine.

Dr Doug has gone on to build a team of experts to help optimize patient's health and help them to live better, longer. The vision has come to fruition with 100s of patients seeing success by reversing chronic diseases like osteoporosis and diabetes but also by improving energy, performance and vitality.

Bullet points* Layers for building health…start at the foundation and build up…. * Lifestyle (sleep, diet, stress mgmt., activity, sunshine, social, spiritual)…lots of these things can be done together…time efficiency is important. + Keys to get right: enough protein, enough calcium, the right dairy (A1 vs A2 casein) if possible? Fermented …full fat is better? a calm immune system, the right exercise/activity, sleep, stress mgmt + stuff to avoid: alcohol, salt, caffeine, fasting, yo-yo dieting, HPF highly processed food…antibiotics? Proton pump inhibitors? NSAIDs (aspirin?) * Supplements based on need, which means testing (how do you test? Anything beyond the standard panels? How do you assess status or need? I’m used to my doctors who say anything in the “normal range” is good enough…what other biomarkers do you use….BP, RHR, …any functional markers like grip strength or balance? * Other related to testing + What about allergies? I’ve heard food allergies are an issue but is it the same for airway allergies like pollen or dust creating histamines? Do antihistamines help?Melatonin? Help with sleep and bones?What about non-chemical interventions? Red/NIR light, UVB lamps, vibration plates, etc. * Hormone optimization — lifestyle then replacement based on real need. But hormones affect more than bone….right? Estrogen is the key for bone health? How do men get enough estrogen for bones? * Peptides – gray area….is this an area people should be careful about? Stuff you can get online…can you trust it? * Pharma – medications tend to be very powerful and have side effects. Anything common that you find contributed to the bone health issues? How do you deal with polypharmacy issues….accumulation of drugs taken forever? * Longevity interventions? Off-label? Optimization of biomarkers vs. “normal range”? (rapamycin? MB? ….a long list of off-label medications found to extend healthspan and lifespan in mice: acarbose, metformin (when combined with rapa), SGLT2 inhibitors (canagliflozin)…and others.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 127 on Great Bones w/Dr Keith McCormick

More Dr Doug Lucas info:* Link to FREE Bone Foundations course (you'll have to share contact info) * Optimal Bone Health website * Optimal Bone Health youtube channel * Optimal Human Health -- Doug Lucas bio

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNTS

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Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, as we learned in high school biology. What's emerging from science more recently is how unhealthy mitochondria are at the heart of many diseases, and even shows up in our daily lives as feeling chronically fatigued or having brain fog. Improving mitochondrial function is at the heart of everything we do for athletic performance, health, and athletic longevity. Heck, mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the 12 hallmarks of aging...so what can we do?

Today I am speaking with Dr. Scott Sherr who says "he is a conductor of all things optimal health & performance"....he says everything he does for his patients...whatever their issues are...is usually aimed at improving mitochondrial dysfunction. Dr Sherr is not just a medical doctor …his unique background has led him to build a medical practice combining the best of traditional and alternative medicine.

Dr. Scott Sherr is a Board Certified Internal Medicine Physician and a specialist in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). His clinical practice includes Health Optimization Medicine as its foundation plus an integrative approach to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, trargeted supplementation, synergistic new & ancient technologies, and more. He is the perfect doctor to speak to the Wise Athletes podcast.

But there is still more. Dr. Scott is also the COO of Smarter Not Harder, the company behind Troscriptions, a line of unique supplements to optimize brain and body energy production and to relax and calm when needed. And, as you will soon hear, Dr Sherr is the person who convinced me to try Methylene Blue, which has served to banish afternoon brain fog from my life.

Bullet points (from Smarter Not Harder's THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO* METHYLENE BLUE) THE MAGIC HAPPENS AT LOW DOSES * At low doses (<3mg/kg), Methylene Blue (MB) is called an electron cycler. It acts as an electron donor to the electron transport chain in your mitochondria, increasing ATP production. * MB also works as an acceptor of free electrons from reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (i.e. it works like an antioxidant...one as powerful as vitamin C or glutathione, in fact). There are very few compounds that cycle electrons (i.e. donates and accepts them) as effectively as MB. * MB also increases the cytochrome oxidase (complex IV) function in your mitochondria and drives increased glucose consumption. The latter occurs because, when the mitochondria are making more energy, they need more substrate to supply electrons to the electron transport chain. * While increasing glucose consumption and energy production, MB also increases the supply of NAD+. * At <2mg/kg, MB causes the release of nitric oxide and the dilation of blood vessels so that more oxygen-rich blood flows to the area of increased glucose consumption. * MB can bypass potentially dysfunctional mitochondrial complexes I and II. This is why MB works to reverse or compensate for mitochondrial damage. * MB concentrates in tissues with the most mitochondria (e.g. the brain where it readily crosses the blood-brain barrier) the heart, muscles, the liver, and kidneys. * But...at moderate doses (3mg to 10mg/kg in most studies), MB becomes an electron donor and a pro- oxidant that facilitates the generation of singlet oxygen and peroxide radicals, especially in the presence of certain spectrums of light. This is likely the way MB works in septic shock (via nitric oxide synthase inhibition) and possibly in cancer treatment. * Moderate doses can be useful for addressing infections or other acute injuries, but shouldn't be taken for long periods of time * *THE TOP8BENEFITS OF* L*OW DOSE METHYLENE* BLU*E* * MB donates electrons at the electron- transport chain (ETC) and increases ATP production. This effect can occur in the presence or absence of oxygen (works even at high altitude!). * MB enhances the function of cytochrome oxidase (complex IV), making it work faster and more efficiently. This leads to increased oxygen consumption and increased ATP production, especially in the most metabolically active cells, like nerve cells in memory regions of the brain. * MB stimulates glucose metabolism in conditions with and without oxygen + increases the amount of NAD + produced by mitochondria. The greater amount of NAD+, the younger your cells remain/become due to sirtuin activation. * MB may function as a cholinesterase inhibitor, increasing the amount of acetylcholine available, a neurotransmitter in the brain responsible for arousal, attention, memory, and motivation. * MB, combined with certain spectrums of light, are synergistic in mitochondrial activation AND may be anti-infective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. * MB functions as a powerful antioxidant as it scavenges the mitochondria and cytosol for free electrons to accept and neutralize. On the macro level, this is how MB is neuroprotective and may reverse skin, brain, heart, and other damage. * In red blood cells, MB changes the configuration of the iron (heme) in hemoglobin, the molecule in a red blood cell that carries oxygen. This improves the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin, which leads to increased ATP production from the ETC. * MB also has mood-lifting effects, functioning as a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. Inhibiting MAO prevents monoamine neurotransmitter breakdown (dopamine, melatonin, and serotonin) which leads directly to increases in these neurotransmitters. * USE WITH CARE** * Methylene Blue has been used for over a hundred years and, when used with care, is an extremely safe compound. * However, it can cause toxicity at high doses (>3mg/kg), and even at lower doses toxicity can occur if used at too high a dose in this range or for too long. * Also, combining Methylene Blue of any dose with SSRIs, SNRIs, or other drugs that prevent serotonin reuptake (including psychedelics) may cause serotonin syndrome. Do not use methylene blue with these types of medications. * Methylene Blue is also not safe if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or nonhuman * It is also not safe if you have G6PD deficiency

Related info and episodes:* Episode 121 | Recovery for Performance Longevity | Brian MacKenzie of ShiftAdapt * Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity * Article on Uses for Methylene Blue. * Paper on Methylene Blue * Wikipedia on Methylene_blue * Hallmarks of Aging (including Mitochondrial Dysfunction)

More Dr Scott Sherr info:* Dr Sherr on X (Twitter) * Troscriptions website * Dr Scott Sherr on Instagram * Hyperbaric Medical Solutions website * Dr Scott Sherr website

Want to support the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNTS

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The surprising truth is that bone health is one of the key levers of health and longevity for men and women. Bone health is a driver AND a symptom of overall health that declines steadily past the age of 30. Yet, it is slow to give us feedback on our mistakes...it is a lagging indicator that is hard to fix once low bone density and/or quality have arrived. Do. Not. Let. It. Happen. I used to think I didn't need to worry about my bone health because I was a strong and active athlete my whole life. But I was wrong. Osteoporosis afflicts 50% of all women and 20% of all men, including life-long athletes who "did everything right".

Today, on episode 127, I am joined by Dr. R. Keith McCormick to talk about Great Bones. Dr McCormick was an Olympic athlete who discovered 1st hand how "doing everything right" does not keep you safe from osteoporosis. His journey from Olympic athlete to bone fractures from osteoporosis at 45 years old, and back to competitive athlete at 69 years old has informed his deep knowledge about losing and regaining bone health. In his book, Great Bones, Dr McCormick explains not just the fundamentals of osteoporosis and the mechanics of bone loss and regaining skeletal health, but also what you and I can do to slow the decline in bone density and quality so we can keep our bone great bones well into our 60s, 70s, and beyond. In our chat today, Dr McCormick share a little of this knowledge with us.

This episode is a bit long and we get into the weeds but there is important information shared all the way to the end. Take your time, and get to the end. You will learn a ton about the hows and whys about having great bones. And how to avoid weak bones and fractures and the fear of fractures that may come for you if you are not careful. I can promise you that I am being careful starting now.

Bullet points Bone health is a symptom and a driver of overall health * Bone health drugs can buy time if you've fallen too far, but they are not a long term solution. Don't need them.. * Bone breakdown and bone building is an all the time thing, just like muscle; if either breakdown or buildup gets out of wack you lose the balance and you lose bone density and quality. * You have to signal to the body that you need strong bone. But you also need the substrates to build bone AND a clear signaling to the bone stem cells (immune system issues, inflammation issues, fat cells in bone marrow, etc) * For Great Bones, you need: + 1.2g/kg/day of high quality protein (collagen is good but doesn't count toward protein intake). Can take leucine and alpha ketogluterate to boost anaerobic effect of protein + Low chronic inflammation; over-active immune system is bad for bone (watch gluten and dairy). Also, long cardio sessions increase inflammation which is bad for bone. + Frequent high impact activity (2x/day for 30 minutes is ideal); resistance exercise is the key + A healthy gut for absorption of nutrients & avoiding immune system over-activation: lots of fiber, digestive enzymes (acidic digestion), herbs: berberine (good for gut and for bone) + Sufficient nutrients, including calcium (not carbonate; 150-200mg a few times a day), magnesium (not carbonate); keep sodium in check; watch iron + Get enough Vit D (test for 40-60 nanograms/ml; commonly 1000-5000iu/day) and Vit K (1 & 2 MK- 4&7). Omega 3 are helpful. + Healthy sex hormone levels....don't be catabolic + Stable weight (no yo-yo dieting); dramatic weight loss is bad for bone + No fasting or IM if low BMI + Vibration plates* are not a good substitute for resistance exercise; useful for people who cannot exercise.

Related info and episodes:* Episode 78 on Bone Health w/Melissa Rittenhouse PhD

More Dr Keith McCormick info:* Wikipedia -- R._Keith_McCormick * mccormickdc.com/OsteoNaturals, LLC * Dr McCormick Blog * Great Bones on Amazon * The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis on Amazon * Dr McCormick on Twitter / X

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Healthspan is all the rage now but beyond a healthy lifestyle what does that really mean? How can it be done? And what can I do now to ward off problems before the illness shows up?

Today on episode 126, I am joined by Nathan Price, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Thorne HealthTech and co-author of the book, The Age of Scientific Wellness (2023). If there is anyone on the planet who can tell us how we can make this shift from merely treating illness to keeping ourselves healthy for a long, active life......Dr Price is just that person.

Dr Price has been at the forefront of creating Precision Medicine as a co-founder of Arivale and Associate Director of the Institute of Systems Biology, and now he is helping Thorne to bring Precision Medicine to you and me.

In case you don't remember, Arivale was that way ahead of its time company that offered ongoing wellness and nutritional coaching tailored to the results of each person’s genetic, blood and microbiome tests. Actual personalized medicine.

Today, most doctors wait for clinical symptoms to appear before they act, and the ten most commonly prescribed medications confer little benefit to most people taking them. Nathan Price (and his co-author Leroy Hood) argue that we must move beyond this reactive, hit-or-miss approach to usher in real precision health―a form of highly personalized care they call “scientific wellness.” Using information from our blood and genes and tapping into the data revolution made possible by AI, doctors can catch the onset of disease years before symptoms arise, revolutionizing prevention. They say this approach is just getting started but has already had amazing results: diabetes reversed, cancers eliminated, Alzheimer’s avoided, autoimmune conditions kept at bay.

All right, let's talk to Nathan Price about the technologies emerging this year and his thoughts on what wise athletes can do right now to slow the rate of aging.

Bullet points* Scientific Wellness -- a remaking of healthcare from reactive, reductionist reducing of symptoms ... to... figuring out how to keep people healthy while they are healthy...extend the span of time in health..."healthspan" * Thorne Ventures...dedicated to launching a platform for health ventures * Learned a ton from thousands of measurements over many years * The most commonly prescribed drugs have a wide variety of effectiveness on individuals for many reason: microbiome, genome, etc. * In 13% of prescribed drugs (including statins), the drug is transformed in the gut by bacteria before being absorbed. So the effect on each person is dependent upon the bacteria in the gut * Once a person hits 50, a healthy person's gut microbiome begins to be less and less like anyone else's gut microbiome. * There is no average person * Examples: * LDL cholesterol lowering: + Genome identification of individuals with predisposition for high LDL....no way to lower LDL by lifestyle alone...need medication * Weight loss: + People with gut microbiome's (identified with fecal matter testing) that produced more SCFA lose weight more successfully * Individual testing to find personalized health solutions: + Genetic testing + Normal blood markers for health + Metobolomics --- 1000 small molecules....chemical markers in blood + Several 100 Proteins -- Proteomics in blood (for discovery purposes) * "Digital Twin" simulations -- a computer model of a human being that can comprehend status and changes in biomarkers to predict health issues and identify health interventions for individuals based on genome, blood markers, gut microbiome. For now, building digital twins for specific systems (brain, metabolic health, muscle wasting)....someday the whole human. * Alzheimers / dementia is caused by a failure to sustain oxygen profusion in the brain...exercise is protective due to the increase in blood flow....but it isn't enough. * Phosphatidylcholine is a rate limiter on brain energy production. Eat a diet higher in phosphatidylcholine (eggs, red meat, whole grains) to push out development of alzheimer's. But the wrong bugs in the gut can convert phosphatidylcholine into TMAO which is a cardiovascular health risk factor. * Vitamin D -- digital twin models show the importance of vitamin D for brain health * But a human is so complex that no one thing can make a difference. Just taking phosphatidycholine or just taking vitamin D is not enough. This is why RCTs often fail to show benefit....if the study is not large enough there isn't enough signal to show an effect even though it is a benefit....more is needed...people are rarely missing or deficient in just one thing. * What do to now? + Biological age models....make sure the results are actionable...need organ and system level data to be able to find weak links to target + Make sure to have no big deficiencies in the lifestyle pillars + For the older athlete, eat enough protein (food or protein powder)....probably more than you think you need...to avoid muscle wasting over time + Emphasize mitochondrial health in multiple ways....Urolithin A shows promise (not a Thorne product) + Get inflammation low...make sure no gut issues contributing to inflammation...Thorne has a gut microbiome test. Day Two is another good test. Omega 3's can help with inflammation. Quercetin is interesting for inflammation and to deal with scenescent cells in the body. NAD boosters (NR, NMN, etc) to help with DNA repair. + Resolve insulin resistance...watch Hba1c + Watch apoB to avoid ASCVD * 4 big buckets to manage: + Cardio-metabolic (insulin resistance, apoB, distribution of particle sizes, bioage, gut microbiome testing, VO2Max -- higher is better) + Muscle wasting -- more muscle mass now to have more room to fall + Dementia -- brain health. Rapamycin news: helps with brain oxygen profusion (at least for women). + Cancer --- screen early (Galleri.com) to catch early.

Related info and episodes:* The Age of Scientific Wellness book on Amazon * LA Times article on Alzheimer's

More Nathan Price PhD info:* Chief Scientific Officer of Thorne HealthTech, targeting personalized supplement and testing unit leverages clinical science, biometric testing, and multi-omics data. https://www.thorne.com/who-we-are * Past Professor and Associate Director of the Institute for Systems Biology * Co-founder of Arivale, the way ahead of its time company that offered ongoing wellness and nutritional coaching tailored to the results of each person’s genetic, blood and microbiome tests. * Co-authored The Age of Scientific Wellness with Dr Hood published in 2023 * Book review - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10836631/ * Nathan on LinkedIn * Nathan on Twitter / X

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I haven't given my kidneys a second thought until now. It's easy to take care of your kidneys as long as you start early enough.

Today on episode 125, Glen and I are speaking with the amazing Rick Johnson MD about all things kidney and more. This is Dr Johnson's third time on the show...this time to drill down into how to keep our kidneys healthy (and a little bit about avoid Alzheimers). Declining kidney function is a normal feature of aging...perhaps it is a driver of agings. I am trying to age as slowly as possible, which means I must keep my kidneys healthy. Are you taking care of your kidneys? Do you even know how to take care of your kidneys? Do your blood tests show a dropping eGFR year after year? Is your blood pressure going up as you get older? Do you ever get dehydrated? Do you ever take ibuprofen? This episode is for you

Take care of your kidneys so they can take care of you!

Dr. Richard Johnson is a practicing physician and clinical scientist and a world expert on sugar, and especially fructose, and its role in health. His research has been largely supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He is one of the most cited scientists in his field and has published more than 750 papers and lectured in over 45 countries.

He has authored three books on sugar and its health effects--The Sugar Fix with Timothy Gower in 2008; The Fat Switch in 2012, and Nature Wants Us to Be Fat (2022) in which Dr Johnson details his group's discovery of a switch that controls obesity and how it can be turned on and off.

He is currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver. He lives in Aurora, Colorado with his wife, Olga, children, Tracy and Ricky, and two goldendoodles, Charlie Brown and Apollo 11.

For more information, visit www.drrichardjohnson.com

Bullet points What causes kidney disease? + High sugar diets / Metabolic syndrome / Diabetes (cut back on sugar in food) + Gout / High Uric acid: stay hydrated, avoid fructose (sugar is ½ fructose), minimize the purines (beer, shellfish, sardines, processed meats, gravy, bacon), take vit C (500 mg / day), quercetin, certain diuretics, SGLT2 inhibitors lower uric acid + "Aging" (may be related to high sugar or high carbohydrate diets) + High blood pressure + NSAIDs (ibuprofen is bad for kidneys; aspirin and Tylenol are okay) + Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI) + Dehydration (drink 8-10 glasses of water every day, and drink before consuming salty foods). Don't drink too much too fast, especially after getting behind (being dehydrated). + Spikes in blood sodium leads to temporary increases in BP which can progressively develop damage in the kidneys. * Fat is a storage of calories and a source of water (metabolic water) * Mild dehydration (can be from eating salty food) causes the body to want to accumulate fat (makes you hungry); but drinking water eliminates this effect. Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. * Dehydration Test: (1) urine color in the bowl mixed with the toilet water should be clear or just slightly yellow, (2) low specific gravity of urine (<1010...your doctor can order), (3) high "normal" (138-141 is good; 142 or higher is not good) serum sodium in blood test indicates dehydration and indicates increased risk for kidney disease, heart disease, dementia, diabetes, and more. * A sign of kidney disease is have to pee more often but not as much volume...having to get up more often to pee at night. It then progresses to feeling weak, low energy. Then itchy, chest pain, confusion. * Early kidney disease is common in people with metabolic syndrome and with gout. As we get older, kidney function declines. But aging-related declines can be stopped by eliminating sugar (in tests of animals) * Alzheimer's*: (1) brain mitochondria lose the ability to make energy efficiently, (2) the brain becomes insulin resistant and cannot take up glucose for fuel, (3) inflammation in the brain reduces blood flow and oxygen delivery in the brain + High sugar / high glycemic carb diets increase risk of alzheimer's + Rats fed a high sugar diet have lower cognitive ability (and you find the same 3 problems in Alzheimer's brains). And it's the fructose in the sugar that is the problem. + Cut back on sugary drinks and the big 5 carbs: bread, rice, cereals, potatoes. Adding salt makes the problem worse.

Related info and episodes:* Dr Johnson's Latest Book: Nature Wants Us to Be Fat * Episode 64 – Eating for Higher Energy * Episode 58 -- Is Sugar Really So Bad? (yes)

More Rick Johnson MD info:* www.drrichardjohnson.com

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Pain is a terrible word. Four little letters that I used to believe mean I can't or I'm broken or worse. But, today on episode 124, I speak with Ryan Whited and Matt Fitzgerald, co-authors of Pain and Performance, to hear the origin story behind "Training as Treatment" and the 3-step process that we all can use to get on the path to better performance and less downtime and less hassle with pain solutions that don't work. While pain is communication, it does not mean "injury" or "imbalance" or "wear and tear"...and we can be more self sufficient in managing pain.

Pain and Performance on Amazon

Related info and other Matt Fitzgerald episodes: Paragon Athletics * Pain and Performance on Amazon* * Episode 82 -- Mind Over Muscle w/Matt Fitzgerald * Episode 76 - Body Comp w/Matt Fitzgerald

Some of the many Wise Athletes episodes about Pain* Episode 92 - Knee Magic w/Ebonie Rio * Episode 83 - PainScience w/Paul Ingraham * Episode 73 - End to Pain w/Rick Olderman PT * Episode 52 - Make Your Joints Last w/Howard Luks MD * Episode 14 - Pain is Not What You Think w/Charlie Merrill PT

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This isn’t the sort of topic I usually cover on the Wise Athletes podcast but it should be. Enjoy my talk with Lauren Hurst, author of North of Forty.

In North of Forty, senior fitness expert Lauren Hurst and photographer Nick Cinea tell the stories of over 50 senior athletes ranging from ages 54 to 103, marathoners to martial artists to mountaineers, ordinary and extraordinary people. Told through captivating interviews and illustrated by stunning black and white portraits, their stories will inspire anyone who's made it "north of forty" and kept climbing.

https://www.northfortyfitness.com/

I often say I don't want to LIVE forever, I just don't want to stop having fun.

Today on episode 122 I am speaking with Bill Gifford, the author of “Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (Or Die Trying)” and the co-author of the recent best-seller "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity" written with Peter Attia MD. Bill wrote Spring Chicken back in 2015 when he was just beginning on his exploration of healthspan and longevity, and used his journalistic skills to share his findings with us all. And more recently, Bill worked with Peter Attia to write the latest longevity blockbuster with the latest, best scientific knowledge about how each of us can slow the rate of aging ...and keep having fun for a long, long time.

Spring Chicken is a super fun read and a rip-roaring journey into the world of anti-aging science - a murky place filled with extraordinary breakthroughs (new) and dangerous deceptions (new and old).

Bill Gifford is a journalist comfortable writing for periodicals on lifestyles and health, who has the chops to tackle an in-depth look at the complexities surrounding aging and what we can (and can't) do about it. Gifford leaps deftly into the fray, sifting through both the nonsense and the sensible, all while learning some things about his own aging body along the way. Gifford’s analysis takes into account the fact that the concept of old age has changed over the millennia, with life expectancy expanding, meaning more old people are alive now than ever before. Unfortunately, with longer lives has come the increased need for a daily medication of some sort, and heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease are acting as the inevitable escorts down the last stretch to the pearly gates.

Bullet points* Don't be weak in any area of health...sometimes you have to do what you don't want to do * You don't have to make health a full time job * Don't focus on exercise. Instead find something fun to do that moves your body * Longevity medicine has come a long way. Be safe when you venture off the map

Related info and episodes:* Outlive on Amazon * Spring Chicken on Amazon * Episode 109 - Physical Intelligence * Episode 115 -- Winning the Longevity Game

More Bill Gifford info:* Twitter (X): @billgifford

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I just re-listened to this episode from 3 years ago with Charlie Merrill, PT as a part of my preparation for another amazing episode I will publish very soon. I was stunned at how great this episode was. It is no wonder that this chat with Charlie is the #1 episode of all time on the Wise Athletes podcast. Do yourself a favor....listen to Charlie.

Original Show Notes from Episode #14, January 2021Today, Glen and I are joined by Charlie Merrill, PT in Boulder, Colorado. Charlie is a Physical Therapist who has been serving the Boulder community and athletes for over 20 years. Over the past few years, Charlie has added pain science and more psychologically informed modalities to his manual therapy and biomechanical toolkits. He emphasizes the body and mind in identifying physical AND psychological/social factors that result in physical symptoms, like pain. Charlie says the source of most athlete’s pain is often not what you’d expect and you can now work with him remotely at Lin Health, a new pain management platform.

Charlie's website is Mperformance.com

Charlie's new pain management platform: https://www.lin.health/

Charlie's Youtube channel has nearly 200 videos with free content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCinoyk46RyzA1v6PqbUl8_wCharlie's and Dr Howard Schubiner's upcoming professional training for clinicians: https://adlpages.lpages.co/beyond-pain-education-registration/

I learned from Charlie that there is a disconnect between pain and structural damage in the body. What regular people think is true is that pain indicates something wrong, something damaged...that pain is a signal to slow down, be careful, let the damage heal. But that is not always true. Pain comes from the brain.

Listen in as Charlie explains the science and practice of solving pain issues for athletes.

Some topics we touch on: What is pain and where does it come from? Is pain the same as damage to the body? * What is pain that seems to come out of nowhere? * What is chronic pain? Is it caused by damage to the body? * Are overuse injuries real? Is Wear and Tear* for athletes a thing? * How to tell and how to deal with pain that is not related to damage in the body? * Advice for the older athlete who wants to remain strong and active for a long time? (Hint: add fun, pursue novelty, connect with your psychology)

The twin peaks model I referenced from the book "Explain Pain"Which can be downloaded here. It's excellent for anyone to read: https://www.noigroup.com/product/explain-pain-second-edn-epub/

Other Resources:Wise Athletes Recovery Deep Dive

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As we kick off the new year in 2024, I continue my pursuit of better stress management with one of the legends in the space.

Today on episode 121, Glen and I speak with the great Brian MacKenzie...a best-selling author and recognized expert on stress adaptation…to help me to better understand how to rebalance my ability to perform well under stress and recover quickly to create greater performance longevity.

Brian explains his practice of stress adaptation to improve performance AND the quality of life. Brian says we have to see what we really want so that we will be willing to do what it takes create sustainable performance. Higher HRV is not enough; know your why to have the motivation and staying power needed to make it happen. And, if you do it right, you'll get higher HRV.

Brian is the Founder & CEO of Shift. He is also the President and Co-Founder of The Health and Human Performance Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to researching how breath and innate tools can optimize and help health and human performance. Brian has also co-authored the book Power Speed Endurance, The New York Times Best Seller UnBreakable Runner, and UnPlugged. And, Brian is the co-founder of The Art of Breath, a course he teaches through SH//FT that teaches a principles based approach to breath & performance.

Bullet points Eagle Story -- Don't be an Eagle that lived like a Chicken * Do more non-exercise movement: 10k steps a day, or 2 sessions of zone 1 cyclings a day (max 15 breaths per minute; nasal breathing) * Build in cycles of up/down stress every day. * Find time for recovery snacks: drive the speed limit, don't take the smartphone into the bathroom, breathing exercises several times a day * Breathing Gears: + Gear one: 2 seconds inhale; 2 seconds exhale...nasal breathing + Gear two*: power nasal breathing...fast inhale/exhale (only for 25 breaths before shifting to mouth breathing) * Test CO2 tolerance to check your nervous system status. Then build a plan to recapture your ability to flex between stress and relaxation / recovery * Brian's Speed Power Endurance book: https://a.co/d/3LKSEQL * Peter Crone YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcakm7T9YgnrWYL4g15Drgw * Ernest Rossi - Ultradian: https://www.ernestrossi.com/interviews/ultradia.htm * Anthony De Mello -- Awareness book (I saw $6 used copies on Amazon)

Related info and episodes: Brian MacKenzie website * shiftadapt * The Health and Human Performance Foundation* * Episode 68 - becoming-anti-fragile-w-dr-mike-t-nelson<

It’s that time of year when my carefully manicured and effortless diet of healthy foods with just the right amount of calories is destroyed in an orgy of holiday indulgence. But that’s okay, the trick is to get back on track quickly.

To help me I thought I would talk with an absolute expert, a true genius in helping to build a solid defense against the relentless whisperings of my more primal self…the emotional brain that worries about impending famine and the need for deep fat stores to survive the winter.

Today in episode 120 I talk with Dr Glenn Livingston, the author of Defeat Your Cravings, who has developed a program that gives us control while not making us feel deprived. It’s not a weigh loss program; it’s a how to stick with your plan program.

So, enjoy your holiday celebrations, but be sure to listen in to make your New Year’s resolutions easier to keep.

Defeat Your Cravings....one-liners: Have a plan (or you are a part of someone else’s plan) * Character beats willpower * If you can form a craving, you can extinguish a craving; you are not powerless * Feeling aren’t facts * Don’t try to put out the fire, build a fireplace around the fire * Move your difficult food decisions from your impulses to your intellect * Add "crunch to your lunch" * "Hand over the chocolate and no one gets hurt" * "When you’re in a hole, stop digging". Always use the present moment to be healthy * Aim with perfection (don't just try...do your best with every shot) * Teach your brain that you are willing to endure any suffering in order to follow your own rules * Overeating and addiction are biological errors. Teach the brain where to get enough healthy food * Attitude, Judgement and Responses*. These are the only things completely under your control. Embrace them. Use them.

The Process...a summary:1. Start with a simple rule. Don’t worry about losing weight at first 2. Raising the bar slowly but surely 3. Pry yourself away from the inner craving at the moment of temptation. Use 7-11 breathing. Use your words. Count to ten 4. Disempower the justifications of the inner craving to make the right decisions. Write them down; write down why it doesn’t make sense. Wait 24 hours before implementing a change to the food plan. 5. Don’t believe that your happiness in life from eating your favorite indulgences will be lost forever. It isn’t true. Reset your response to super stimuli 6. Other: stop eating highly processed foods (HPF), do food prep, create signals for ending eating at night

Related info and episodes: Defeatyourcravings website * Get a Free Copy of Defeat Your Cravings* * Episode 45 - build-strong-habits-with-samuel-salzer

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HRV or heart rate variability has made a come-back in my pursuit of health, longevity, and athletic performance. Years ago I discarded HRV as one-less-thing-to-fuss-with, but I have been reborn as believer in the power of HRV to guide me in rebalancing my nervous system for the benefit of better stress management and better sleep. All thanks to Marco Altini, PhD

Today on episode #119, I am speaking with the one and only Marco Altini, PhD. Marco says he is a scientist and developer mainly working at the intersection between health, technology and performance. He is also the founder of HRV4Training, which is trusted by more than 150 000 athletes, including olympic medalists and professional teams, to measure physiology and quantify stress, helping people of all ages and athletic pursuits to better balance training and lifestyle stressors.

In our discussion, Marco illuminates the many factors that impact the calculation of heart rate variability, how stress impacts the autonomic nervous system, and how we can use HRV as a biofeedback tool with deep breathing exercises to help us learn or re-learn how to self-regulate and better cope with stressful situations.

How to do HRV right: "Pick one good tool, be consistent in usage, be patient" Devices: fingertip, ring, wrist, chest strap (only way to get actual HRV) * Phone apps: be sure to get proper error correction, and avoid conversion of standard algorithms to proprietary indexes * Different algorithms …rMSSD is best but SDNN (used by Apple Watch) is fine. Skip the "readiness scores" and "indexes" * Time of day: all night sleep or upon wakeup (nothing is perfect; consistent is good enough) * Body position: Sitting is best if done after wakeup * Breathing method (for HRV baseline): breath naturally, somewhere between "resonance" (6 bpm) and sleeping (12-20 bpm). Breath however you normally breath...nasal/mouth, and try not to breath more deeply than normal * Do not over-breathe*: if you blow off too much co2 it will increase stress; activate sympathetic ANS

HRV biofeedback: "Rebalance the autonomic nervous system; build resilience and capacity to self-regulate & deal with life stress."1. Identify resonant frequency try 4.5-6.4 bpm. Inhale belly; exhale pursed lips. “Deep abdominal breathing following a pacing stimulus”. The apps will provide a sensory guide to time your inhale/exhale to match targeted frequency 2. Synchronize breathing and heart rate. Maximize oscillations in heart rate that you see on the app 3. 2x/day for 20 minutes (work up to this...a few minutes before bed will have an impact) 4. Continue for as long as you want to be healthy

Related info and episodes: HRV4biofeedback.com/the-app * HRV4Training* * Circadian Rhythms of the Autonomic Nervous System * Episode 107 - using-music-for-a-better-brain-body (relaxing after workouts) * Episode 70 - healing-yourself-w-joe-taft (reference to meditation)<!--

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Intense exercise takes a biochemical toll. Research has shown that intense activity results in decreased levels of glutathione, our body’s homemade master antioxidant. And, that happens even when you start the day with enough glutathione despite the naturally declining levels found in the older athlete. Without sufficient glutathione, the oxidative stress associated with exercise can reduce athletic performance and delay recovery. Heck, low glutathione can make you look and feel old.

Today we have invited Ross Pelton the Natural Pharmacist to educate us about Glutathione, the master antioxidant and a key biomarker of aging. Glutathione is made by the body to act as the master regulator of other antioxidants....when you have enough glutathione, your body can make or recycle all the antioxidants it needs. What's more, low glutathione is a marker for aging and a higher likelihood of disease. The older we get, the less glutathione our bodies make, and the more glutathione our bodies need. Glutathione IV drips are all the rage these days, but do we need it?

Ross is the Natural Pharmacist and his website, bio and blog are at naturalpharmacist.net. He is passionate about life extension and anti-aging science and technology. He has written 12 books including “Rapamycin, mTOR, Autophagy & Treating mTOR Syndrome” and in 1999, he was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Pharmacists in the U.S. by American Druggist magazine

The Critical Roles of Glutathione

Direct chemical neutralization of singlet oxygen, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide radicals
Cofactor for several antioxidant enzymes
Regeneration of vitamins C and E
Neutralization of free radicals produced liver metabolism of chemical toxins
Transportation of mercury out of cells and the brain
Regulation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis (think: cancer)
Vital to mitochondrial function and maintenance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)

A few of the benefits an athlete can expect from glutathione.

Improved Endurance and Performance -- Glutathione has been shown to improve physical exercise endurance and increase energy
Reduced Muscle Soreness and Inflammation -- Glutathione helps to rebuild damaged & tired muscles, so it can reduce the time in pain
Enhanced Recovery Time -- It’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of soreness. Reduce your recovery time to accelerate your training progression
Energy Production -- Glutathione is vital to the body’s ability to create energy as it is a key ingredient in the function of ATP, which is used by our bodies to create energy
Improved Immune System Function -- A healthy and efficient immune system is key to athletic performance. If you’re feeling unwell, your perform will suffer

Considering how important glutathione is to health, researchers have looked for ways to increase intracellular and intramitochondrial levels. Here are the effective approaches:

Decrease the need for glutathione, which means decreasing toxic load (e.g., limit alcohol). The most obvious is limiting alcohol consumption. Less obvious is decreasing exposure to persistent organic pollutants, the primary source of which are conventionally grown foods.
Another strategy is to provide other antioxidants to decrease oxidative stress. A good example is α-lipoic acid, supplementation of which increases mitochondrial glutathione levels even though ALA is not used in the synthesis or recycling of glutathione.
Consuming glutathione does not work, but we can provide specific nutrients to promote glutathione production. Cysteine availability is the rate-limiting step in the de novo production of glutathio

For centuries the search for eternal youth or elongated life has been a frequent topic of various myths and legends from around the world. Adventurers looked in far away lands for clues to the healing waters. In modern times, pharmaceutical companies hunted in jungles and tropical islands for exotic molecules that could be used to solve human disease. Now Ora Biomedical is searching among chemicals and combinations of chemicals laying in plain sight for clues to massive life (and health) extension. And now you can participate by sponsoring a compound that you know or just think is worth $100 to take a look.

Today we are talking with Mitchell Lee, PhD about Ora Biomedical's Million Molecule Challenge and its new citizen science fundraising approach that allows everyone to participate in completing the moonshot Million-Molecule Challenge (assess 1,000,000 longevity interventions in 5 years vs. just under 1,100 compounds tested so far by modern science). In addition, Dr Lee and I discuss my question of how to be "bold but safe" regarding the high-wire act of using off-label pharmaceuticals and OTC nutritional supplements to get a fast start (i.e., start now) on the pursuit of extended human healthspan. This question has been burning my brain as I personally search for a path that avoids the slippery slope of wishful thinking, marketing overpromises (lies) and the dangers of combining too many powerful chemicals.

From Ora Biomedical's website: "...from a small pilot screen of a few mTOR inhibitors, Ora has already identified one that works better than rapamycin....our preliminary data lead us to believe that combinations of 2-5 different longevity interventions have the potential to be twice to ten times as effective as the current best-in-class."

Related episodes:* Episode 95: The Next Rapamycin w/Dr Mitchell Lee * Episode 115: Being Bold & Safe w/Dr Rick Cohen & Daniel Tawfik

More Ora Biomedical Info:* Ora Biomedical website * orabiomedical.com/sponsor-mmc/ * youtube.com/watch?v=kEzRU_jTKl8 * Dr Lee on X, formerly known as Twitter @michellblee33

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Dr Mitchell Lee BioDr Lee received his PhD in Experimental Pathology from the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he trained with Matt Kaeberlein . He is the Co-founder and CEO of Ora Biomedical, a new pharmaceutical company seeking to realize the full potential of healthy aging therapeutics by developing "a new generation of broad use

...it's a fool's errand to try and make older people young. But it's enormously fun to try and make older people fast. That's fun. And it's very good for you, almost certainly. And, do the work; shortcuts tend not to turn out very well or for very long in older athletes.

The better cyclist you want to be past 50, the more you probably have to drop cycling sessions out and put something else in to compensate. So you probably need to drop a cycling session now and put in a gym session, or a running session, or some other sport to work on bone density and muscle fibre loss. So it's a counterintuitive thing. The more you cycle and the more you seek cycling performance, the more you probably need to cast your net a bit wider. Sometimes you need to slow down to go fast.

Phil Cavell is the author of The Midlife Cyclist', a book for the 40+-year-old cyclists who want to train hard, ride fast and stay healthy. It's less of a how-to and more of a philosophy of the older athlete...a collection thoughts and ramblings. It's what you’d talk about with a doctor friend who knew everything about the body and cycling the bike.

Phil says to stop by Cycle Fit to say hello if you are ever in London. I know I will.

Links:* Cycle Fit website: https://www.cyclefit.co.uk/ * Episode 88 - Strong Heart w/Dr Ben Levine: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/88-how-to-get-a-strong-heart-for-performance-and-health-much-more-w-dr-ben-levine/ * Episode 63 - Boosting Testosterone: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/63-boosting-testosterone-right-with-rick-cohen-md/ * Episode 32 - Metabolic Flexibility: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/32-helping-older-athletes-feel-young-again-via-metabolic-and-physiologic-flexibility-with-dr-mike-t-nelson/

Phil Cavell Bio:Phil Cavell is the CEO of the London-based bike fitting studio, Cycle Fit. As well as being an expert on the biomechanics of cycling, Phil has recently written 'The Midlife Cyclist', a book for the 40+-year-old cyclists who want to train hard, ride fast and stay healthy.

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Detailed Show Notes* Go slow to go fast * Do less cycling to get better at cycling * Do the work; don’t resort to shortcuts which always backfire in the end * Sleep is the key to health and performance; work it out and never give up (or resort to drugs) * Video yourself in action; see your disfunction * Be careful of alcohol and hard exercise for the older athlete heart

A healthy athlete is a strong athlete, and athletic longevity requires a long life. To achieve our athletic longevity goals, almost all of us resort to the optimistic usage of pills and powders.

One of the major bummers for the older athlete, is that no one knows how to make people younger. All we can do is slow down the rate of aging. The healthier we are, the slower we age….meaning the more slowly we progress toward that visit to the pearly gates.

How can we balance risk and reward, prioritize which interventions to pursue first, how to tell is we are getting a positive or negative result from our interventions including pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements. These are the questions answered by Daniel and Rick, who also share their thoughts about Rapamycin dosing, cycling interventions to restore beneficial cycles of growth and autophagy, and how Healthspan is delivering a platform to help clients to set proper goals and stay on course over time including taking corrective action when interventions (type and dose) don't deliver results.

Links:* Healthspan Longevity Medicine website: https://www.gethealthspan.com/ * Episode 96 - Healthspan Longevity Medicine: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/96-what-is-longevity-medicine-w-daniel-tawfik-co-founder-of-healthspan/ * Episode 63 - Boosting Testosterone: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/63-boosting-testosterone-right-with-rick-cohen-md/

Dr Rick Cohen & Daniel Tawfik Bios:Dr. Rick Cohen, M.D. is a leading authority in the fields of nutrition, sports performance and longevity medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering with honors of distinction from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rick is also a leader in the field of male functional hormone health and the author of the book “Be All the Man You Can Be” with over 100k copies sold in the past five years.

Daniel Tawfik is the founder, developer, and CEO of HealthSpan. Daniel holds a BS degree from UCLA in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology and physics. Daniel did his graduate research at UCLA's Protein Expression Technology Center where he studied neurometabolic disorders.

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Detailed Show NotesToday we are talking about one particular aspect of acquiring and retaining healthiness: the chemicals we put into our bodies. Chemicals include: pharmaceuticals, botanicals, herbs, spices, concentrated foods, vitamins, minerals. Today, we are NOT going to talk about specific recommendations for specific chemicals…rather we are going to discuss how to think about using chemicals in a way that is safe and responsible, while also bein

Moringa is known as the miracle tree because of its many beneficial features, which include: it helps to increase the blood antioxidants and reduce the blood sugar as well as chronic inflammation. It provides 7 times more vitamin C than oranges, 10 times more vitamin A than carrots, 17 times more calcium than milk, 9 times more protein than yoghurt, 15 times more potassium than bananas, and 25 times more iron than spinach. Rightly so it is on everybody’s superfood list because Moringa truly is a miracle tree.

Links: KuliKuliFoods website: https://www.kulikulifoods.com/ (use discount code: wiseathletes*) * Episode 94 - Phytonutrients: https://wiseathletes.com/podcast/94-phytonutrients-the-1-that-makes-all-the-difference/ * Episode 100 - Phytonutrients Practical Tips: https://wiseathletes.com/podcast/100-practical-tips-for-phytonutrients-and-fiber-w-dr-jed-fahey/ * Dr Jed Fahey’s website

Lisa's & Jed's Bios:While working with women farmers in Niger, Kuli Kuli’s founder Lisa Curtis was introduced to the energizing and healing powers of Moringa. Out of that experience, Lisa dreamed of a business that would help Americans experience the power of superfoods like Moringa while empowering female farmers around the world. Out of that dream, Kuli Kuli was born.

Dr. Fahey is THE INTERNET FAMOUS nutritional biochemist with extensive background in plant and human nutrition and phytochemistry.

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I'm sure you've heard something, somewhere about magnetic field therapies providing pain and healing through noninvasive anti-inflammatory effects. To my ears, this all sounded a little too much like those X-Ray glasses that I ordered in 1975 that never arrived. Today I am talking with Bob Dennis, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Founder of Micro-Pulse, about his work with NASA on PEMF and his pursuit of a non-drug solution to his own back pain. Bob is a scientist and an old-school tinkerer on a mission to bring affordable PEMF technology to Wise Athletes and people in pain everywhere.

The original NASA TVEMF - PEMF systems were developed by Dr. Robert Dennis for NASA under contract in 1997 - 1998. Recently corrected NASA patents verify his status as original inventor. Four additional patents (1 2 3 4) demonstrate the recent advances that have been made since the original work at NASA, leading to modern ICES® DigiCeutical® technology developed in 2013 - 2014. ICES is the new PEMF.

Founded by Dr. Robert Dennis (LinkedIn profile) to provide biomedical technology research & development to bridge the gap from academic research to industry, Micro-Pulse LLC has evolved into an independent core technology origination company for a wide range of products, including specialized test apparatus for basic scientific research, robust products for military applications, and low-cost high-performance commercial products for medicine, research, and education.

Links:* Micro-Pulse.com website: https://www.micro-pulse.com/ * PEMF Forum: https://forum.fluxhealth.co/ * Bob Dennis's article on PEMF: https://www.josam.org/josam/article/view/69 * Bob's University of North Carolina bio: https://bme.unc.edu/bme-person/bob-dennis/

Bob's Bio:Bob Dennis is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a medical scientist and tissue engineer, and consultant in medical device design. He has worked in the aerospace and defense industries, the automotive industry, and the medical device industry. He co-founded the Biomechatronics Group in the Harvard-MIT HST program in the original MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, where he

A.G.E.s are extremely damaging to our health. You are wise to become "A.G.E. aware".

A.G.E.s is an acronym for Advanced Glycation End-products or "glycation". Most people wrongly think A.G.E.s is only a problem for people with a high HbA1c score measuring average blood glucose levels over the last 3 months. A.G.E.s affect us all. A.G.E.s are now known to be a cause of cancer and of many chronic diseases, including: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, painful joints, erectile disfunction, cataracts, and even wrinkling of the skin.

Our bodies make A.G.E.s as an unavoidable consequence of making energy to live, and we eat foods containing a wide range of A.G.E volumes. Avoiding the A.G.E.s in our food is the easiest way to control the accumulation of A.G.E.s. The volume of AGEs in our food is dependent upon the type and amount of food and how it is prepared. Cooking food slowly, wet, with acidic marinades (such as lemon, lime, tomato sauce, vinegar, wine) and/or certain spices (such as Indian) makes all the difference. Eating food raw is even better. And regular exercise may be the only way to reduce the retention of A.G.E.s.

The Anti-A.G.E. Foundation says research suggests up to 30% of the A.G.E.s we consume in our food remains inside our bodies. Over our lifetime, very slowly these A.G.E.s build up in our tissues. Very slowly but very surely. The organs of a 50 year old will have far more A.G.E.s than a 20 year old. Initial studies in healthy individuals suggest that consumption of 15,000 to 20,000 A.G.E.s per day may be a healthy limit, as the body can detoxify some amount of A.G.E.s. But research has not concluded a safe level, so “less is more” applies.

15,000 A.G.E.s may sound like a lot but a single fast-food meal contains 22,000 A.G.E.s. Fried, grilled, and baked foods...and in particular fatty meats ... generate the most A.G.E.s.

Learn about A.G.E.s from Dr Turner's TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/LvwMXqyrKG0?feature=shared

Anti-AGEs / Dr Turner / Dr Findlay Info: Dr. David Turner's Lab: https://surgery.vcu.edu/research/surgery-research/turner-lab/ * Dr Victoria Findlay's Lab: https://surgery.vcu.edu/research/surgery-research/findlay-lab/ * Anti-AGEs Foundation website:*https://anti-ages.org/

Dr. David Turner is President & Co-Founder Anti A.G.E Foundation (non-profit) and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Surgery at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center. His strong British accent was honed growing up in the North of England where he completed his Honors Science Degree in Molecular Biology and Doctorate in Biochemistry at the University of Newcastle in the United Kingdom. His passion is combining his scientific research on A.G.E.s with a total commitment to making the world “A.G.E. aware”.

Dr. Victoria Findlay is a Co-Founder of Anti-A.G.E. Foundation (non-profit) and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery and a Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program at the Massey Cancer Center at the Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her BSc in Edinburgh, Scotland and her doctorate in Genetics at the University of Newcastle in England. Her passion is to educate and inspire the next

Recovery from too much exercise or stress in life can be a hard problem to solve. Trying hard to relax is not only an oxymoron but is also impossible. Wise Athletes need some external signal to trigger our brain's unconscious program for relaxation and recovery. This is critical for athletic performance as well as for longevity.

Listen in as Don Moxley explains how the cannabis plant includes compounds that work with our body's signaling infrastructure to switch on recovery mode, and to resolve anxiety-led sleep interference. If you've tried CBD before but didn't get any benefit, you probably weren't taking a large enough dose. Don also explains the difference between CBD and CBDa, and why CBD is the wrong target. CBDa is what you need for affordable recovery support.

Learn about CBD: https://projectcbd.org/

Don Moxley Bio: Mode+Method website: www.modemethod.com (use discount code -- wise15) * SpermidineLife website: https://spermidinelife.us/ * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donmoxley/ * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donmoxley/ * Twitter:* https://twitter.com/donmoxley?lang=en

Mode+Method's HRV+

Includes cannabinoids CBD, CBDa, BCP (50mg cannabinoids per capsule; daily dose = 3 capsules per day)
Formulated with Curcumin, Magnesium and Omega-3 to reduce inflammation

Don is a regarded longevity science leader known for making the complex simple.

Don Moxley is Director of Applied Science and Brand Development at Longevity Labs Inc. in the United States. Operating with the personal mission of helping individuals understand the changes necessary to alleviate suffering and contribute to the betterment of all people, Moxley draws upon his career as an athlete, a sports scientist, and an instructor to lead and educate on the science of autophagy and longevity.

Throughout his life and career, Moxley has applied science to enhancing well-being. A former captain and Big 10 Championship winner with the Ohio State University wrestling team, Don served as the university’s first sport scientist. By giving athletes the ability to track their progress in strength, cardiovascular and resilience training, he helped the wrestling team win a national title and three Big 10 Championships. He has helped athletes achieve two Olympic metals, four World Championships, seven National Championships and 23 All-Americans.

Want to help the show?If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.

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Mental fitness is much like physical fitness in many ways. As athletes we are also human beings living in a stressful world. Building mental fitness can come randomly over many years of experience, but structured training can make all the difference. Getting professional help can produce the fastest results, but be sure to have a training plan to get you where you want to do. Listen into Kate Allgood of Quantum Performance, as she explains her approach and answers my questions about how to think about mental fitness and some mental tools to deploy to accomplish specific goals.

Kate Allgood Bio:* Kate's Website: www.qpathlete.com * Instagram: www.instagram.com/qpathlete/ * LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sportpsychology/

Kate delivers mental training solutions to overcome the demands faced by elite athletes and other high performers in the military and business. Kate's life has always involved balancing a healthy body and mind. After a successful athletic career, Kate found her passion for helping others to improve and enhance their mental health and performance. Kate earned two Masters degrees with honors in psychology, specializing in applied sport psychology, and general psychology with a concentration in family psychology. She graduated with distinction for both degrees. And, in 2010 Kate launched Quantum Performance Inc, a high performance coaching firm specializing in the mental training of high performers. Current and past clients have included professional athletes in the MLB, NFL, NHL, AHL, Supercross, PGA, LPGA, skateboarding, the Anaheim Ducks & San Diego Gulls hockey teams, Olympic, college, & high school athletes, Navy SEALs and Marine fighter pilots to ironman triathletes. And, Kate is the author of 3 books that provide all the details behind her approach.

Kate's books:* The Athlete Within: How to build Your Mental Game for Peak Performance * Get Into The Zone: The Essential Guide To High Performance Through Mental Training * Fortitude: The Essential Guide to Building and Sustaining Mental Toughness

What is Mental Training for Peak Performance?Multiple levels of framework, from highest level to lowest:

Self-awareness. Confidence.
What helps with Self-awareness? Medication
What helps with Confidence? Self talk, focusing on small successes
Focus....at the core of everything. Tools for training attention.
Energy...energy level and type of energy to synch mind and body
Imagery and visualization
Perspective. Mindset falls into perspective. Respond vs. react.
Lot's of skills and techniques to pull all of this together

Outline of Discussion* Kate's background * Mental performance in sport vs. in life...separate but connected * Kate's framework for mental training for peak performance * Growth mindset: athletes succeed through effort, not talent * Growth mindset: constant improvement is at the core of all great athletes. Every experience is an opportunity to grow, not good vs. bad * Growth mindset: help others to improve * Stress is not good or bad, it is a physiological response. We can learn to have the right response, and use tools to modulate the response to be more appropriate for the situation when necessary * Getting centered: feel the grass/dirt, smell the grass/dirt

I have a number of amazing episodes coming up (mental strength, CBD, avoiding glycation/AGEs, PEMF and more) but I haven't been able to get any of them ready. It's been too long since I published anything so I thought I'd share an great one from last year done with one of my favorite people, Dr Mike T Nelson. Enjoy!

Mike T Nelson, PhDDr Mike is a well known expert on Metabolic Flexibility, and I have had him on Wise Athletes twice out of pure admiration for his amazing body of work. On episode #68, Glen and I spoke with Dr. Mike T Nelson about building anti-fragility across a range of physical and mental functions. If you missed this one or the 2021 episode on Metabolic Flexibility, be sure to listen in. If you already heard it, you wouldn't be wasting your time to check out Dr Mike's advice again.

Episode 32: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/32-helping-older-athletes-feel-young-again-via-metabolic-and-physiologic-flexibility-with-dr-mike-t-nelson/

BioCreator of the Flex Diet Certification & Phys Flex Certification, kiteboarder, lifter of odd objects, metal music lover.

PHD IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BA IN NATURAL SCIENCE FROM ST. SCHOLASTICA
MS IN BIOMECHANICS FROM MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT CARRICK INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL NEUROLOGY
AND MUCH MORE

Dr. Mike's Website https://miketnelson.com

Dr. Mike's Instagram drmiketnelson

Physiological Flexibility The 4 main regulators pH, temp, blood gas oxygen and CO2, and blood glucose. The 8 interventions (2 for each) are:

Hot -such as warm temps outside or sauna
Cold - cold water immersion, cooler temps, cold showers
HIIT -high intensity exercise as Wingates (aka Beast Mode)
LISS - as Dr Mike's buddy Luke from Muscle Nerds calls it "Least Mode" aka lower intensity exercise
Low blood glucose - via fasting protocols
High(er) blood glucose challenge - 2 pop tart test
Slow breathing techniques and breath holds
Fast (supra ventilation) techniques like Wim Hoff and others

Met Flex = Flexible Diet + metabolic flexibility. The focus is Body composition and athletic performance, which are intertwined. Body composition is good for health, self esteem and performance. Athletic performance is good for (1) health (body is built to move), (2) longevity (3 factors) and (3) body composition (burning calories Key Principals:

Speed of adaptation reflects health status and resilience: fuel switching speed, sugar tolerance, temperature tolerance, HR capacity (max vs. resting), endurance, mobility and strength provides headroom to recover from problems.
Benefit stacking: getting multiple benefits from our actions and food
Health maintenance is the real goal. Achieving goals is nice, but sustaining fitness and health is the real achievement. The key is fuel matching and non-linear calorie imbalance. (Practice maintenance)
No suffering; stay within yourself but push a little most days.
“Better is better”. Optimal is elusive but will slowly be achieved for each person
Little things add up. Start with easy to gain momentum and motivation for harder change.
Exercise doesn’t have to dominate your life; you just need to do enough of cardio/ endurance and HIIT/ strength work.
More variability = better resilience
Consistency of effort (we are forming new habits, need time to obtain positive feedback)
Progressive overload (change is painful, but only a little and only some of the time, if done right)
Modulated workload (for recovery, adaptation, mental health, and practice for maintenance mode)

Inflexible people have a insulin resistance, have lots of insulin to deal with sugar, makes it hard to burn fat. Issue in losing fat and using fat for endurance intensity exercise.

8 interventions for nutrition and recovery. Help people: higher metabolic flux, fast switching between fat and carb burning. Getting stronger and getting control over body composition. Help people understand nutrition, and factors involved in body composition and performance. Not treating medical conditions.

Started with Dr David Kelly(Brooks and mercier) Coined “Cross over effect”

Leverage: Focus on high impact (make a big difference in physiology), easy to do (clients will do it) interventions: physiology & psychology. Actually have clients rank interventions according to what they will do. Progressive disclosure

Exercise is not the same as physical activity. Wise Athletes must continue to use all of our physical skills to retain them long into life. Instead of investing in carefully planned strength training, cardio training, balance training, mobility training....just get out into nature and use your body in ways that are unpredictable...that challenge your brain.

Dr. Scott Grafton Dr. Scott Grafton, Distinguished Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, directs the Action Lab, which works on the neuroscience of goal-directed movement. Professor Grafton is also the author of Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and Mind Guide Each Other Through Life.

Physical Intelligence book (Amazon)
Action Lab Website

What is Physical Intelligence? Dr. Grafton shares how ‘physical intelligence’ works, what you can do to hold on to old physical skills as well as learn new fun things to do, and why it’s so important for all of us as we age.

Physical intelligence is the brain's ability to figure out how to perform physical skills better and better. It learns by doing.

But we forget. We lose skills we don’t use. That results in losing basic life skills if we withdraw from life. The more we pull back from activities that might result in injury the less capable we become over time. We have to find a way to stretch ourselves in what we already know or in learning new activities.

Exercise is not enough. We need unpredictable environments. An opponent across the net. An unstable trail. Something that engages the brain in adapting skills to accommodate new information. We retain physical skills and we exercise the brain.

Smart Practice -- spending time wisely that provide the best result....only practicing the hardest skills...not wasting time on the easy stuff because it's fun
Variability in Practice -- it's good to have randomness in the practice to maximally stimulate the brain to learn faster
Good sleep is important for consolidating new physical skills
We are born to learn physical skills. We are great at it. But we are also great at forgetting. Use it or lose it.
Find a way to stretch your physical capabilities (which will stretch your mental capabilities as well) to keep from shrinking down to a fragile person who is afraid and incapable of operating in the world
Why do people fall down? Strength? Balance? Vision? No: its a loss of skill in moving through real-world environments.

Outline of Discussion * you were talking about how exercise is not the same as physical activity ….as a “exerciser” I found that a little annoying * eventually I understood that you were diagnosing the problem I have been complaining about publicly for the last 6 months… about how I have lost athleticism as I have focused more and more on just lifting weights and riding a stationary bike, and not doing sports anymore * you just returned from a trip to the mountains. How did it go? Was this your annual trip to you mentioned in your book? And, when you tell us about that also tell our audience how you came to know so much about physical intelligence * I admit to being a bit jealous of your trip. So much so that I had to brag to you earlier about the mountains I have climbed in my life, but the truth is I regret feeling that I had to give it up as too hard for my aging body. But you are still doing it. How? And please tell us why. * you are doing it right. Am I am not going it right, which brings us to the point of our talk today. How should wise athletes do to find a good glide path to perhaps slowing but as slowly as possible….staying staying strong both physically and mentally as long as possible?. So , Healthy aging is not from a treadmill. We need complex physical engagement for the body and brain. And the mindset, the attitude matters….is that just for motivation or does the mindset affect the benefit we get form doing physical activity? * in the context of aging, when we’re told to do our “exercise” for our health, we aren’t being given completely good advice, are we? * physical activity that engages the brain is important….use it or lose it seems to apply broadly to the human condition. * I used to think the declines of the body and mind was just a natural progression…unavoidable. But now I wonder if we are doing it to ourselves somehow. Leaping past the question of why the body “gets old” and just start with the thought that because my joints hurt, I stop doing certain activities…and maybe that is the beginning of the end. * I stop using my body the way I used to, and pretty quickly I lose the ability to do it. My mom followed this path to doing less and less. The less she did, the more things that felt dangerous…which led to further reductions in activity and more lost physical skills. Are we doing it to ourselves, dr grafton?

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.

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Red Light & Near-Infrared Light Therapy delivers amazing healing and pain-relief along with many other benefits

Dr. Zulia Frost Dr. Zulia Frost is a medical doctor and clinical director at Recharge Health. Dr. Frost explains that red light & near infrared light technology has many applications, including treating injuries, resolving age-related pains, improving sleep and much more.

drzulia.com
recharge.health

What is Red & NIR Light? Sun exposure has long been valued for its healing properties. But the dangers of sunburn, skin aging and skin cancer, and just the modern, indoor lifestyle has dramatically reduced the exposure we get to the sun.

The largest proportion of sunlight is infrared light which we feel as heat. The reason we can feel it is the infrared wavelengths can penetrate through clothing and through our skin and even through bone, down into our muscles and organs. It turns out that our bodies react to this light, as well as to other wavelengths including red light which is at the longest wavelength end of visible light.

The technology for replicating red and NIR light is called photo biomodulation. It used to be called “cold laser” therapy because it relied on low power lasers, but eventually it was discovered that LEDs worked as well. This is where all the consumer products are coming from.

Red & IR light are of wavelengths that do not create heat in the body but do have a photobiomodulation effect
Mechanisms of benefit include:
- Increases energy in cells impacted by red & IR light
- Via nitric oxide release, improves blood flow, which is critical for healing
- Release of anti-inflammatory cytokines (to reduce inflammation related to healing)
- Rapid pain reduction in certain circumstances via reduction in inflammation
- Increased production of collagen: higher quantity and quality
Dosing is important to get any effect
- Power of LEDs
- Distance from skin
- Time of exposure
- Biphasic dosing: the benefits build up over time but too much for too long can be counterproductive. Not injury but lost effect. Take a break to recover ability to get benefits.

Key Details: Near-Infrared (NIR) Light is considered to be about 750nm-1200nm. NIR's longer-wavelength, lower-energy light can reach deeper tissues of the body like muscles, joints, and even brain tissues. The most effective wavelengths of NIR are 810-850nm.

Red Light is typically considered to be 620nm-750nm. Red light's shorter-wavelength, higher energy light will penetrate a little less than NIR but can help with shallower parts of the skin, like skin repair and rejuvenation. The most effective wavelengths of Red Light are 635-670nm.

Outline of Discussion * What is sunlight made up of in terms of wavelengths? * How did red / NIR light therapy get started as a treatment? * What are the benefits? How does it help? Pain reduction, improved skin quality, blood glucose control, better sleep, lower anxiety, faster muscle recovery, recovery from TBI. * How do we know it really works, and is not just a placebo effect? (this was my fear, originally) * How does it work? Multiple mechanisms: improved blood flow, higher cellular energy, activated immune response for healing plus anti-inflammatory response * How can people determine which devices will suit their goals? Part of body to target, device form factor, power, distance from lights, time of exposure * Tell us about Recharge, and how people can learn more about red / NIR light therapy

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES

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Song Credit: Twice in One Lifetime by Phil Maffetone

Dr Phil Maffetone Dr. Phil Maffetone’s credo is that “everyone is an athlete.” As a health and fitness trendsetter, Dr Phil has had as much positive impact on a wider variety of people than anyone in modern history. Dr. Phil is a long-time respected pioneer in the field of complementary medicine, bringing the latest advances to health-care professionals around the world. He is an internationally recognized researcher, educator, clinician and author in the field of nutrition, exercise and sports medicine, and biofeedback. In 2003, Dr. Maffetone was presented with the prestigious Statuette award by the International Academy for Child Brain Development. He was named Triathlete Magazine’s coach of the year in 1995, and in 2000 was honored by Inside Triathlon magazine as one of the top-20 most influential people in endurance sports worldwide.

Since the 1970s, Dr. Phil Maffetone has warned against sugar addiction and carbohydrate intolerance along with pioneering the use of biofeedback via heart-rate monitoring devices. His approach has been proven successful by thousands of MAF devotees. Dr. Phil is committed to making the Maffetone Method available to everyone.

Music can positively influence intensity, fat-burning, as well as encouraging overall brain and body benefits. However, it needs to be used intelligently. Best to avoid the stress-induced pounding drums and driving bass lines. While a no-pain, no-gain approach to exercise and music can be enjoyable, be careful out there. If you want an aerobic workout to burn more fat and increase energy capacity, listening to intense music can be problematic. Lower heart rate exercise increases fat-burning and builds mitochondria capacity for superior aerobic performance.

Consider songs that help promote warmups — slower, easy music allows your body to ease into the session, increasing the workout benefits. Likewise, with your cool down. For aerobic workouts, a more moderate beat is great, and for high intensity a faster song helps move you along. The most important music choice is always the music you enjoy.

However, the choice. Personalize. Most importantly, always avoid junk music.

Dr Phil has created some playlists of his music. The two playlists are for an Easy Aerobic Workout, and for Higher Intensity Training. And, it’s all free.

Links: * www.Maffetonemusic.com * www.philmaffetone.com * Dr. Phil's B Sharp! book on Amazon

Outline of Talk * The main topic today is music, which a newer aspect of your amazing career….a career which I think can be summarized as: helping athletes to be faster by being healthier. * Before we get into the music side of this story... can you give us a high level understanding of the MAF Method. …. Why did you see a need for it and why does it work? * MAF Method -- The point is not to see how fast your body can move. The point is to change the way your body gets energy. You want to burn more fat and less sugar. * MAF stands for Maximum Aerobic Function and combines exercise, nutrition, and stress to build your aerobic system, the fat-burning engine responsible for fueling the body. * A well-functioning aerobic system leads to: + Increased energy and endurance + Run / bike / swim faster for longer + Prevent injury and disease + Improved brain function * So, a healthy athlete is a strong athlete… that makes sense, * But why can’t I just focus on getting what I want … a higher FTP and VO2Max, so why not go for it directly instead of doing so much “talking pace” exercise? * The more I learn about health and fitness and even longevity, the more I understand that the body and mind want and need cycles of stress and recovery, feast and famine, growth and repair, intensity, and relaxation, again and again. * It’s funny …. Recovery is one of those things that quote/unquote “everybody knows and nobody does”…. it is so elusive, I think, because you can’t go directly at it… * Let’s start with music and exercise, then we’ll get into the broader use of music. * Tell us your thinking about how a wise athlete should use music before or during or after exercise? * When I first heard you talk about using music to relax, I realized that I only listened to fast tempo music anymore….and that was my choice because it charged me up…made me ready to move and made exercise much easier. * But after your talk, I started listening to relaxing music after my workouts. Luckily I had some old favorites on my phone that I never listened to… and now I find I can calm down and just relax for a bit instead of charging off into some other project that needs doing. And if I sing along with the music I even feel happy. * But it’s true that Fast music feels exciting and makes exercising feel easier and more fun. But you say it raises the heart rate for the same level of output , but that’s is the opposite of what the MAF Method is trying to build…which is lower heart rate for a given level of power or effort * To transition in into talking about music and aging well…music and improving the brain, I want to read part of a quote from Mark Allen about your book. And for the younger audience members, Mark Allen won the Hawaii Ironman 6 times (’89-’95); Mark was an athlete Dr Maffetone helped to transition from a regular top-10 athlete to perhaps the all-time-great endurance athlete: Here’s a part of what Mark said: + “Reducing stress, gaining happiness, experiencing joy and fulfillment, living a life filled with longevity and vitality… In "B Sharp!” Dr. Maffetone explains how participation in music brings us all of this and more. * obviously Mark is talking about more than recovery from exercise here. Can you explain what he means ….how can music give us all of this…reducing stress, gaining happiness, experiencing joy and fulfillment? I would certainly like some? * Your book lists 5 benefits of using music to expand the mind. + Deep meditation - boost alpha and theta brainwaves + Revitalization - encourage optimal aging + Neuroprotection - repair and protect the brain + Neurogenesis - produce new brain cells + Human performance - maximize brain-body health and fitness * So, music is a lever that is built into our operating system. It’s like a backdoor to tuning our minds to support our goals. Heck, maybe it’s the front door. * As I have thought about music in preparation for today, I occurred to me that any particular song picks up….an emotion or a mental state, a program that plays in my mind when I hear that song. . But for me, some songs have particular effects * Christmas songs I only hear at Christmas time and remember back through happy tmes * Songs from my childhood that I rarely hear anymore, send me flying back in time. I feel a happy for some reason. Nostalgic * Songs that I have had in my exercise playlist for 20 years…those songs get me riled up…ready to do hard work because I have done a 1000 hard workouts while listening * And old favorites that are slow tunes play a program that let’s me sit and relax and not think about the other things I could be doing. * On the other hand, A song that I listened to all the time in many situations can lose the program due to interference of so many things attached

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES

Thanks.

The journey to happiness always includes a bicycle. And a bicycle that fits you is the most important part.

A bike is a marvelous extension of the human body. Riding a bike is a like full-body meditation. When you do it right you are immersed in the present….lost in the pleasure of your body working well. That is, as long as your bike doesn’t cause pain. Some people never have problems but others have to struggle to get the right combination of gear, body function, and set up. For those of us in that last category, a good bike fitter is priceless.

So why is good bike fitting so hard to come by? It turns out that it isn’t hard if you know what to look for. Kevin Schmidt knows bikes, and he knows bodies. He's a good friend to the cyclist.

I have to admit that I didn't think this episode would apply to me. I mean my bike fits me already. But after my discussion with Kevin, on my very next bike ride, I noticed I had to scoot back on my saddle. Suddenly I was reminded of Kevin's advice about saddle tilt. I got off my bike and looked at my saddle for the 1000th time, and it looked good. But I decided to make the smallest possible adjustment to my saddle tilt, and BINGO! Suddenly my bike felt 100% better, and no more sliding. Yeah, you should listen to Kevin.

Kevin Schmidt, PT, MSPT, CMP, Bike Friendly Physio and owner/founder of Pedal PT Kevin Schmidt is a physical therapist, clinical bike fitter, bike adventurer, and entrepreneur. Since 2007, Kevin has dedicated himself 100% to living the 'bike life' and has not driven a car to a workday in over 12 years. He Founded Pedal PT in 2012 in Portland, Oregon, which became America's very first Physical Therapy clinic ever to be certified as a 'Gold-Level' Bike Friendly Business from the League of American Cyclists. In his pursuit of ‘Bike Friendly Physical Therapy” Kevin has written and been featured in numerous articles and speaking events on Bike Fit and managing the cycling population, and is also the creator of the ‘Pedal PT Online Academy’, and “The Portlander” Bike Fit training stand. Kevin lives in southeast Portland, OR with his family. 

Links: * www.pedalpt.com * Pedal PT YouTube Channel * Pedal PT Blog on Medium * Email: Kevin [at] pedalpt.com * Kevin's Pedal PT Academy: https://pedal-pt.mykajabi.com

Outline of Talk * Kevin’s journey from PT to Pedal PT and commuting to work by bike for 16 years. * A bike fit is not always about buying new gear. This is why getting a bike fit from a person who understands the human body and physical mechanics makes too much sense to ignore. But find a PT who lives for bikes and can use a wrench. * Pain is not a normal part of cycling. The solution can be equipment/ bike size related but mostly (80%) it’s about some body issue that needs a tweak to the existing bike parts that can move or some rehabilitation of some muscle imbalance or other body issue. * Priorities of bike adjustment + Get the pedals and cleats right first. Feet first because the foot affects seat height and handlebars reach. Don’t have cleats too far forward. + Saddle position. The biggest problem is saddle tilt nose down causes slipping forward which changes everything as well as pressure on hands. Flatter saddles are better for most people, and wider saddles for more upright positions and problems with undercarriage pain and numbness. * Foot pain. Pain in bony part of foot, move cleat back. Numbness? Shoe too narrow. Hotfoot? Too much room; fill with an insole. * The usual client is getting physical therapy AND needs a bike fit. Clients often need some know-how on using a bike well to minimize problems. How to shift gears properly and when. The need to stand up periodically to relieve the tissues BEFORE then pain starts. Don’t try to look like a 20 year old professional cyclist. * How to find a good bike fitter? Obviously a PT who is trained to fit bikes is a good bet. A PT who is not a trained bike fitter os a bad bet. Any bike fitter who is quick to sell gear is likely to be a problem. A bike fitter in a bike shop is trained to upsell, which costs extra $ and might not solve the problem. * DIY can work with patience. Give adjustments time to work; it won’t necessarily be immediate even if correct. And checkout Kevin’s YouTube videos. * First thing is to get the bike fit into the green zone. A safe place. Then tweak. * Good exercises for the cyclist. The more time you ride, the more time you need training reversing the sitting shape. Backwards bending, arms behind the back. Superman’s for strengthening the low back. Suitcase carry to strengthen core ability to resist twisting. Kettlebell swings. Planks aren’t that helpful. * Don’t buy into the BS seriousness of cycling. Riding a bike is fun and should make you happy. Don’t work with bike fitters or bike shops who intimidate and have a my-way-or-highway attitude.

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes.

And, checkout the discount codes provided by show guests who offer unique products that I or Glen use. Click here: DISCOUNT CODES

Thanks.

You can't get sunshine in a pill. Vitamin D is not enough.

Prof Prue Hart Professor Prue Hart is a photoimmunologist and researcher investigating the beneficial effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on health and disease. Prof Hart agreed to come onto the Wise Athletes podcast to share an important message…despite the fear mongering about skin cancer and skin aging, the research has shown that TOO LITTLE sun exposure is linked to increased mortality and multiple chronic diseases, including autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, Vitamin D is only one of many molecules made by our bodies in response to UV light (others include nitric oxide and urocanic acid). You can't get sunshine in a pill. Vitamin D is not enough.

Listen in to learn how to find the sweet spot of UV light for the many health benefits while avoiding the harmful effects of too much UV light.

Links: Avoidance of Sun is a Risk Factor for Major Causes of Death

More Than Effects in Skin: Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Changes in Immune Cells in Human Blood

Alfredsson L, Armstrong BK, Butterfield DA, et al. Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(14):5014. Published 2020 Jul 13. doi:10.3390/ijerph17145014

Hart PH, Norval M. The Multiple Roles of Urocanic Acid in Health and Disease. J Invest Dermatol. 2021;141(3):496-502. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2020.07.017

Outline of Talk * What is sunlight? The sun is a big ball of fire throwing off many wavelengths of light. UV (don’t see but notice the effects later), visible (all colors together appears as white light), and infrared (which we don’t see but feel as heat) * We’ve been hearing about the dangers of UV light for decades: cancer, wrinkles. Only 60% of melanomas is from sun exposure. You do need to be vigilant. Get the cancers taken off if they arrive. The skin knows how to deal with sun damage. The skin is always being replaced. Our immune system fights the damage. Immune compromised people need to be extra careful. * What are the negative effects of too little UV light? How can people tell if they are getting too little? What are the risks of continuing to get too little UV? Does the harm get worse as we age? * How is UV light on skin is good? Vit D, clear up acne, attractive suntan…we know about these. What else? Molecules activated by UV light, and how do they help or how do we know they help? * So it’s more than vit D? How do we know? * Too much or too little UV light is the problem. So how much UV light should we aim for? Every day? How to get enough for regular people who work indoors? Avoid the middle of the day…the brightest sun? Get some early morning sun to prepare the skin (melatonin?)? Each person is different because of many factors including latitude and season, and skin color and tendency to burn * People with the most sun exposure live the longest. * Aim for 70% of an amount of sun that would cause a redness of the skin. It’s different for each person and each person adapts over time. Only a few minutes at a time can be enough.

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks.

Paper Provided by Prof Prue Hart: Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem

Bio William H. Clement is a former professional ice hockey player who became an author, speaker, actor, entrepreneur, and hockey broadcaster.

Clement played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), and was named an All-Star twice. He spent his first four years with the Philadelphia Flyers, with whom he won two Stanley Cup championships (1974, 1975). Clement later played for the Washington Capitals, whom he captained, and the Flames, both in Atlanta and Calgary.

Clement has broadcast five different Olympic Games and has worked for ESPN, NBC, ABC, Versus, Comcast SportsNet and TNT in the U.S., and CTV, CBC, Rogers Sportsnet and Sirius XM Radio in Canada.

His acting credits include work on the ABC daytime drama All My Children and more than 300 television ads for clients such as Chevrolet, Bud Light, and Deepwoods Off. He was also one of the in-game announcers on EA Sports' NHL video games from NHL 07 through NHL 14, as well as on 2K Sports' NHL 2K series in ESPN NHL Hockey and ESPN NHL 2K5.

Bill talks about: 1. How to pronounce "Clement" 2. Learning from failure 3. Never quit but reset goals for maximum motivation and satisfaction 4. Always look through the windshield not the rear view mirror to find opportunities 5. Use goals and reward for motivation and good habits 6. Nobody gets out alive 7. Adopt a positive yet adaptable mindset that allows each of us to make physical activity an act of joy 8. Make every day the best day of your life 9. The Arc of Haywood Country, a non-profit making the world a better place

Links: * The Arc of Haywood Country * EveryDay Leadership by Bill Clement * Think and Grow Rich by Naponeon Hill

Efficiency in training, in health, and in life comes of finding solutions that solve multiple problems at once. If only there was one thing that: improved athletic performance, faster recovery from exercise, lower blood pressure, less plaque buildup in arteries, and improved immune function? It is called Nitric Oxide, and you have much less of it now than you did when you were young. The good news is you can get more, and the answer is simple. It isn't easy, but it is simple.

Beth Shirley Beth Shirley, RPh, CCN, is a Registered Pharmacist and Certified Clinical Nutritionist who has developed unique expertise during a distinguished 40+ year career which includes wellness department development and management, new product formulation and integrative medical practice development and marketing. Also includes educational programs for distribution to health practitioners and consumers.

She has been a pioneer at the cutting edge of the evolution of what has now come to be known as ‘Integrative Pharmacy’… the junction between traditional pharmacy and the critical use of nutritional supplementation.

As a practitioner and educator, her specialties include stress-induced hormonal imbalance, intestinal dysfunction, autoimmune and chronic inflammatory issues and super-normal oxidative stress. Increasing focus on the integration of genetic characteristics and related nutrigenomics into clinical protocols.

Since 2009, Beth has worked in close collaboration with some of the world’s thought leaders in the field of nitric oxide research, and has developed in-depth knowledge on the topic and its potential beneficial application in multiple aspects of patient care.

Links to checkout: * berkeleylife.com (they don't sell direct to consumers so you'll need to register with this link to buy. At checkout, use discount code: "WISE20" ...it is a one-time 20% savings, and, for disclosure, I might get a commission (I didn't ask). * NO Presentation on YouTube * LinkedIn -- Beth Shirley

Outline of Discussion * Beth Shirley's background * Why is nitric oxide important to health and performance? * Who has low nitric oxide? Why? * Is nitrate a bad thing? No * Why people are losing their nitric oxide production? * What is the difference between nitrates and nitrites? * What can people do to make more nitric oxide? * How can people get test strips to evaluate nitrite produced by oral microbiome needed to make nitric oxide? * How can people get nitrate supplementation that is good?

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks.

"Exceptional performance health isn't easy, but it's worth it"

James LaValle R.Ph.,C.C.N.M.T.,ND (trad) is an internationally recognized clinical pharmacist, author, board-certified clinical nutritionist, and expert and educator in integrative and precision health with 35 years of experience. Jim is best known for his expertise in uncovering metabolic issues keeping people from feeling healthy and vital.

In episode 102, Jim talks about his soon to be released book for athletes with an emphasis on solving whole body issues by building a resilient gut.

James P. LaValle James LaValle's experience covers super athletes to individuals struggling with chronic health complaints. LaValle is currently affiliated with George Washington University as a clinical instructor in the Masters of Integrative Medicine Program, James has authored 16 e-books and 20 books including the most recently released, Your Blood Never Lies, as well as his best seller, Cracking the Metabolic Code, along with Smart Medicine for Healthier Living, Nutritional Cost of Drugs and The Cox 2 Connection. He was named one of the “50 Most Influential Pharmacists” by American Druggist magazine and has done well over 1000 media appearances on T.V. and radio.

Links: * jimlavalle.com/ * metaboliccode.com/

Discussion outline: Jim’s background and history of helping people to get healthy and improve performance * Working with thousands of people * Working with professional athletes

Athletic Performance improvement Bio markers for sports performance. Biomechanics and biochemistry need to intersect in order to have a healthy person who is training. You can start an inflammation cascade due to an injury or you can get injured because you have inflammation in your body.

Key takeaways:

Many common medications are detrimental to gut health (antibiotics, statins, contraceptives, metformin, proton pump inhibitors, SSRIs, laxatives)
Joint & muscle pain can come from a leaky gut and food sensitivities
Eat more plants for fiber and other phytonutrients (3 vegetables for every 1 fruit)
While you are fixing your gut, target a modified low-carb (not keto), low allergen (avoid dairy, corn, soy, gluten shellfish, pea protein powder), anti-inflammatory diet. Have a varied diet; don't eat the same foods all the time.
Stress = feel overcommitted, trouble sleeping, crave carbohydrates, eat past feeling full, get dizzy upon standing
Slower recovery from exercise as we age is not inevitable, it is related to poor gut health which contributed to unmanaged stress (HGH, testosterone decreases)
Help for gut: glutamine for athletes, cat's claw (500-1000mg), berberine (fix leaky gut and more), digestive enzymes for bloating & gas, chew food well (better digestion)
Blood markers of poor gut health and chronic inflammation: MPV, hsCRP, MEBs: monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils (add up to >9%, have gut issue), basophils>1% means stuck in inflammation and repair mode (over training), insulin > 5 or 10 means excessive adrenaline, cortisol near or over 22 means probable leaky gut, low ferritin (even with normal iron) is a sign of inflammation (which is lowering red blood cell production)
Long COVID and other brain fog can be due to changes in the poor functioning of the gut microbiome causing neuro-inflammation
Bone loss: gut disregulation or stress or taking a PPI ...reduced absorption of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D...plus low testosterone results in bone loss. Correlated with increased artery calcification

Cooling chronic Inflammation Meta-flammaton. Metabolic inflammation

Network biology thinking. Is everything in balance? Imbalance leads to triggering a sympathetic dominant ….blood sugar goes up..more adrenaline…inflammatory cytokines. Get ready to fight. But it should reset but doesn’t. Everything in your life to this point has an impact. Exercise during life. Exposure to toxins during life. Drug therapy now or in past.

Meta inflammation leads to inflamaging

Triggers:

Diet - eat too much , too late, too often, wrong foods, don’t chew food well, don’t do 18-6, but follow circadian, get fiber and resist starch, modified low carb to fit you, low inflammatory and low allergen (gluten and dairy are the easy targets)
Stress - flatten cortisol curve.
Pesticides/ household exposures
Medicine (PPI, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, statins, metformin, corticosteroids ). Need less antibiotics by having a stronger immune system (de-stress!). Stress drives T cell senescence.
Over exercise
Alcohol / smoking
Genetic predisposition

How to tell if you have a problem? * Blood pressure, RHR, HRV clues to sympathetic dominance. When stress is high brain gets on alert and drives gut to be leaky. * Leaky gut leads to brain fog, afternoon tiredness and inability to think clearly. * Dislipidemia: higher apoB, more oxidation of LDL, endothelial disfunction…not a statin deficiency * Lose growth hormone production. Start to lose muscle. Sarcopenia. If cortisol is high. “Whatever syndrome “ * Iron. Adequate iron (or low) but poor ferritin. EPO production goes down. Can’t make red blood cells as well. Fatigue headaches * Insulin resistance- glucose in blood goes up. 50% of population is diabetic or pre * Bone loss — osteoporosis * Lose neuroplacticity * NAD / NADH ratio. Lower energy production leads to Mitochondria function declines.

Blood markers that can point to inflammation being a problem?

MPV — marker for metabolic inflammation
White blood: neutrophils under 2nd quartile. % MEB <10% is good
Lymp to neut. ratio?

Food sensitivities (and difference between a sensitivity and an allergy?)

How to resolve? Some common solutions. Keep moving. 45 min of aerobic exercise lengthens telomeres. Resistance exercise improves insulin resistance and retains muscles. Be smart about exposure to toxins.

Insulin resistance must be resolved…how?

Too much or too little exercise. Cortisol high or flat “no curve” leads to insulin resistance and low testosterone
As insulin goes up arteries get stiff blood pressure goes up and damages kidneys
Higher sugar sitting around causes all kinds of problems including cancer. Plus nerve damage and small vessel damage leading to bad blood flow and amputation.
Keep growth hormone coming: peptides. Keep igf-1 in range: not high or low, and responding appropriately
cut carbs down for awhile, lots of plants, lean proteins, skip allergens like gluten and dairy for a while, bitter melon, ozembic peptide GLP-1 (is berberine a natural alternative?).
get enough magnesium
Chromium
B vitamins
avoid a Bad diet Too much sugar or simple carbs
Pollution and toxins and pesticides

Stress supplements:

Theonine — 300mg x3
Relaura — cuts stress eating 250mg x3
Holy basil — gut issues 200-400mg x3
Melatonin— high dose 20-30mg until stress goes down
Black ginger better than coq10
Top tips: focus on cortisol and control food intake and appetite. What nutrients do I need to get into and stay in balance to avoid stress and binge eating. . Alkaline diet. Enough magnesium. Less oxidation.

Keep moving. 45 min of aerobic exercise lengthens telomeres. Resistance exercise improves insulin resistance and retains muscles. Be smart about exposure to toxins.

How to get a custom solution? I just can’t go to my doctor to get advice beyond the basic lifestyle solutions. What do you advise people do when the basics aren’t enough?

Things to be careful about supplements (liver enzymes), silver bullets vs good basics, too much exercise, testosterone boosters, responsible manufacturing of supplements (NSF, truth in labeling and effectiveness of the chemical)

What ingredients to avoid in foods?

Partially hydrogenated oils
Added sugar — a little is okay but a lot is bad for health independent of body weight
Phytates (iron, zinc) and oxylates (calcium) rob body of nutrients? No. They bid to minerals in the food being eaten. But over time the body adjusts and avoids absorption issues. Higher Phytates in urine are indicative of better bone density. Reduce ACE for improvement in many health outcomes. Low oxylates. (Avoid spinach, beets as a main calcium source) Kale, broccoli, fortified milk are good
Gluten should be avoided? No. Gluten sensitivity is real. 6% of people is an estimate. Gluten free
Lectins cause leaky gut?. No. Lectins can be toxic but cooking destroys lectins. Very rare. Improperly prepared food. Compare to improperly prepared meat. Canned beans are safe. Boiling beans until soft makes them safe.

Impact of medications …..25% of drug are “microbiome disrupters”.

PPI / acid blocking
Ibuprofen
Antibiotics (short and long term)
Other? Blood pressure, statin, metformin,
Drug induced nutrient depletion. Can take a year to happen.

Tracking your biological age factors is the best way to zero-in on what works to improve your athletic performance, and extend your own healthy lifespan

Chris Wikman Chris Wikman is a long-time biometric tracker, and a pursuer of longevity and healthspan using hard data. His articles published on Vince Giuliano's website led me to ask Chris to join us on the WiseAthletes podcast to share his story, and to help others find a path to use data, instead of marketing messages, to identify where to put our attention and invest our money in our health.

The old adage: “What gets measured gets improved”. Every wise athlete is experimenting with techniques, equipment, diets, supplements and more. The only way to make progress is to keep track. This is Chris's approach, and it's one I want to adopt for my health which is the foundation of athletic performance.

Chris Wikman is a semi-retired “renaissance man.” He is a medical writer and consultant with interests in longevity, anti-aging, and anti-aging interventions, and founder of the firm Biometrics for Healthy Aging. Further, Chris employs several anti-aging interventions in his daily life. He believes in medical practices which are backed up by good science, and he is very open minded about those practices which have a long and seemingly successful tradition, but which may as yet be unexplained by Western science. This is also an area of his continuing interest. In other aspects of his life, Chris is a musician, multi-media artist, engineer, and world-wide high-adventure traveler. He strives to get daily sunshine and time outdoors in nature.

Episode 99: Vince Giuliano (93 years young): the Ultimate Longevity Warrior.

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks.

Links to checkout: * Vince Giuliano Anti-Aging website: anti-agingfirewalls.com/ * Chris Wikman's blog posts: * managing-your-health-by-analyzing-your-personal-health-and-fitness-data * biometrics-and-aging

Discussion Outline (not in order) 1. Biological aging vs. chronological aging 2. Various ways to assess biological age 3. Chris's success in slowing his aging 4. HRV

I just had to get Dr. Jed Fahey to come back to give us some practical tips on getting the benefits of phytonutrients (and fiber) into our diet. Too many of us, myself included, do not get enough variety of plants or enough fiber to maintain a diverse, resilient gut microbiome. The negative result on our health can be enormous. We not only don’t feel well, we have achy joints and foggy brains that suffer from a ever worsening, chronic and systemic inflammation in our bodies.

Thankfully, Jed agreed to come back to talk about some diet guidelines (things to do and not do) that we can follow to get pointed in the right direction and to keep making progress over time for better and better results.

Phytonutrients are the good stuff in plants that isn’t counted as carb, fat or protein, or as fiber or vitamin or mineral.

Episode 94: Phytonutrients are the 1% that make all the difference w/Dr Jed Fahey.

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks.

Dr Jed Fahey Bio Dr. Fahey is a nutritional biochemist with extensive background in plant and human nutrition and phytochemistry.

Links to checkout: * Wikipedia on phytochemicals * Dr Jed Fahey's website * Food Compass -- Tufts * Dr B -- Fiber Fueled * Gerard E. Mullin, M.D.-- Gut Balance Revolution * The Rainbow Diet - Deanna M. Minich PhD * What Color is Your Diet -- David Heber MD PhD

Discussion Outline (not in order) 1. What do you get in different colors of fruits and vegetables...why "eat the rainbow"? 2. Some generally understood “good” things to add or increase or emphasize, such as “eat the rainbow” 3. Some generally understood “bad” things to avoid and why, such as UPF and antibiotics 4. Talk a bit about how the preparation of foods impacts the benefits we can get from our foods 5. Touch on other possible ways to get phytonutrients: mixed greens powder, supplements, juicing vs. blending, prebiotics (food for biome), other? 6. [We didn't get to this topic due to time constraints] Talk a little bit about athletic performance improvements from phytonutrients, such as NO from nitrites in food. Stimulants, blood flow boosters, not to mention anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects

Below are my rough notes from Dr Fahey's discussion about “sources and benefits of phytonutrients” Today is for the person who wants to build a more resilient health status, to get the most benefit from the diet lever of health and longevity and of athletic performance. A healthy athlete is a strong athlete.

Some things that are not optimal and perhaps subtract from a healthy lifestyle * don’t eat much ultra processed foods (UPF) …and what is added that is bad, and what is lost? * don’t eat the same things all the time.…increases the chance of immune issues and decreasing benefit from “tolerance”? * avoid carpet bombing your body with antibiotics, if at all possible. It takes at least 1.5 months to recover from antibiotics, and perhaps much longer. Probiotics don’t help and might delay recover (a drop of dye in the ocean) * minimize alcohol in drink and mouthwash…why kill the bacteria? * UPF -- Defined by researchers as “snacks, drinks, ready meals and other products created mostly or entirely from substances extracted from foods or derived from food constituents with little if any intact food” and often highly convenient and palatable. Some “evidence on the association between UPF consumption and inflammation but there is certainly evidence that artificial sweeteners and additives can alter the makeup of microorganisms found in the gut, making it a more inflammatory environment.”

Some basic rules target sufficient volume & diversity of phytonutrients (and other plant matter): * Some good ideas that may have diminishing returns...try to do better over time, and listen to your body. Don't let "perfect" be the enemy of the "good". * eat the rainbow (including white, black, and brown)…herbs and spices and teas and coffees are plants too * eat in diversity (>30 types of plants each week)…maybe this translates into ~5 per color each week. Not servings because can include spices, drinks, etc. * eat 4-7 servings per day…doesn’t add up to many calories, so this is just to enjoy, feel satiated, get healthy, * eat with the seasons (drives diversity and avoiding “tolerance” and any chance of buildup of bad stuff in a particular source: selenium, arsenic, etc.). * eat fresh & local if you can, but frozen is just as good. * prepare plants for eating in a way to improve (not destroy) the benefits…(some are helped by cooking, some are better raw) * chew food completely…savor the food. * drink plenty of water while eating (or tea).

What do you get in each color? What are very good plants to eat to get each color * polyphenols and carotenoids dominate * include while, black and browns in the "rainbow" * The Rainbow Diet book * What Color is Your Diet book

Other possible ways to get phytonutrients * mixed greens powder * supplements * juicing vs. blending * prebiotics (food for "bugs") * probiotics?

What about athletic performance? What phytonutrients are known to help? * Athletic performance: caffeine from coffee and teas, nitrates from beets to NO, cacao in chocolate is high in the alkaloid theobromine (caffeine and theobromine are Methylxanthines), guarana fruit is a powerful natural stimulants ... contains caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, yerba mate contains several nutrients, such as xanthines, caffeoyl derivatives, saponins, and polyphenols, * lower inflammation from a healthy gut and improved blood flow will improve recovery from exercise. SCFA, antioxidants,

Wrap up 1. fiber is the primary driver of gut health but fiber comes with phytonutrients if you eat plants vs fiber supplements or UPF with little fiber. The goal is a diverse microbiome that you get by eating a wide variety of plants. 2. fiber feeds the bugs. Phytonutrients also feed the bugs but they also provide may other benefits to the body. 3. organic produce provides more phytonutrients and avoids the pesticides that can injure the gut. 4. UPF injure the gut with chemicals and by taking up a share of the plate with foods missing food for the bugs. Eat real food 5. how to do this if you are not a fan of plants? You have to find your way in. Find a way to find pleasure in eating healthy foods. Healthy foods taste great, especially after you stop eating artificially hyper palatable UPS. 6. Don’t let your need for comfort foods block you from finding health and pleasure in healthy foods. Comfort food is not about hunger. 7. Chew food completely 8. Don’t eat while doing other stuff…focus on the food and the company you are with to enjoy the flavors and textures of the natural foods. This is how you learn to like eating plants.

Vince Giuliano Bio Vince Giuliano is one of the original contributors to the Computer Revolution starting in the 50's and the Internet Revolution starting in the late 80's. In his latest career starting 15 years ago, Vince has become a personally-interested connoisseur and interpreter of the emerging science of longevity in his incredibly successful effort to extend his own life and healthspan. Vince says his remarkable success comes from practicing what he preaches, some of the details of which he will share with us today.

Outline of Discussion * Vince’s background * What is aging? We know what it looks like but what is happening and why? * Phases of human life; aging in a human * Inflammation is the key problem to solve * Vince’s inflammation solution that has taken him to 93yo in good health * Other “prudent” anti-aging interventions used by Vince: supplements, exercise, autonomic nervous system work, diet, heat and cold use

Be sure to checkout Vince's website. He has published a lot of books and papers (~200) as well as over 500 substantive entries in his blog. There's a lot there, and all of it is very well thought-out and written.

Links to Vince's Writings & Proprietary Supplement * anti-agingfirewalls.com/ * vincegiuliano.com * giulianoart.com * synergybioherbals.com/

Leveraging Computer Vision & AI via your Mobile Phone! The technology behind MyVeloFit has been designed to identify the same body segments and joint angles that professional bike fitters use to evaluate your position on the bike. MyVeloFit uses those measurements to first assess your mobility off the bike, then analyse your position on the bike. Paired with the expert knowledge on bike fitting built into the system, the result is a custom bike fit specific to each rider.

jesse Jarjour is MyVeloFit's CEO and Co-Founder. Jesse's love for bike fit started when he bought his first road bike which turned out to be two sizes too big. He fell for cycling but was plagued by chronic injuries due to the poor positioning. Once he finally got a fit and set up the bike somewhat functionally, he was amazed by what changes could be made to improve his comfort and enjoyment of the sport. As Jesse's affinity for cycling grew, he decided on a career change from economics to bikes. Recalling how much bike fit improved his cycling experience, Jesse devoted himself to learning everything he could about achieving the optimum fit. Fast forward almost 15 years later and Jesse now holds Level 2 certification from the International Bike Fit Institute as well as fit certifications from Retul and Trek.

https://www.myvelofit.com/
https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/my-velo-fit

Bio: Ross Pelton, R.Ph., Ph.D., CCN Ross Pelton received his BS degree in pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin, has a Ph.D. in psychology and is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist (CCN). In October 1999, Ross was named one to the Top 50 Most Influential Pharmacists in America by American Druggist magazine for his work in natural medicine. Ross is nearly 80 and looks much younger.

Ross is the Natural Pharmacist and his website, bio and blog are at naturalpharmacist.net. He is passionate about life extension and anti-aging science and technology He has written 12 books including “Rapamycin, mTOR, Autophagy & Treating mTOR Syndrome” and in 1999, he was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Pharmacists in the U.S. by American Druggist magazine

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks a ton!

Additional Info The 2nd edition of Ross's book on rapamycin has a lot of new information. mTOR and autophagy are such critical regulators of cellular metabolism and health that I proposed the mTOR/Autophagy Theory Of Aging in the 2nd edition. To order, call Life Extension at (866) 598-6747. Remember to ask for your FREE 6-month subscription to Life Extension magazine.

Here is the link to the article titled Lactobacillus fermentum ME-3: A New Era in Glutathione Therapy that appeared in June 2017 issue ofTownsend Letter

https://www.townsendletter.com/June2017/glutathione0617.html

Here is the link to the article titled Postbiotic Metabolites: The New Frontier in Microbiome Science that was published in the June 2019 issue of the Townsend Letter which explains the topic of postbiotics and why Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is so unique and different than all the others.

https://essentialformulas.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/The-Real-Benefits-of-Probiotics-Ross-Pelton-Townsend-Letter-June-2019.pdf

Here is the link to the paper titled The Microbiome Theory of Aging, which was published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Integrative Medicine. Here is the open access link for The Microbiome Theory of Aging. This provides the science that explains why Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics is the best probiotic in the world.

http://imjournal.com/oa/index.html?fid=Microbiome_Theory_of_Aging

Outline of Discussion with Daniel Tawfik of Healthspan * Daniel’s backstory. Why start Healthspan? * Regular medical doctors scoff at the idea of taking these pharmaceuticals for longevity * Create telemedicine practice to provide off-label use of proven pharmaceuticals known to have healthspan benefits along with high touch care to patients to make sure the drugs are being used safely. Blood tests regularly to monitor impact. * The focus of Healthspan is reducing the chronic inflammation from cellular senescence by recovering immune system functionality * Cell growth is good to provide repair and muscle growth. But we need pulses of autophagy to rebuild the immune system. Rapamycin taken once a week provides the pulse. * It’s been very safe for the roughly 1,000 clients of Healthspan. * Benefits of rapamycin: delay functional declines (prophylactically) and recover functional declines related to aging. * Hypergrowth. A failure to get enough autophagy leads to accelerated aging which leads to improper repair and maintaining of body systems. Leads to compounding errors that show up as inflammation which then leads to addition damage. Exercise is good for this. Fasting is good for this. Rapamycin is good for this. Use all the levers. * going to be adding CGM to the offerings soon * Follow healthspan on Twitter @healthspanmed * Gethealthspan.com

Today we are talking with Mitchell Lee, PhD about the biology of aging and how pharmaceutical and natural product interventions can help older athletes prolong our healthy, active lives while fighting disease by addressing the root causes of aging. This conversation is aimed at the lay-person to allow us non-scientists to benefit from Dr Lee's deep knowledge of this topic.

What biological aging really is...what is actually happening in the body
Recent progress made in aging science
Longevity and healthspan interventions available today and where is the research going

Want to support the show? If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a minute and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks. Dr Mitchell Lee Bio

Dr Lee received his PhD in Experimental Pathology from the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he trained with Matt Kaeberlein . He is the Co-founder and CEO of Ora Biomedical, a new pharmaceutical company seeking to realize the full potential of healthy aging therapeutics by developing "a new generation of broad use small molecule healthy aging interventions for humans, companion pets, and all other organisms for which prolonged healthy survival is desired."

Links to checkout: * Dr Lee on Twitter @michellblee33 * Ora Biomedical website * NIA ITP program * rapamycin.news

Lifespan extending chemicals confirmed by NIA ITP: * Rapamycin * Acarbose (males>females) * 17a-estradiol (males only) * Canagliflozin (SLGT2 inhibitor; males only) * Smaller but significant benefits from three other agents: NDGA, Protandim, glycine * Many more currently being tested (see website for details)

The National Institute on Aging Interventions Testing Program was designed to be the most exhaustive testing framework and system to evaluate whether longevity molecules extend longevity in mice and understand the underlying mechanisms leading to those benefits.

Outline of Discussion: * Intro 00:08 * Discussion begins 2:15 * Dr Lee’s background 3:00 * Aging is more than entropy 3:48 * Modeling aging 4:44 * What can we learn from studying worms? 5:18 * What is aging, really? 7:25 * Lifespan vs healthspan / chronological vs biological age 8:24 * Hallmarks of aging 12:45 * More on aging process 15:39 * Dr Lee’s advice 23:13 * National Institute of Aging / Dog Aging project / Interventions Testing Program 26:49 * Rapamycin deep dive 32:38 * How to accelerate the search for better interventions? 36:18 * What can older athletes do now to take advantage of longevity interventions 46:30 * Watch out for over exuberance 48:29 * How much of a benefit is possible? 49:47 * How to learn more about ora 51:47

Aging hallmarks * Genomic instability – DNA damage that mutates cells and can potentially cause cancer and other harmful cell behaviors. * Epigenetic alterations – Changes to gene expression that makes cells old and more dysfunctional. * Telomere attrition – The protective caps on our chromosomes erode, which leads to loss of tissue regeneration. * Loss of proteostasis – Loss of efficient protein creation and the accumulation of cellular waste. * Mitochondrial dysfunction – Free radicals and oxidative stress damage to the mitochondria leading to mitochondrial mutations and failure of energy production. * Deregulated nutrient sensing – Failure of appropriate response to nutrients, cell growth, loss of energy production, and other cellular functions. * Cellular senescence – Worn out, damaged cells accumulate, which leads to chronic inflammation and loss of tissue regeneration. * Stem cell exhaustion – A loss in the ability of our stem cells to regenerate damaged tissues due to running out of healthy replacement cells. * Altered intercellular communication – Altered cell-to-cell communication leading to chronic inflammation and dysfunctional cell behavior. * Microbiome Disturbances -- shifts in microbial populations and loss of species diversity. Together with age-associated loss of structural integrity of the gut and other barriers (e.g. blood brain barrier), this shift in microbial populations can drive inflammation * Compromised Autophagy - observed in numerous aging conditions including neurodegeneration and immunosenescence. Activation of autophagy can increase lifespan, and even improve immune response to vaccination by overcoming immunosenescenc * Inflammation: "Inflammageing", an age-dependent chronic inflammation, is implicated in a wide range of age-related diseases. Aging correlates with high, levels of inflammatory mediators in the blood, such as IL-1, IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), IFNα, and others.

Today we are talking about phytonutrients, which is science speak for the good stuff in plants that isn’t counted as carb, fat or protein, or as fiber or vitamin or mineral. Phytonutrients are the 1% that make all the difference.

Want to support the show?

If you are enjoying WiseAthletes, a great way to support the show is by leaving a review on the Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few minutes and helps more people find the episodes. Thanks.

Dr Jed Fahey Bio

Dr. Fahey is a nutritional biochemist with extensive background in plant and human nutrition and phytochemistry.

Links to checkout:

Wikipedia on phytochemicals
Dr Jed Fahey's website

Phytonutrients you've heard about (there's 1-5 million more):

curcumin in turmeric
quercitin in onions
resveratrol in grapes
sulforaphane in broccoli
fisetin in strawberries
EGCG in green tea
Apigenin in chamomile
Astaxanthin in algae

Books Dr Fahey recommends:

Metabolical
Animal Vegatable Junk
Why We Sleep
Keep Sharp
Lifespan
Chickenizing of America

Chris Schwenker, P.T. info.

Episode 44 w/Chris in 2021: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/44-chris-schwenker-pt-virtual-cyclings-biggest-fan/

55,500 Miles Going Nowhere article: https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/55500-miles-going-nowhere-confessions-of-an-unapologetic-zwift-indoor-specialist

Zommunique: https://thezommunique.com/

The Zommunique' has become a reputable source of health-related cycling information and virtual cycling news, with almost 500 published articles to date
The DIRT Dad Fund, a 501c3 non-profit I created to support members of the virtual cycling community, has provided almost $20,000 in financial assistance
- Zwift awarded the fund a grant recognizing its impact on the community. You can check it out here, plus an overview of our good work.
- Our recent "Land Lucy a Bike DIRT Dad Fund Drive" met its goal in under 24 hours. You can learn more about how 4 yr old Lucy, the daughter of a DIRT member who suffers from a rare disease, will walk one day with the help of the adaptive cycle the community's generosity purchased for her here.
Host the Virtual Velo Podcast highlighting members of the cycling esports community and discussing virtual cycling topics of interest.
The DIRT Dad Fundo Across America-Last summer, I rode across the US and raised $12,000 for the DIRT Dad Fund. You can take a look at my daily blog here with perspective and some cool pictures.
Freelance Cycling Writer: I've published over 20 articles on well-known sites, like CyclingWeekly, CyclingNews, road.cc, Bicycling, and Zwift Insider.

Topics* Tendon vs. "Under the kneecap" pain * How to tell what the problem is * How to deal with the pain * How to build back to low or no pain with athleticism and strength

Key Learnings* Single leg exercising instead of double leg * Progress by working as hard as you can without lingering pain (recover in 24 hours) * Don't use painkillers while training * Be optimistic: you can get better. Exercise is critical to healthy joints and tendons * Rest makes you weaker and more susceptible to pain

About Dr. Ebonie RioDr Rio is a post doc researcher at La Trobe University and has completed her PhD in tendon pain, Masters Sports Phys, B. Phys (Hons) and B. App Sci.

Dr Rio has a clinical career that has taken her to the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian Ballet Company, Australian Ballet School, Melbourne Heart Football Club, Alphington Sports Medicine Centre, 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and much more.

In approaching the full spectrum of training, the field of tendons and connective tissue represent an area that not much is known relative to others, such as muscle physiology.

This results in knee pain being hard to rehabilitate because knees do not “play by the same rules” as muscles and bones. The goal is to improve the capacity of joints and tendons to sustain and handle loads.

5 Tips for Kneecap Pain: https://youtu.be/8vv3VY7ceS0

Managing My Kneecap Pain Portal: https://mykneecap.trekeducation.org/

Contact Infohttps://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/erio

linkedin.com/in/ebonie-rio-436474224

Outline of discussion1. What is mindset, and how does it relate to aging? 2. How is mindset similar to or related to placebo or nocebo effects? Why does belief make such a difference? Why is “believing is seeing” so powerful? 3. How can we take advantage of this human mechanism of our brain …to enjoy our lives more, and accomplish more of what we want in our lives? 4. How can we focus on adapting to our changing abilities without dwelling on the lose of ability? As we get older we seem to get slower for some reason. How do we keep from feeling badly about that? Where’s the upside to aging as an athlete?

ABC's of Aging(A)ttitude - positive attitude to facilitate doing the things that make you happy vs. dwelling on what you cannot do any longer due to age

(B)alance - physical and mental balance. Physical balance is the sense of balance that can weaken as we get older, and can be trained to avoid falls which may put us out of the game. But also finding balance in life is important.

(C)onnection -- connect with the things you find important and the people who make life meaningful.

Dr. Alan D. CastelAlan D. Castel is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles. His research focuses on how cognition changes with age and how people selectively remember important events. His work has been supported by the National Institute on Aging and has been featured in The New York Times and Time Magazine. He received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 2004, completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, and has been a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at UCLA since 2006.

Age is an important number, but it can also be deceiving. After 40, most people say they feel younger than their years, some lie about their age, and many attempt to hide the signs of growing old.

Although most people think of their later years in terms of decline, they can be one of the best times in life.

We are all aging, and many people are concerned about what to expect with advancing years. Retirement, happiness, and brain health are some of the many topics covered in this book. Better with Age shows what we can do now, at any stage in life, to make sure we enjoy old age.

ContactBook Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful AgingTEDx Talk How We Learn as We AgeUCLA Department of Psychologyhttp://castel.psych.ucla.edu

Better with Age: The Psychology of Successful Aging

What is athleticism? * Aerobic Endurance — also known as cardiovascular fitness and stamina, is the ability to exercise continuously for extended periods without tiring. * Muscular Endurance — the ability to repeat a series of muscle contractions without fatiguing. * Muscle Strength — the ability to carry out work against a resistance. * Explosive Power — the ability to exert a maximal force in as short a time as possible, as in accelerating, jumping and throwing implements. * Speed / Quickness — the ability to move quickly across the ground or move limbs rapidly to grab or throw. * Anaerobic Capacity — long sprinting ability, or the ability recover from repeat sprints (glycolytic system) * Flexibility — the capacity of a joint to move through its full range of motion, which is important for execution of the techniques of sports. * Agility — the ability to quickly change body position or direction of the body. * Balance and Coordination — the ability to stay upright or stay in control of body movement is an important component of many sports skills. * Reaction Time — the ability to respond quickly to a stimulus. * Analytic and Tactical Ability— the ability of the mental system to evaluate and react to strategic situations (tactical ability). * Motivation and Self Confidence — a motivated and focused athlete, with a level of belief in themselves, often seen as arrogance in athletes. * Coping with Pressure — the ability to stay focused and perform up to expectations while under increasing pressure, and under changing conditions. * Skill and Technique — the specific skill set and technique required to be successful in a particular sport.

Contact Info* Website: humanvortextraining.com * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HVTraining\ * Instagram: http://instagram.com/hvtraining * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HVT412/ * Strength training certification course: http://s.bl-1.com/h/dl5nV3pk?url=https://strength-training-for-cyclist-certification.mykajabi.com/hvt-launch-closed

Menachem Brodie BioWith over 20years of coaching experience and a sports-medicine background spanning from Emergency Medicine & Physical Therapy settings, to the NCAA Division I Strength & Conditioning setting, Coach Brodie brings with him an incredibly unique & diverse skill set, which has led to his work as a Health & Fitness Engineer for international companies in the Health, Wellness, & Fitness fields. Coaching since 2000, Menachem Brodie has been working with athletes in a number of settings, and a broad variety of sports. From Basketball and Cycling, to CrossFit and Triathlon, Brodie has helped numerous athletes to attain their goals, and beyond.

With his belief that one should Train Smarter, Not Harder, he has developed and polished his training philosophy over the last 2 decades, in order to allow his clients and athletes to not only excel in their sport of choice, but also in their professional lives. Having earned a degree in Exercise Science from the University of Pittsburgh, Brodie has experience across the Health & Fitness spectrum including having worked as an Exercise Physiologist for a Bariatric Surgery Center for 2 years, working as the Strength & Conditioning coach in a Physical Therapy clinic for those who needed more guidance and direction to return to their sport or hobby, and working as an EMT running 911 calls. Suffice it to say, Brodie’s experience and background are far more reaching than the average coaches.

Menachem‘s Certifications include:

USA Cycling Expert Coach, with Distinction
USA Cycling Power Based Training Certified
LEOMO Type-R Certified Coach
NSCA-Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certified Coach
Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

This is re-release of a shortened version of Episode 50 (1.5 hours long)....I cut out the good and left the great. If you haven't listened to the full episode, start with this one and then graduate to the full story from George Dallam, PhD.

Nasal breathing is not a trick or hack to get an unnatural advantage. Nasal breathing is the designed in way to breathe properly. Not nasal breathing causes health and performance problems. But it's never too late to do it right. Learn the why's and how's of nasal breathing from George Dallam, PhD.

Dr. Dallam says, "One simple rule: breath through nose all the time, or as much as possible."Benefits of nasal breathing: 1. Better filtering of particles and viruses (less nasal infection, bronchitis). Filtering becomes even more important when exercising because we take in so much more air. 2. Less water lost though breathing 3. Less energy spent on breathing (more energy for locomotion); higher O2 extracted per breath (higher efficiency) 4. Recovery from "EIB" exercise induced bronchoconstriction (exercise induced asthma) 5. Provides a powerful training stimulus to improve fitness…make you faster even if you go back to mouth breathing in high intensity efforts, such as races 6. Improved stress management 7. Better sleep, and overall improved recovery from exercise (lower stress, avoidance of snoring) 8. Better posture and movement ability with improved diaphragm activity 9. Functional movement benefits —diaphragm is a major core muscle that is under strength when we mouth breathe. 10. Avoids possible damage to the heart from over breathing (a hypothesis from Dr Dallam)

Notes from discussion with George Dallam, PhDMyths about breathing:1. I feel the need to breath faster when I need more oxygen — mostly false. It is the presence of higher than usual CO2 in the blood that causes the “air hunger” 2. CO2 is bad, and needs to be removed as fast as possible — false; CO2 is necessary for normal bodily functions. Too much AND too little CO2 are bad for the body. 3. Breathing faster brings in more oxygen (superoxygenation) — no; red blood cells are generally 95-98% oxygenated after passing by lungs. You don’t get more oxygen into red blood cells, you just lose more CO2 from blood plasma, which creates problems for the body 4. Breathing doesn’t take much energy or oxygen to do — false. During exercise, breathing can use as much as 15% of the total energy burn of the body…15% of the oxygen being used. If we can save 25% of that by breathing more efficiently (less breathing for same oxygen), we’ll have more oxygen left over for other muscles to use. 5. An athlete cannot get enough oxygen for exercise though just nasal breathing — false. It is easy to see why people would come to this conclusion after one attempt, but with adaptation, many elite athletes compete using just nasal breathing.

What does the nose do for us?1. Conditioning of the air: humidifying the air and warming up the air. Reduce lung dehydration and related wheezing and breathing problems 2. Filtering: particulates (dust, smoke), viruses are captured instead of putting in lungs. Avoid damaging lungs long-term (emphysema, cancer) and reduce infections impacting lungs. 3. Increasing air resistance…forces a recruitment of the diaphragm which is the best muscle for efficient breathing. Breath through the nose, then you will breath diaphragmatically without thinking. You can stop trying to train yourself to “Belly Breath”. 4. Calming. Reducing stress. Deep slower breathing vs. quicker shallow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system…lowers the stress level of the body. This is definitely true at rest. For athletics, peak performance comes of being able to relax into the effort..not by trying as hard as possible, so stress level might also play a role in athletic performance. 5. More efficient breathing: breathe less to get the same amount of oxygen. 25% less breathing when nasal breathing. So the 15% of total energy expenditure being spent on breathing is lowered to 11.5%….a 3.5% point reduction in energy used for breathing that can now be used elsewhere. This is the same level of economy improvement that elite endurance athletes seek to obtain from using weight training…and this is just from breathing through your nose. 6. Avoids the over breathing associated with mouth breathing. Over-breathing MAY be a cause of damage to the heart seen in endurance athletes as a higher incidence of AFib….lowering of CO2 in blood (from over breathing) results in blood flow restriction, which may be a cause to a lack of blood flow (a lack of oxygen) to the heart.

Related to Exercise Induced Asthma / Bronchial restriction (EIB)* The lungs are filled with alveoli … the little sacs that allow the body to exchange gases. Single cell thick, covered in a surfactant that allows the sacs to stay open even at low pressure. * The lung environment is very liquid and very delicate. * Imagine blowdrying wet tissue paper with a hairdryer…not good. * When the air comes into lungs via the mouth, the air is not treated. Everyone has experienced coughing…the only way we have to get stuff out of our lungs that shouldn’t be there. It also is what happens when we have damaged our lungs, whether from breathing air that is too cold or too hot or too dry or too wet or filled with damaging particulates or just through over extertion. * Our body creates “broncho constriction” to protect the lungs. If you ever had a wheeze at the end of your exhales, you’ve had this thing. * This correlates very highly with mouth breathing athletes. Bronchio restriction is vey common among elite athletes…cycling, swimming, running. 20-50% of population vs. 5% among sedentary population. The more you breath, the more important it is to treat the air you breath and protect the lungs. * The availability of broncho inhalers may just be serving to allow us to overcome our natural defense again damaging our lungs from mouth breathing.

HOW TO NASAL BREATHE?The transition to nasal breathing is easier for some people. Some people feel a terrible air hunger while others get used to it very quickly. The path forward for everyone is to find your way to just the threshold point that your body can do it…with just a suggestion of air hunger…and then move higher over time.

It takes 6 weeks to 6 months. Three key variables that impact time to adapt:1. Existing sensitivity to CO2. If low sensitivity, then short time to adapt. 2. How well developed is the diaphragm muscle. The more you need to build, the longer it will take. 3. How dedicated is the effort to adapt. The more you nasal breath, the faster you will adapt.

What do you need to do to be able to nasal breathe all the time?Break / Start the Habit * Break the habit of mouth breathing. Do it whenever you realize you are not nasal breathing. Set reminders. (See Episode 45 on building habits: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/45-build-strong-habits-with-samuel-salzer/https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/45-build-strong-habits-with-samuel-salzer/): * During exercise, put a little water in your mouth so you don’t have to think about nasal breathing. * According to Dr. Dallam, "I also found that focusing on nasal breathing during exercise facilitated focusing on it throughout the rest of my life as well. While subjective at best, I consider that I am more relaxed, more thoughtful, sleeping better and happier as a direct result.” * Once you can do your endurance & recovery workouts while nasal breathing, the adaptation will go very fast because that is most of your training. And, if you are nasal breathing outside of exercise as well, you are essentially always nasal breathing at this point. * You’ll adapt even faster if you will take down the level of effort to match your ability to perform while nasal breathing, and only increase as your nasal breathing improves. * Separately work toward nasal breathing during sleep. This is harder as you will be unconscious, but this will have a gigantic impact on your health and ability to recover from exercise. Look into mouth taping and breathing exercises to open nasal passages before sleeping.

Reduce CO2 sensitivity:* By nasal breathing more, you will have less CO2 in your blood. Your body will get used to that …meaning it will start to feel normal quickly (in days). Keep pushing on the edge of discomfort to keep lowering your sensitivity. Pushing too hard will backfire, so take your time. This is not the place to develop a psychological problem. And, this adaptation will happen faster than the muscle development so there is no payoff from pushing harder than just enough. * "Breathe light" exercises: just breathe more slowly while resting…until you feel an urge to breath more….just experience the feeling (from Patrick McKeown) * Do breath holds while moving (walk, light jog). Hold until the air hunger is strong. Recover your breath fully, then repeat (from Patrick McKeown) * https://pneuma.plus/ — a free site with breathing exercises

Muscle development:* Training the breathing muscles to get stronger. This happens simply by using nasal breathing. Just give the muscles some time to adapt. It’s like getting used to using a bigger gear on the bike….You can do it for a short time right away, and over time you will get more muscular endurance as you get stronger. * The Diaphragm muscle has to adapt. At first, you won’t be strong enough to keep nasal breathing (i.e., pulling air through the nose and down into the bottom of the lungs) for a long time. But the diaphragm muscle will get stronger and eventually you will be able to breath diaphragmatically for as long as you need and train for. This might be the slowest part of the adaptation.. * The nose muscles have to adapt as well.

Nasal passage recovery:* If you haven’t been using your nasal passages in this way, you will have to get them adapted to this level of use. * The most important thing is to just breathe through your nose as much as possible. * It will probably help to start using a Neti pot or Neti bottle (there are many varieties). Use distilled or boiled water, not tap water. Remember to not blow your nose too hard after rising nasal passages with water…you may inadvertently push water into your ear tubes which may cause irritation. I do it first thing to let the water fully drain out before I sleep. The first few times will be unpleasantly reminiscent of getting water up your nose at the beach. But do you remember how amazingly good your nasal passages felt after a day in the surf? This is the same thing. After doing it for a week, you will never want to stop. And it will make nasal breathing so much easier * Use BreathRight strips or the like to hold open the airways in your nose. George says his nose muscles got stronger after a while, so this may be a temporary thing. But it does make an enormous difference in the beginning. There are other nasal dilator devices to try if you like the idea of stuff up your nose. I don’t. * Try the Buteyko (bu-tek-o) method for clearing mild nasal congestion

Metrics:* It can help to track improvement if you use metrics but you don’t have to do so because the goal is NOT to breathe less, it is to use nasal breathing. The rest comes naturally. * HRV — your HRV level should start to increase, especially if you can nasal breath while sleeping * HR — you may find your HR starts getting lower for the same power / speed. This doesn’t occur for everyone. * Breaths per minute — monitor your natural breathing. Oura ring & Whoop strap do this for sleep, which is a good way to see if it is falling. You want to get to 14 or less breaths per minute. 10-14 breaths per minute is normal, according to Patrick McKewon. * Length of time until air hunger — 5 normal breaths. Exhale. How long until impulse to breath? 25 seconds minimum. 40 seconds target. * Maximum breathlessness test: normal breath in and out of nose. Exhale, then hold and see how many steps you can take. 60 steps is minimum for “good” CO2 sensitivity.

How to get started with nasal breathing during exercise, According to George:1. Get on an indoor device you like to use: stationary bike, treadmill, etc. 2. Get going at a pace that is lower than normal 3. Breathe nasally. 4. Every 3 minutes increasing the pace just a little, and rate how much the air hunger you feel. 5. When you find the level at which you feel you cannot keep going, back off just a little so you can keep going. It will feel hard but not feel like you are suffocating. The effort should be in the challenge of pulling the air in and out, not in staying conscious or in dealing with the fear of suffocating. Another thing to watch is a rising HR…if your HR is higher than it should be for that level of power / pace, then you are struggling too much…just back down a little until the HR stabilizes 6. The next workout, try to go a little harder while nasal breathing to see if you can do it. You will probably find you can go harder every time for a while. The early, beginner gains will be the easiest, as in most things. 7. Continue the upward progression over time 8. Feel free to mouth breathe once in a while if you want to go harder. It won’t be a set back, but it won’t help you progress toward 100% nasal breathing. Just don’t lose track of the behavior change you are trying to instill as a habit.

George M. Dallam, Ph.D. – Biographical InformationDr. Dallam is a professor in the School of Health Science and Human Movement at Colorado State University – Pueblo. Dr. Dallam has taught a wide variety of classes in exercise physiology, research and statistics, behavior facilitation, sport psychology, kinesiology, biomechanics, management, exercise assessment and prescription, swimming, running and triathlon. He is currently chair of the CSU-Pueblo Faculty Compensation Committee and is the outgoing chair and an ongoing member of the CSUP Institutional Review Board.

Dr Dallam is also the former inaugural National Teams Coach for USA Triathlon and worked for many years with elite U.S. triathletes as a coach, advisor and consultant. Athletes coached directly by Dr. Dallam have included National Elite and Age Group Champions, Olympians, Pan American Games Medalists, World Age Group Champions and the top ranked male triathlete in the world in 2005-2006, Hunter Kemper.Dr. Dallam has been involved in numerous research studies and the publication of their results at both CSUP and the USOC examining various aspects of triathlon performance and training, diabetes risk factor modification, and the effects of functional movement improvement on running . His primary research interest recently focused on the capability of human beings to adapt to nasal only breathing during exercise as a way to improve both health and performance.

Dr. Dallam was both the founder and a long term member of the USA Triathlon National Coaching Commission. He has authored numerous articles and book chapters applying training principles to triathlon and is the co-author, with Dr. Steven Jonas, of Championship Triathlon Training, published in 2008 by Human Kinetics and Teaching and Coaching Triathlon Successfully, published in 2014 by Coaches Choice. He is currently writing The Nasal Breathing Paradox during Exercise for future publication. He is regularly sought as a speaker and expert on exercise related topics having provided insights to a broad range of publications.

Dr. Dallam has received both the United States Olympic Committee’s Doc Counsilman Science in Coaching award (2004) and the National Elite Coach of the Year award (2005) for triathlon. He has also received all three of CSU-Pueblo’s university-wide awards for teaching (2001), scholarship (2003 and 2021) and service (2005). He has further twice received the outstanding faculty member award (2005 and 2013) in the College of Engineering, Education and Professional Studies at CSU-Pueblo and the inaugural Scholarship Award (2021) in the newly formed School of Health Science and Human Movement.

Finally, Dr. Dallam has been continuously training and competing in triathlon since 1981 and has recently also begun playing water polo again as a masters athlete.

Dr EmilyAs a Podiatrist, Human Movement Specialist, and Global Leader in Barefoot Science and Rehabilitation, Dr. Splichal has developed a keen eye for movement dysfunction and neuromuscular control during gait.

Originally trained as a surgeon through Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City and Mt Vernon Hospital in Mt Vernon, NY, in 2017 Dr. Splichal put down her scalpel and shifted her practice to one that is built around functional and regenerative medicine.

Tips:Activation – walk barefoot 30 min/day. Spikey ball 2x/d

Strength – muscles in foot. "Core" of foot is fascially connected to body core and pelvis. Forward lean. Feet shoulder width apart. Rock body forward…push toes to come back up. Stand on one leg for 30 seconds. Look for youtube videos for more.

Recovery – massage for feet to improve circulation. 5 minute foot release. Stand on golf ball.

Naboso.com

barefootstrong.com

Dremilysplichal.com

I thought it timely to look deeply into the heart of the older athlete. I think about my heart a lot. I am constantly monitoring my resting heart rate, my training heart rate, my HRV, how my heart feels when I am going all out, and I think hard about how to make my heart work better today and tomorrow and long into the future. I thought it was time to talk to the one and only Benjamin Levine, MD, a practicing cardiologist and researcher with an amazing track record in Sports cardiology and cardiovascular physiology and exercise.

Dr. Levine is also the founder and Director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas, Professor of Internal Medicine/Cardiology and Distinguished Professor of Exercise Sciences at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr Levine is the real deal, and this short conversation is so chock full of useful information you’ll want to listen twice.

All right let’s talk to dr Benjamin Levine.

https://www.texashealth.org/ieem/About-Us/Directors-Letter

IEEM: https://www.texashealth.org/ieem

BIO: https://www.texashealth.org/ieem/Faculty/Benjamin-Levine

Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine: https://www.texashealth.org/ieem

Episode 86 -- Part 1: basic training principles, key training & physiology terms, simplified training intensity levels
Episode 87 (this episode): Part 2: deep dive into "no man's land" and sweetspot, how to prioritize training efforts, and more on why building in fun is the key

Hunter Allen Bio:* Ex-Pro cyclist * Peaks Coaching Group Founder, CEO * USAC Level 1 Coach …. Focusing on : Road Cyclists, MTB and Tri * Co-Founder TrainingPeaks WKO * Co-Author “ Training and Racing with a Power Meter ” * Co-Author " Triathlon Training With Power " * Co-Author “ Cutting Edge Cycling ” * 2008 Olympic USA BMX Team Technical Coach * And, it should be noted, still a super fit dude (298 FTP)

Peaks Coaching Group: http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/

Episode 86 (this episode) Part 1: basic training principles, key training & physiology terms, simplified training intensity levels
Episode 87: Part 2: deep dive into "no man's land" and sweetspot, how to prioritize training efforts, and more on why building in fun is the key

Hunter Allen Bio:* Ex-Pro cyclist * Peaks Coaching Group Founder, CEO * USAC Level 1 Coach …. Focusing on : Road Cyclists, MTB and Tri * Co-Founder TrainingPeaks WKO * Co-Author “ Training and Racing with a Power Meter ” * Co-Author " Triathlon Training With Power " * Co-Author “ Cutting Edge Cycling ” * 2008 Olympic USA BMX Team Technical Coach * And, it should be noted, still a super fit dude (298 FTP)

Peaks Coaching Group: http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/

Download slides from Hunter

Notes5 Levels of Intensity Countdown (the Wise Athletes simplified version)

LEVEL FIVE (5): Short maximum output efforts above threshold. This level includes VO2max testing efforts (so a 10 second flying 200 on the track to a 5 minute VO2Max effort), — you are using everything you got. All out for a short time. Pacing is hard without practice but what is notable is how, even with proper pacing, you fail to maintain the power output after a very short time. This is similar to weight lifting…the bigger the weight, the fewer the reps. The fast twitch muscles fatigue quickly from using up ATP and accumulation of waste products that make the muscle environment more acidic and interfere with the muscle function. At this level, oxygen is the limiter. After a rest, the muscle recovers and can go again but not quite as well. This process can be repeated a few times but the fast twitch muscle will get fatigued (maybe damaged?) and need to heal and adapt before the next effort (hopefully a couple days hence if you went to failure). At this level, you really need a power meter or smart trainer to measure your power output for the training interval. HR won’t help because of the delay in HR response.

LEVEL FOUR (4):Lactate threshold / FTP/ steady state (around an hour) — it’s a concept as much as it’s a power output that can be sustained as long as glucose is available to burn and lactate can be cleared and used by the mitochondria. Similar to this is the Functional Threshold Power….It’s called functional because an hour is a nice round number and is approximately the time needed to complete a 40k TT which is a standard TT distance in cycling. This might also be about the time it takes to burn through available glucose. You are breathing heavily but steadily. You are not talking. At this level, if you paced it correctly, glucose is the limiter, not oxygen. A power meter is helpful but you could also do an FTP test based on distance covered in 1 hour or time to compete 25 miles.

LEVEL THREE (3)Tempo / Sweetspot (also called “no man’s land”) is in-between lactate threshold and endurance pace. This is where racing lives unless it is a very short or very long race. This is advertised as being more time-efficient than polarized training. Sweetspot is the high end, just below Threshold, while Tempo is the lower end, just above Endurance/FatMax level.

LEVEL TWO (2):Endurance/ fat max (a long time). This is the famous Zone 2 which is said to be where your fat max effort level is located as well. You can talk in sentences because you can easily breath in enough air for this effort. This is the effort level that not only maximizes the burning of fat, it stimulates the building of healthy mitochondria and the volume of type 1 muscle fibers. Building more type 1 muscle fiber gives the cyclist the ability to ride harder for longer, and clear the lactate generated by the fast twitch muscle for a much high power output for longer time. At this level, paced correctly, you don’t have an obvious limit. If you are not used to the time in the saddle, then all sorts of things can go wrong eventually, but it isn’t oxygen or fuel. Here a HR monitor is most helpful. After you figure out your endurance pace HR, stay below it.

LEVEL ONE (1):Recovery ride. This does not feel like exercise. Just get the blood flowing to help with repair. Use the time for focus on technique: perfect pedaling, higher cadence coordination, deep rhythmic breathing training. Go easy at whatever HR or power comes out. Easy. Recovery.

Carrie JacksonCertified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and co-author of the book Rebound

Carrie has helped athletes achieve amazing athletic accomplishments – things they never thought were possible for them. She's worked with athletes that get so nervous before competition they wondered if they should quit; now those same athletes show up to their events and not only perform well, but actually enjoy it! She's worked with injured athletes through their recovery and helped them return to their sport only to have their greatest season yet.

Contact Carriehttps://carriejackson.com/

Rebound

Top Your Game

Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries

None

Dr. Miele BioDr. Miele runs her own business ‘Mind over Body Athletics, LLC’ in which she trains and consults athletes and coaches in a variety of sports, sport psychology, injury prevention, and training methods.

Dr. Miele played Division I basketball at Arizona State; was Tight End for the Arizona Caliente, of the Women’s Professional Football League; and was also a New York Golden Gloves semi-finalist in 2004. She began coaching athletes in 1986 and has been involved as a personal exercise and fitness trainer since 1994. Dr. Miele has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe as an athlete and coach and has been involved in consulting, coaching and teaching a wide range of sports including but not limited to; Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, Baseball, Football, Archery, Bowling, Figure Skating, Hockey, Boxing, Wrestling, Field Sports, Golf, Soccer, Swimming, Track and Field, Gymnastics and Tennis.

Links to resourcesDr. Laura Miele's website: https://www.sportfitnessconsulting.com/

Psyche of the Injured Athlete on Amazon: https://a.co/d/4qDlEdI

Paul says that the science of aches, pains, and injuries is surprisingly weird, controversial, and interesting, and his job is to translate it for both patients and pros. In his writing, he works to make it friendlier than the institutional health care sites, but more scholarly and detailed than most health blogs.

My own experience on painscience.com was shocking....I was shocked at how gullible I have been over these many years. It was humbling to find several “areas of no doubt” ….of ”universal truths”, I thought ….that are actually based on repeated anecdote and faith in authority instead of scientific fact. I always thought that I was skeptical but it turned out I was a sucker for a well-articulated, logical explanation.

Listen in to discover your own pain solutions that will really work for you.

Pertinent Links to PainScience.comhttps://sciencebasedmedicine.org/why-i-quit-my-massage-therapy-career/https://www.painscience.com/structuralism

https://www.painscience.com/historical_perspective

https://www.painscience.com/stretching

https://www.painscience.com/what_workshttps://www.painscience.com/art_of_rest

Paul Ingraham BioPaul Ingraham is a Vancouver science writer and a former Registered Massage Therapist. He left that profession over concerns about pseudoscientific beliefs and practices, and went on to create PainScience.com, a website about the science of pain, injury, treatment, and rehab, where he has published hundreds of articles and ten books on these themes, the most successful of which is his guide to the tricky topic of "trigger points." He's also a reluctant runner and, until very recet retirement, an avid ultimate player (the Frisbee sport) with a long list of his own sports injuries and pain problems.

https://www.painscience.comhttps://www.painscience.com/about.php https://www.painscience.com/about-paul-ingraham.php

Sponsor: RePowerU -- FREE Fitness Practices Assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es

Listen in as Matt and I explore his knowledge of the psychology of suffering...or dealing with discomfort in sport. Few people manage to reach their potential because they don't know how to find the limits. They quit on themselves. And they regret it.

Bio -- Matt Fitzgerald

Website: https://mattfitzgerald.org/

Starting with a job offer from Bill Katovsky, the original founder of Triathlete, to join the tiny staff of an endurance sports startup magazine based in Sausalito, Matt has written for AthletesVillage.com, Active.com, Competitor Group, and his writing has appeared in Bicycling, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Outside, Shape, Stuff, and Women’s Health. Matt has a special passion for writing books and has written many.

Matt is also a certified sports nutritionist, and has served as a consultant to numerous sports nutrition companies, including Energy First, Healthy Directions, PacificHealth Labs, and Next Proteins. Having coached for Carmichael Training Systems in the early 2000’s, Matt continues to design readymade training plans for triathletes and runners that are sold through TrainingPeaks.com and FinalSurge.com, as well as customized plans available through this website.

Topics covered

Use of protein for maintenance and building muscle when combined with exercise
How much protein? Timing? Use of supplementation?
What else is helpful? Creatine? Omega's? Vitamins? Minerals?
How to lose body fat without losing muscle? Is fasting or intermittent fasting a good idea for the older athlete?

Related podcast episodes:

Body Composition: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/76-body-composition-sports-performance-w-matt-fitzgerald/
Optimizing Muscle: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/65-optimizing-aging-muscle-w-brendan-egan-phd/
Nutrition for Recovery: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/19-nutrition-for-recovery-with-ec-synkowski/

Bio

https://morehenperformance.com/

Jame Morehen, PhD is a a published author and respected performance nutritionist registered with the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr). James seeks to help individuals achieve optimal health, wellness and performance with individual performance nutrition solutions backed by evidence informed strategies to help individuals fuel and recover from the demands of their sport and lifestyle.

BSc Sport & Exercise Science
MSc Sports Physiology
PhD Sports Nutrition

Areas of work:

- Body Composition
- Weight Management
- Health & Wellness
- Travel Nutrition
- Training Strategies
- Competition Performance
- Optimal Recovery

Sponsor: RePowerU -- FREE Fitness Practices Assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es

drsusieg.com

DR. SUSIE GRONSKI —

Licensed doctor of physical therapy since 2010
Certified pelvic rehabilitation practitioner
Sex counselor and AASECT certified sexuality educator (University of Michigan trained)
Author of Pelvic Pain The Ultimate Cock Block
International male pelvic pain and sexual health educator

A licensed doctor of physical therapy, certified pelvic rehabilitation practitioner, international teacher, and creator of one-to-one and self-paced health programs that help men with pelvic pain become experts in treating themselves.

5 S’s

Support - for organs that sit on top of pelvis
Stability - structural control over distal actions
Sump pump - pee, semen
Sexual appreciation
Sphincteric control

The major health knock on cycling has been its potentially negative effects on pelvic health. Rigorous training on a thin bicycle saddle (seat) can cause unwanted rubbing and prolonged pressure that leads to decreased blood flow.

In men, cycling has been linked to testicular pain, numbness, and infertility in extreme cases. In women, unchecked pelvic distress can lead to pain, incontinence and girdle distress.

Pelvic Issues:

Penis pain
Pudendal neuralgia
Hard-flaccid
Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD)
Penis fracture (sexcapade injuries happen!)
Testicle pain
Post-vasectomy pain syndrome - Pain after vasectomy
Peyronie's disease - A condition where scar tissue forms, most commonly, around the base of penis resulting in an abnormal bend or curve in the penis
Pre- or post-prostatectomy surgery
Pain with or after ejaculation
Painful erections
Erectile dysfunction (ED)
Premature ejaculation (PE)
Abdominal pain
Groin pain
Pelvic pain
Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain
Persistent hip or lower back pain
Tailbone pain
Pain with sitting
Pain during bowel movements
Constipation
Urinary urgency or frequency- Frequently feeling a strong and sudden urge to urinate
Urinary or fecal incontinence

Previous Wise Athletes episode mentioned in discussion with Dr. Gronski

Steve Hendricks, author of The Oldest Cure in the World.

Stevehendricks.org/

Bookshop.org

Improving bone health through nutrition and exercise...advice from Melissa Rittenhouse PhD, endurance athlete, registered dietitian, certified specialist in sports dietetics, PhD in Exercise Physiology.

sportsandwellnessnutrition.com/

Melissa Rittenhouse PhD, RD, CSSD.

Registered Dietitian
Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics.
PhD in Exercise Physiology

Dr Rittenhouse has been practicing in the areas of sports nutrition and human performance since 2002. She is a sports dietitian, and a Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) certified coach. She participated in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials.

Andy Blow Bio

Andy Blow is a Sports Scientist with a BSc Honours degree in Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Bath. An expert in hydration, he has co-authored a number of scientific studies and books.

He was once the Team Sports Scientist for the Benetton and Renault Formula 1 teams and remains an adviser to the Porsche Human Performance Centre at Silverstone.

Andy has finished in the top 10 of IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races, as well as winning an XTERRA Age Group World title. It was his own struggles with cramp that led to him specializing in hydration and founding Precision Fuel & Hydration.

Andy Online

https://www.precisionfuelandhydration.com/ https://www.instagram.com/precisionfandh/ https://www.facebook.com/precisionfandh/ https://www.twitter.com/precisionfandh/

Andy's Articles

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/should-athletes-avoid-salt/

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/3-ways-your-hydration-status-changes-as-you-age/

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/why-athletes-need-sodium/

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/exercise-associated-muscle-cramps/

https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/performance/age-aging-performance-decline/

https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/hydration/should-your-hydration-strategy-change-as-you-get-older/

https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/hydration/ageing-and-endurance-performance/

https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/nutrition/how-to-choose-energy-format-gels-chews-bars-drinks/

https://www.precisionhydration.com/performance-advice/nutrition/combining-carbs-and-electrolytes/

Sponsor: RePowerU -- FREE Fitness Practices Assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es

Listen in as Matt and I explore his knowledge of managing body composition and the use of sugar for sports performance...and how the two propositions are not in conflict.

Bio -- Matt Fitzgerald

Website: https://mattfitzgerald.org/

Starting with a job offer from Bill Katovsky, the original founder of Triathlete, to join the tiny staff of an endurance sports startup magazine based in Sausalito, Matt has written for AthletesVillage.com, Active.com, Competitor Group, and his writing has appeared in Bicycling, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Outside, Shape, Stuff, and Women’s Health. Matt has a special passion for writing books and has written many.

Matt is also a certified sports nutritionist, and has served as a consultant to numerous sports nutrition companies, including Energy First, Healthy Directions, PacificHealth Labs, and Next Proteins. Having coached for Carmichael Training Systems in the early 2000’s, Matt continues to design readymade training plans for triathletes and runners that are sold through TrainingPeaks.com and FinalSurge.com, as well as customized plans available through this website.

Rym Selmi, the inventory of Miiro Chocolate.

The Latin miro, means “To Wonder.” Miiro Chocolate is all about helping people rediscover the carefree childlike wonder that makes life so special.

www.miiro.co

I have found that I am able to restrict myself from eating “bad” foods quite well. But I have begun to think I do not have a good balance between my health, athletic performance goals and …for lack of a better word….“enjoying myself”.

The key, I’ve been thinking, is to find a way to not suffer so much. To find a way to have healthier foods around me that I can have when I want but that are not engineered to make me lose control. So that I can find some sort of balance between healthiness and fitness AND having enjoyment in my food.

When I heard about Miiro Chocolate, a low-sugar but delicious chocolate, I thought I might have found what I was looking for...but I found so much more.

Do you want foot shaped feet or shoe shaped feet? The answer lies in what you want your feet to do for you.

Do you want to fit into fashionably shaped pointy shoes? Just keep doing what you're doing.

Do you want pain-free feet, that can support your athletic endeavors ...feet that look like the foot you were born with....straight toes? Listen in.

Who Is Dr Ray McClanahan?

Dr. Ray McClanahan completed his undergraduate studies at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Next, he attended Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine (now Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine), and graduated in 1995. Upon graduation, he completed a two-year podiatric, surgical residency training in Portland, Oregon, at Legacy Health Systems and Kaiser Permanente as a Podiatric Physician and Surgeon.

Dr. McClanahan’s practice, Northwest Foot & Ankle in Portland, Oregon, allows him to care for those who find their highest joy when in motion. In his 26 years as a podiatrist, he has learned that most foot problems can be corrected by restoring natural foot function. He is also the inventor of Correct Toes, silicone toe spacers. His professional goal is to provide quality natural foot health services with an emphasis on sports medicine, preventative and conservative options as well as education on proper footwear.

Dr. McClanahan is an active runner and athlete. In 1999, he finished 14th in the U.S. National Men’s Cross-Country Championships and had a near Olympic Trials qualifying 5,000 meter mark of 13:56 in 2000. He then qualified for the World Duathlon Championships in 2001.

https://www.nwfootankle.com/patient-resources/

https://correcttoes.com/

https://healthyfeetalliance.org/

Link to article: Why Shoes Make "Normal" Gait Impossible

Sponsor: RePowerU -- FREE Fitness Practices Assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es

Orthopedic Physical Therapist -- Rick Olderman

Rick Olderman is a sports and orthopedic physical therapist with more than 25 years experience who specializes in helping people with chronic pain experience a pain-free life. He graduated with his Master’s Degree from The Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis in 1996. Listen in to hear Rick share his fundamental understanding about how the body works to create and solve pain.

If you have back pain, shoulder pain, headaches or some other chronic pain, you must listen to my talk with Rick. He explains is simple language how you and I can truly understand why we are having pain, and follow simple tips for resolving chronic pain quickly. Rick is the very best at giving simple instructions to find and fix the mistakes you and I make everyday that contribute to the pain in our bodies. Rick’s system-based approach is simple yet effective for identifying solutions to reduce or eliminate pain in our bodies.

Rick wrote the popular Fixing You® series of books — found on Amazon.com — to help people with chronic pain or injuries. Rick tells us how to live pain-free without the need for medication.

Links for more info:

Downloadable programs now available online at fixingyoumethod.com
Practitioners can find an online training program at healpatientsfaster.com
Free stuff from Rick: rickolderman.com
Use code: fixingyou for a 20% discount on any program.

Sponsor: RePowerU -- FREE Fitness Practices Assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es

Heart rate is a powerful metric for guiding improvements in fitness. The only problem with heart rate is that while seemingly simple, it is really a complex aggregation of many variables that need to be considered and managed to make use of this valuable metric. Hunter tells us how to do it.

Hunter's latest venture: Project Fuerza -- NFT artwork

Hunter is co-author of the book “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” (with Dr. Andy Coggan). He also co-wrote “Cutting-Edge Cycling” with Dr. Stephen Cheung, was the co-developer of TrainingPeaks WKO software, and is the founder of Peaks Coaching Group. Widely known as one of the top experts in the world in coaching endurance athletes using power meters, Hunter Allen has been instrumental in developing and spreading the power training principles. Hunter is a USA Cycling Level 1 coach, was the 2008 BMX technical coach for the Beijing Olympics and has taught the USA Cycling Power Certification Course since 2005. A former professional cyclist for 17 years with over 40 road victories to his credit, Hunter has been coaching endurance athletes since 1995, and his athletes have achieved more than 2000 victories and numerous national, world championship titles and Olympic Medals.

Hunter Allen - Contact

http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/hunterallen
https://shoppeaks.com/category/training-plans/
projectfuerza.com

Sponsor: RePowerU -- a free fitness practices assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire)

"How to get an Extended Warranty on your body."

Dr. Nick DiNubile is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of the bestselling book, FrameWork- Your 7 Step Program for Healthy Muscles, Bones & Joints and is Executive Producer and host of the award winning national PBS television special, Your Body’s FrameWork. Dr. Nick has served on The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports with Arnold Schwarzenegger and also sits on the board as well as serves as the Chief Medical Officer of The American Council on Exercise (ACE). He has worked with Philadelphia 76ers, the Pennsylvania Ballet, and countless athletes and celebrities. Most recently he has been named Vice President of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. drnick.com

Dr. Nick says it’s not about longevity as much as it’s about durability.

Find your weak links. Test yourself to find where you are weak, sore, tight, etc.
You need balance...meaning, you need to have some minimal capability in all the major parts of your body...you cannot have certain movements or muscles or joints that you avoid using.
Resolve the weak links. You have to be willing to work through some pain, and find the line before a level of effort that results in damage.
Toughen the area around the weak link to reduce the chance of.the weakness allowing an injury
Work around...avoid areas that you cannot resolve or toughen....but you must find a way to retain "balance"

Toward the end we talk about new technologies for improved healing for the older athlete, and ways to mitigate inflexible scar tissue formation from injuries that leads to re-injury so often.

BIO

Nicholas A. DiNubile, MD is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine in private practice in Havertown, Pennsylvania. He is the bestselling author of the FrameWork series of health and wellness books and is also Executive Producer and host of the award winning national PBS television special, “Your Body's FrameWork.” Dr. DiNubile has served as Orthopaedic Consultant to the Philadelphia 76ers Basketball Team and Pennsylvania Ballet. He was appointed Special Advisor to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (1st Bush Administration with Arnold Schwarzenegger as Chairman). He has advised two United States Presidents on matters of health and health policy, and has cared for numerous celebrities and high level athletes. He is the Vice President of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), Chief Medical Advisor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and is on the Global Advisory Board for the International Sports Hall of Fame. Dr. DiNubile was a contributor to the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health and is Executive Editor of the Physician and Sportsmedicine Journal.

Dr. DiNubile has been part of the teaching faculty at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine for many years, and is Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Delaware County Memorial Hospital. He is a lead spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sportsmedicine. He has had extensive healthcare executive experience and served as Orthopedic Medical Director for over a decade for US Healthcare and Aetna, and is currently Chief Medical Officer for Premier Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Associates, one of the largest orthopedic groups in the nation. He has strong interests in healthcare related technology and is founder and CEO of FrameWork Interactive Technologies (F.I.T.).

Dr. DiNubile has been consistently chosen in “Best Doctors in America” and is also named a US News & World Report "Top Doctor." He received the prestigious HAFL (Healthy American Fitness Leaders) Award and was also inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame as well as the Philadelphia Sports Medicine Hall of Fame. He blogs for Huffington Post in their Healthy Living section and can be heard regularly on WIP Sports Radio. He has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, HBO Real Sports, National Public Radio, and in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Newsweek, and numerous other publications. Over the years, he has served on the advisory board of every major fitness publication including Muscle & Fitness, Men's Health, Men's Fitness and Shape magazines. Through his extensive media work, he is one of the most quoted doctors in America.

Dr. DiNubile's website, DrNick.com is a trusted source of health, fitness and sports medicine information as is his twitter feed @DrNickUSA

Dr. DiNubile resides in Haverford, PA with his wife and two children. He is an avid tennis player and is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

None

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Joe Taft was born a mover. He has always found refuge in the pursuit of excellence in a variety of sports and outdoor activities. He has been studying human movement patterns as either an athlete, coach or the teacher in a variety of sports, such as skiing, tennis, kayaking and yoga. In 1990, after a decade-long career in whitewater kayaking, Joe discovered yoga. Yoga provided Joe the insights into how the body desires balance in order to be pain-free and how to apply subtle alignment actions at the right time.

Levels of Progression:

Find something that is a means to an end (e.g., driving to work, washing dishes), and do it mindfully.
Do a workout but be super mindful in what you are doing (e.g. your foot hitting the ground, your breathing)
Do a daily stretch or a time where you are "in you body" to practice awareness of how your body is feeling

BIO

Joe (E-RYT500 and YACEP) has been teaching yoga for two decades. He has spent thousands of hours on his mat as the student and the yoga teacher, which is demonstrated in his acute attention to detail in creating a powerful theme-based class. Joe's classes strive to connect our human journey to the yogic principles of alignment. Joe spends hours each week creating a life-inspiring theme which is present in every part of the class sequence and aspect of each pose and its action. His classes are unique to Joe's style of weaving together clear and careful instruction with a fun and flowing synthesis of building balanced strength, core stability, flexibility and breath work. His students have a deep appreciation for his therapeutic insights and eye for correcting postural habits and helping them become pain-free. Students leave his classes and trainings feeling uplifted and inspired.

JOE'S YOGA JOURNEY:

Joe was born a mover and has always found refuge in the pursuit of excellence in a variety of sports and outdoor activities. He has been studying human movement patterns as either an athlete, coach or the teacher in a variety of sports, such as skiing, tennis, kayaking and yoga. In 1990, after a decade-long career in whitewater kayaking, Joe discovered yoga and has never looked back. The practice of yoga has given Joe the insights into how the body desires balance in order to be pain-free and how to apply subtle alignment actions at the right time.

Joe continues to expand his studies and enjoys participating in a variety of movement practices such as Pilates, weight training, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing and running. He applies his understanding of how the breath, meditation, and balanced musculature work together.

Contact Info:

https://joetaftyoga.com/

https://www.instagram.com/joe_taft_yoga/

https://www.youryoga.com/

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Brad Stanfield, MD

Today on episode #69, I talk with Dr. Brad Stanfield, a medical doctor and searcher for ways to optimize longevity. This is a impossibly complex subject fraught with wrong-headed shortcuts, snake oil, and marketing lies.

What is aging?
How to stop accelerated aging?
Supplements to take to help offset the impact of aging? No mega dosing.. Some good ones: Vitamin D, omega 3, zinc, magnesium (threonate), creatine, collagen, glycine,

Dr Stanfield's prediction of chemicals that will prove to make a big difference in longevity and healthspan:

Rapamycin -- look after the protein / MTor type of issues
Stains -- look after the fat / cholesterol issues
SGLT2 Inhibitors -- blood sugar related issues

Contact info:

https://drstanfield.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/DrBradStanfield/about

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836174/

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Mike T Nelson, PhD

Today on episode #68, I talk with Dr. Mike T Nelson, the creator of the Flex Diet for building metabolic flexibility, and now the Phys Flex certification for building anti-fragility across a range of physical and mental functions.

Episode 32: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/32-helping-older-athletes-feel-young-again-via-metabolic-and-physiologic-flexibility-with-dr-mike-t-nelson/

Bio

Creator of the Flex Diet Certification & Phys Flex Certification, kiteboarder, lifter of odd objects, metal music lover.

PHD IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BA IN NATURAL SCIENCE FROM ST. SCHOLASTICA
MS IN BIOMECHANICS FROM MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT CARRICK INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL NEUROLOGY
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE (ACSM)
CERTIFIED SPORTS NUTRITIONIST FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF SPORTS NUTRITION (CISSN)
INSTRUCTOR AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY
PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NUTRITION (ASN)
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS NUTRITION MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF SPORTS NUTRITION (ISSN)
NATIONAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION (NSCA) CERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST (CSCS)

Dr. Mike's Website https://miketnelson.com

Dr. Mike's Instagram drmiketnelson

Physiological flexibility the 4 main regulators pH, temp, blood gas oxygen and CO2, and blood glucose. The 8 interventions (2 for each) are:

● Hot -such as warm temps outside or sauna

● Cold - cold water immersion, cooler temps, cold showers

● HIIT -high intensity exercise as Wingates (aka Beast Mode)

● LISS - as my buddy Luke from Muscle Nerds calls it "Least Mode" aka lower intensity exercise

● Low blood glucose - via fasting protocols

● High(er) blood glucose challenge - 2 pop tart test

● Slow breathing techniques and breath holds

● Fast (supra ventilation) techniques like Wim Hoff and others

Met Flex = Flexible Diet + metabolic flexibility.

The focus is Body composition and athletic performance, which are intertwined. Body composition is good for health, self esteem and performance. Athletic performance is good for health (body is built to move), longevity (3 factors) and body composition (burning calories Principals

Speed of adaptation reflects health status and resilience: fuel switching speed, sugar tolerance, temperature tolerance, HR capacity (max vs. resting), endurance, mobility and strength provides headroom to recover from problems.
Benefit stacking: getting multiple benefits from our actions and food
Health maintenance is the real goal. Achieving goals is nice, but sustaining fitness and health is the real achievement. The key is fuel matching and non-linear calorie imbalance. (Practice maintenance)
No suffering; stay within yourself but push a little most days.
“Better is better”. Optimal is elusive but will slowly be achieved for each person
Little things add up. Start with easy to gain momentum and motivation for harder change.
Exercise doesn’t have to dominate your life; you just need to do enough of cardio/ endurance and HIIT/ strength work.
More variability = better resilience
Consistency of effort (we are forming new habits, need time to obtain positive feedback)
Progressive overload (change is painful, but only a little and only some of the time, if done right)
Modulated workload (for recovery, adaptation, mental health, and practice for maintenance mode)

Inflexible people have a insulin resistance, have lots of insulin to deal with sugar, makes it hard to burn fat. Issue in losing fat and using fat for endurance intensity exercise.

8 interventions for nutrition and recovery. Help people: higher metabolic flux, fast switching between fat and carb burning. Getting stronger and getting control over body composition. Help people understand nutrition, and factors involved in body composition and performance. Not treating medical conditions.

Started with Dr David Kelly(Brooks and mercier) Coined “Cross over effect”

Leverage: Focus on high impact (make a big difference in physiology), easy to do (clients will do it) interventions: physiology & psychology. Actually have clients rank interventions according to what they will do. Progressive disclosure.

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Dr. Kyle Gillett

Today on episode #67, I talk with Dr. Kyle Gillett, a medical doctor and expert in hormonal health. Dr Gillett and I attempted to cover this broad topic in under an hour by avoiding the technical details and focusing on the high-level tips on how the older athlete can recover and maintain hormonal health for improved general health, higher fitness, and a better quality of life. Listen in to hear about the surprising mistakes people make with common supplements and other tips for dealing with common conditions such as: low energy, lack of focus, declining strength, and more.

When I was younger, I felt great all the time. Of course, back then ‘feeling great’ was just feeling normal. Now-a-days, ‘feeling great’ is a special thing, and I want more of it. Hormones are the key. Much of what Dr Gillett told me I had heard or read about before somewhere in the internet universe timeline, but in our short hour together, Kyle was able to frame the topic of hormones to provide context to the why’s and how’s of getting more of feeling great.

BIO

Dr. Kyle Gillett, MD, a dual board-certified physician in family medicine and obesity medicine and an expert in: optimizing hormone levels to improve overall health and well-being in both men and women; improving hormones using behavioral, nutritional, and exercise-based tools; and safely and rationally using supplementation and hormone therapies.

Website: https://gilletthealth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylegillettmd/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GillettHealth

ASCVD Risk Calculator: https://tools.acc.org/ascvd-risk-estimator-plus/#!/calculate/estimate/

Want to know more?: Read:

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Derek Hansen is one of very few expert in using electronic muscle stimulation. WiseAthletes talks to Derek to finally understand how to get real benefit from your EMS unit.

Welcome back to the Wise Athletes podcast. Today on episode #66, I talk with Derek Hansen, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been using EMS or Electronic Muscle Stimulation as a part of his work with athletes of all ages seeking to recover from injury and surgery as well as seeking additional performance advantage.

I have owned and used an EMS device for years without really knowing what I was doing, so I decided to find out how it is done. Join me as Derek goes through the many ways EMS can be used by older athletes to deal with limited ROM, injuries, surgeries as well as simple recovery from exercise and as a substitute for exercise when traveling or otherwise unable to get it done the natural way.

Derek is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist that has been working with athletes in speed, strength and power sports since 1988. Originally working with Track and Field athletes, Derek expanded his services to assist athletes in all sports with an emphasis on speed development. He has since worked with some of the top performers in the world as a coach and a consultant – including Olympic medallists, world record holders, Canadian National team athletes, professional sports organizations and professional athletes from numerous sports. Locally, Derek has produced some of the top sprinters in British Columbia and continues to work with some of the fastest athletes in various sports.

Provided below are some of Derek’s key qualifications, credentials and designations:

NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
NSCA Provincial Director for British Columbia – 2006 to 2010
NCCP Level 3 Track and Field Coach – Sprints and Hurdles Emphasis
NCCP Level 2 Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Course Conductor for the National Coaching Institute (NCI) Vancouver for Strength & Conditioning and Recovery & Regeneration
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada
Sport performance consultant, sport technology advisor and rehab specialist for a number of teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS and NCAA Division I college sports
Presenter, workshop leader and lecturer at major international conferences on various topics relating to sport performance, rehab and sport technologies
Speed, strength & conditioning consultant – Cycling Canada – BMX and Track Cycling – 2013 to present
Speed, strength & conditioning consultant – Speed Skating Canada – Long Track preparations for the 2010 Olympics
Past Recruitment & Athlete Development Coach – Vancouver Region – for Bobsleigh Canada
Head Coach – Metro Athletic Club – Track and Field – 2001-2009
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach – Canadian Men’s Field Hockey Team – 1999-2004
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach – Canadian Olympic Women’s Softball Team – 2001-2004
Consultant – BC Basketball/Basketball Canada – Centre for Performance Youth Development – 2001-2008

If you would like more information on Derek’s qualifications and experience, please e-mail him at derek@strengthpowerspeed.com and he would be happy to send you his curriculum vitae.

Instagram: @derekmhansen

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Dr. Egan is an expert in skeletal muscle function and adaptation during aging. Brendan joins Wise Athletes today to share his unique insights into the synergy between nutrition and exercise interventions to optimize performance in older athletes.

BIO

Brendan Egan, PhD is Associate Professor of Sport and Exercise Physiology, and Deputy Head of School, in the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University, Ireland, and a Visiting Research Scientist at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, USA. His research investigates skeletal muscle function and adaptation across the life course, with special interest in the synergy between nutrition and exercise interventions to optimise performance in populations ranging from athletes to older adults. His research group performs human trials involving both acute and chronic interventions for outcomes around performance (physical and cognitive), recovery and adaptation, and have employed a wide range of experimental designs, and have been complimented by molecular analysis tools including transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Nutrients recently and presently under investigation include caffeine, creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, resveratrol, leucine, protein hydrolysates, beetroot juice, and exogenous ketones, as well as dietary interventions that aim to increase daily protein intake in older adults. Outside of academia, through his sporting career as an Gaelic footballer, Brendan has had a lifelong association with sport, training and performance at all levels of competition from grassroots to elite level, and also practices in the field as a performance nutritionist with emphasis on intermittent field-based team sports, and endurance athletes, most recently with the Dublin Hurlers and the Irish Paratriathlon team.

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Discussion Summary:

Today I am pleased to present episode #64 with one of the world’s foremost experts on fructose and why people get fat, Dr Richard Johnson.

Today you will also learn some easy changes to your own lifestyle to improve your health, which is of course the foundation for being a strong athlete. I have already stopped eating added sugar, and after my first discussion with Dr. Johnson I stopped all high sodium foods. After today I started a routine of drinking 2 liters of water or green tea everyday to make sure I do not get dehydrated.

Bio:

Website: https://drrichardjohnson.com

Richard J. Johnson, M.D. has been a practicing physician and clinical scientist for over 25 years. He is internationally recognized for his work on the role of sugar and its component fructose, in obesity and diabetes. His work has also revealed a fundamental role for uric acid (which is generated during fructose metabolism) in the metabolic syndrome. Dr Johnson 's science research has been funded by the National Institute of Health since the 1980s. Rick is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He has published over 700 papers, lectured in over 45 countries, and is a highly cited scientist. He is the author of Nature Wants Us To Be Fat, published in 2022, and he previously authored The Sugar Fix with Timothy Gower in 2008 and The Fat Switch in 2012. He is currently a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver.

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"For men, think of your testosterone as an overall marker of your health and wellbeing."

Wondering about the benefits of sufficient testosterone? How do these grab you?

Improved athletic performance
Decreased workout recovery time—less joint pain, stiffness and muscle soreness
Increased lean muscle mass and decreased body fat
Enhanced libido and sexual function
Feeling calmer, more stress-proof, and more positive about your life

Listen in as Dr. Rick Cohen shares his tips for lifestyle tweaks to boost your testosterone.

(1) How do you know if you have a testosterone (and wellness) problem?

Morning Wood (yes, that) -- #1 indicator
Can't keep your muscle mass...losing muscle and adding body fat
Can't recover as well or as fast as you used to do
A lack of motivation....a feeling of "flatness"
High blood sugar
High stress
Fatigue

Adam Test: https://www.nebido.com/tools/low-testosterone-symptoms-check-adam-questionnaire

Carol Bike: https://carolbike.com/

(2) Things you can do:

Sleep -- try the EmFit pad - https://emfit.com/
Nasal Breathing -- Dr Dallam Episode on Wise Athletes
Jet Pack -- testicle cooling before sleep (if you dare)
Wear a CGM -- find out for sure if you are having sugar spikes and get your blood sugar under control (Levels)
Stress management -- sauna, functional yoga, breathing (4-7-8, etc.)
Leaf EKG patch -- the very best HRV tracking...most accurate -- use it as a biofeedback device to learn to destress
Blood Flow restriction -- muscle building with less recovery needed (and less risk of injury)
Sperti -- Full spectrum lights'
Supplements: boron, magnesium, zinc, selenium

More from Dr. Cohen:

By Rick Cohen, MD: Be All the Man You Can Be: Quick Start Guide

Sleep and recover fully.

Get eight solid hours of sleep every night. Block out all light (even clocks) to create total darkness.
Turn off all electronics one hour before bedtime.
Slowly take ten, deep nose breaths twice daily. Inhale for a count of six, hold for four, exhale for eight)
Get up from your chair at least once every hour during the day.
Take walks barefoot on the grass or sand.
Lie in the sun for 15 minutes without sunscreen, with your legs, arms, and torso exposed.

Avoid toxins.

Replace your conventional toiletries with organic, paraben-free versions.
Eat only organic varieties of the “dirty dozen” foods.
Strictly avoid eating soy and all GMO products—especially corn, soy and canola.
Avoid hard liquor.
Limit your wine and/or beer intake to four servings weekly, and no more than two per day.
Keep your powered cellphone out of your pants pocket.
Wear boxer shorts, not briefs.

Practice pleasure.

Have sex at least twice a week.

Move like your primitive ancestors—lift heavy things, move fast, or walk slow

Perform at least four minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular intervals every four to five days.
Perform at least four minutes of high-intensity squats or pushups every four to five days.
In the weight room, lift heavier weights fewer times.
Take a longer walk, hike, swim or easy bike ride a few times weekly.
Limit any medium-intensity cardiovascular workouts to 30 minutes twice weekly.

Challenge your dopamine.

Find something you love to do and do it almost every day (even if it’s only for 15 minutes).
Take some safe risks on a regular basis.
Compete in a sport, play a game, or accept a new challenge.

Nourish your body.

Replace your synthetic multivitamin with an organic, whole-food concentrate.
Get 20 minutes of mid-day sun and/or take 4000 iu of vitamin D3 daily
Take 2400 mg of EPA/DHA from a pure, triglyceride fish oil source.
Have one “power drink” daily (look for the recipe in the Complete Program section).
Have one tablespoon of coconut oil and one tablespoon of olive oil every day.

Get lean by eating real food.

Eliminate all processed sugars or artificial sweeteners including corn syrup, fructose or fruit juices.
Stop eating wheat.
Eat broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and/or button mushrooms every day.

Bio

Dr. Rick Cohen, M.D. is a leading authority in the fields of nutrition, sports performance and longevity medicine. He received his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering with honors of distinction from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Over the past 20 years, Rick has used his knowledge to create innovative health and performance protocols and specially-formulated nutritional products to bring thousands of sport enthusiasts and elite athletes to higher levels of health and performance. Rick is also a leader in the field of male functional hormone health and the author of the book "Be All the Man You Can Be" with over 100k copies sold in the past five years.

Currently living in western North Carolina, Rick’s passion for athletics extends beyond his work; in fact, it is a major part of his personal life satisfaction and well-being. He played ice hockey in college and competed on the world stage in the sport of luge, his wife is a nationally-ranked triathlete and health coach and his kids both were college athletes. So he personally understands how frustrating it can be to balance family, career, and an athletic passion. That experience is exactly what led him to create PureClean Performance.

About PureClean Performance:

PureClean Performance’s beet-infused, whole-food-based sports performance and recovery products are innovatively designed to not only improve performance but also to protect health and maximize overall well-being. PureClean Performance is launching a new program called FixMyT offering convenient and comprehensive hormone assessment and restorative protocols for men who want to "Be All the Man" they can be.

Read More About Rick Cohen:

https://www.facebook.com/PureCleanPerformance/

https://purecleanperformance.com/pages/about-us

https://www.instagram.com/purecleanperformance/

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Episode 3 of 3 with Dr Jowdy.

Part 1 -- An introduction to common psychological impediments to athletic and health
Part 2 - More details on what we can do to become stronger psychologically as well as physically
Part 3 - Body image & eating disorders common to athletes

Today we explore the all-to-common problem of using exercise to compensate for eating disorders and body image issues. Dr. Doug Jowdy talks though how to think about this problem and how we can overcome it.

Website: https://www.drdougjowdy.com

Book: Gold Medal Mind: https://www.goldmedalmind.com

Dr. Jowdy has been practicing the art and science of psychology since 1986. He considers it a blessing to join people on their journey in the arena of sport, or in the game of life. It is his passion to serve as a guide to help others create a life that exceeds one’s expectations

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Episode 2 of 3 with Dr Jowdy.

Part 1 -- An introduction to common psychological impediments to athletic and health
Part 2 - More details on what we can do to become stronger psychologically as well as physically
Part 3 - Body image & eating disorders common to athletes

Website: https://www.drdougjowdy.com

Book: Gold Medal Mind: https://www.goldmedalmind.com

Dr. Jowdy has been practicing the art and science of psychology since 1986. He considers it a blessing to join people on their journey in the arena of sport, or in the game of life. It is his passion to serve as a guide to help others create a life that exceeds one’s expectations

Sponsor: RePowerU -- a free fitness practices assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire)

Episode 1 of 3 with Dr Jowdy.

Part 1 -- An introduction to common psychological impediments to athletic and health
Part 2 - More details on what we can do to become stronger psychologically as well as physically
Part 3 - Body image & eating disorders common to athletes

Website: https://www.drdougjowdy.com

Book: Gold Medal Mind: https://www.goldmedalmind.com

Dr. Jowdy has been practicing the art and science of psychology since 1986. He considers it a blessing to join people on their journey in the arena of sport, or in the game of life. It is his passion to serve as a guide to help others create a life that exceeds one’s expectations

Private practice in Boulder and Denver where Dr. Jowdy specializes in sport psychology, psychological/medical conditions and personal growth. In his practice he sees both athletes and non-athletes between the ages of 9 and 65.

Dr. Doug Jowdy is on faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Colorado Hospital Denver School of Medicine. He consults with intercollegiate and high school athletic departments, as well as with business and industry. He also receives referrals from the U.S. Olympic Committee and is a consultant with the U.S. Paralympic Committee.

Dr. Jowdy has worked for the U.S. Olympic Committee on two separate occasions. In 1989, he completed a research assistantship under the guidance of Shane Murphy, Ph.D., the first psychologist hired by the U.S. Olympic committee. A decade later, he served as the team psychologist for U.S. Speed Skating and helped both the long and short track teams prepare for the Olympics. As a result of his working closely with Apolo Anton Ohno, 8x Olympic Medal Winner, he is featured in Apolo’s autobiography, Zero Regrets.

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Outline of Discussion

Rules:

Simple
Minimal effective dose —
Be patient

Goals:

Do no harm
Keep you fresh enough enough to ride
Get stronger slowly

About Chris: https://ridethestruggle.com/blogs/struggle/winter-strength-training-plan-for-cyclists

Coach Chris Peden is strength coach to talented cyclists including Zoe Backstedt who currently holds Under 23 National, European and World titles on the road, track and in Cyclocross.

Chris believes the old way is not always the right way and highly recommends strength training to any cyclist looking to improve.

“Riding your bike should always be the main priority. However, incorporating strength training will further enhance cycling performance if it’s done right.”

Strength training enhances exercise economy, anaerobic capacity, lactate threshold, maximal strength, maximal speed and endurance, while also reducing the rate of fatigue. Isn’t that a cyclists ultimate wish-list?” Says Chris.

Chris believes strength training is overlooked by many cyclists for two reasons: (1) the fear of adding additional weight to our bodies, and (2) because they don't know how.

“Riders who combine cycling with strength training have leaner body composition over those who just cycle. Muscle mass doesn’t suddenly appear on the body once you start lifting weights. It takes years of dedicated regular lifting with minimal cardio.”

"We learn strength training as a new skill quite easily - like learning to ride a bike."

Contact: https://linktr.ee/CPeden

Chris Peden, Strength, Endurance & Nutrition Coach Combined Athletic Performance Portsmouth, UK

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Discussion Summary:

For many years now, I have been hearing that fructose, a component of table sugar and HFCS, is a particularly bad actor for my health. I decided it was finally time to find out if that was really true and if so why. Today I am pleased to present episode #58 with one of the world’s foremost experts on fructose, Dr Richard Johnson.

What you will learn today is that the problem is worse than you’d expect, but easier to solve than you’d imagine. Dr. Johnson will tell us why we put on excess weight, why we find it hard to sustain weight loss, why we get high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and gout, and how these disease are all related. Yeah. And, You will also learn some easy changes to your own lifestyle to improve your health, which is of course the foundation for being a strong athlete.

I can tell you that these illnesses run in my family, so I am taking Dr. Johnsons advice to heart. Maybe you should do the same…

Bio:

Website: https://drrichardjohnson.com

Richard J. Johnson, M.D. has been a practicing physician and clinical scientist for over 25 years. He is internationally recognized for his work on the role of sugar and its component fructose, in obesity and diabetes. His work has also revealed a fundamental role for uric acid (which is generated during fructose metabolism) in the metabolic syndrome. Dr Johnson 's science research has been funded by the National Institute of Health since the 1980s. Rick is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He has published over 700 papers, lectured in over 45 countries, and is a highly cited scientist. He is the author of Nature Wants Us To Be Fat, published in 2022, and he previously authored The Sugar Fix with Timothy Gower in 2008 and The Fat Switch in 2012. He is currently a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado in Denver.

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Welcome back to the Wise Athletes podcast with Joe Lavelle and Glen Winkel. On today’s episode, number 57, we are joined by Tom Bell, UK Hill Climb National Champion who is a past UK mountain bike marathon national champion and the current UK Hill Climb National champion. Tom is a cycling performance consultant who with his wife Dr. Emma Wilkins, own High North Performance, a coaching company based in the UK.

Bio: Cycling performance consultant alongside wife Dr Emma Wilkins at High North Performance, a coaching company based in Harrogate UK. Multi-time UK national champion in various cycling disciplines; 2017 Mountain Bike Marathon National Champion and current (2021) UK Hill Climb National Champion. Links: https://highnorth.co.ukhttps://www.instagram.com/tombellco

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Dr. Stephen Black, CEO and Owner of Rocky Mountain Human Performance Center.

Stephen A Black, DSc, M.Ed., PT, ATC, CSCS is considered a world-renowned leader in the field of sports medicine, rehabilitation, fitness, and sports performance. As a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist, Stephen uses his background in sport biomechanics, movement quality, muscle imbalance, and manual therapy to specialize in all aspects of human performance. He has worked extensively with a variety of professional athletes and teams with emphasis on holistic care and an integrative approach.

website: http://www.rockymountainhpc.com/

Dr. Stephen Black, CEO and Owner of Rocky Mountain Human Performance Center.

Stephen A Black, DSc, M.Ed., PT, ATC, CSCS is considered a world-renowned leader in the field of sports medicine, rehabilitation, fitness, and sports performance. As a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist, Stephen uses his background in sport biomechanics, movement quality, muscle imbalance, and manual therapy to specialize in all aspects of human performance. He has worked extensively with a variety of professional athletes and teams with emphasis on holistic care and an integrative approach.

Stephen has created RockyMountain Human Performance Center allowing him to work one on one with athletes, direct his associates in optimal sports medicine delivery while conducting research and teaching in a variety of arenas. He has worked with professional teams (Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Toronto Blue Jays), Olympians in gymnastics, wrestling and swimming. Stephen attended the 1988 and 1992 Olympic games delivering lectures on his methods along with treating athletes in attendance.

In 1978 Stephen redesigned the sports medicine delivery model by opening S.T.A.R.T., Inc. (Sports Therapy for Athletic Rehabilitation and Treatment), developing a comprehensive program to proactively attend to imbalance, deficiencies, and poor movement patterns before injuries developed. This was one of the first facilities of its kind and the model has been replicated multiple times. In 1986 he opened the first health club in America (Fitness First, Feeding Hills, MA) to focus on integrated health care along with health promotion and wellness. He continues to consult in the health club and wellness industries along with his activities in sports medicine and teachings at Florida Gulf Coast University and Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.

Prior to his current ownership of RockyMountain Human Performance, Stephen was the director of the Health and Fitness Institute at Stamford Hospital located in Stamford Connecticut. He and his team were responsible for the design, construction and operation of this integrated healthcare facility. Going back further in his diverse history Stephen was President of the Athletic Trainers of Massachusetts, which was one of the first organizations and states to achieve licensure for Athletic Trainers.

Stephen is featured in 50 Athletes Over 50; Teach Us to Live Strong, Healthy Life by Don McGrath, PH.D. along with several local and national publications such as Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Men’s Health Magazine, and Glamour.

In addition to his clinical work, he has made significant academic contributions in the form of laboratory research, biomechanical research, and clinical education, teaching thousands of individuals worldwide. Numerous publications and articles chronicle Stephen’s tenure in research, academia and clinical expertise

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Outline of Discussion

The origin story behind BIG
What was the result? Why did it succeed so well?
How to replicate this in other cities? What are the keys? What are the layers…the sequence of what comes first, second, etc.?

Summary of Key Points

4 pillars

Community health -- Lowering barriers to access
Charity
Connection
Fun

Keys:

Non-profit with a cause that resonated with many people, cyclists and beyond
Quality volunteers (enabled by the “no one is making money; we’re all in this together”)
Support of professional and celebrity cyclists and personalities (no fees, just hotel plus 1 dinner: Hunter Allen, Lance Armstrong guy, Canadian continental league team, …)…also enabled by non-profit status?
Effective board leadership…connections plus strong management skills
A great jersey that people liked and wanted to wear
Inclusive of experienced, inexperienced, and non-riders; weekly rides to provide skills and fitness for 12 weeks in the lead up
Some people jumped in early to make it happen, while others saw a success and wanted to be a part of it….a snowball effect.

It’s takes a community

Cycling shops (and other vendors) help out and get business
City provide support and get positive

Successes

Bike ridership is way up
City received a ton of tourism benefit…people came from all over

YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIqZIaLc_W8koxWvrb4g1nQ

B.I.G. Website: https://bigf.ca/

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The Posturepro Method

We know that posture stems from your brain’s interpretation of the information it receives. We also know that your body is constantly fighting the effects of gravity in order to keep you upright or moving.

Proper posture allows your body to work efficiently against gravity. On the contrary, poor posture leads to excess energy expenditure in attempt to stay upright. This can be exhausting!

In order to optimize your posture, The Posturepro Method observes several elements:

BRAIN-BODY Muscles respond to the commands of the brain. A brain imbalance leads to a muscle imbalance.

FOOT SENSOR The weight distribution of your feet changes knee and hip mechanics.

EYE SENSOR The eye muscles tell your brain where your body is in space.

TMJ Recent studies have show that the position of the jaw affects our posture.

Annette’s biography:

Annette Verpillot is the founder of Posturepro, a health company specialized in restoring the brain-body connection through some of the world’s most advanced rehabilitation and injury prevention techniques. She has created the Posturepro Method which has gained global recognition for eliminating chronic pain, increasing strength, and improving sports proficiency. Additionally, Annette actively works with clients, professional athletes, trainers, practitioners, and researchers to develop solutions to tackle global health issues.

Here are links to connect with Annette:

Website: posturepro.co Instagram: @posturepro Facebook: @Posturepro Youtube: @posturepro1 Twitter: @posture_pro ClubHouse: @posturepro Posturepro Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/postureproclub

TedTalk: https://youtu.be/S3qdSo8z0Is

Annette bio: https://posturepro.co/annette-verpillot/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Posturepro

Example video from website: https://posturepro.co/improve-your-posture-through-your-feet/

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Who is Dr. Adam Bataineh?

Adam Bataineh, MD: Internal medicine doctor focused on aging and longevity. Co-founder and chief medical officer of Span Health, a longevity-focused health coaching app.

The focus of the Wise Athletes podcast is older athletes, and how they can improve athletic performance today and retain their athletic capability for a long time.

As a group, older athletes are big users of performance tracking tools for heart rate, power output, speed, and distance; and more and more we are adding biometric tracking wearables for general health and fitness tracking, such as sleep duration and HRV. Dr Bataineh is an expert in the wearables market.

Dr. Adam Bataineh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrAdamBat

Our discussion topics:

Why do we need continuous tracking of anything? Why isn’t my annual physical and blood test with my family doctor good enough?
An overview of the market: types of devices, data services that sit on top of devices to give us advice?
Where are the devices and AI accurate enough to turn over our decision-making to the machines?
What is the 80/20 rules in this space? How do I get the biggest bang for my money and time?

What is Span Health?

Span Health is one of the startups that translates the science of personalized nutrition & lifestyle using your data to find what works. "We started with a mobile app with tools and content to run experiments, validate which ones truly work for you, and stack healthy habits into a sustainable routine, "says Patrick Samy, co-founder and CEO of Span Health.

Span Health website: https://www.span.health

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My Talk with Dr. Luks

Dr. Luks is a top Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Physician who is also a masters endurance athlete. Dr Luks knows all too well how hard it can be and how important it is to remain athletic for the pleasures it brings to life as well as for the many health and longevity benefits that cannot be obtained in any other way.

In our discussion we cover a set of topics that are of interest to all older endurance athletes, including:

How do I interpret that joint pain that appeared out of nowhere, and what should I do? When should I get an MRI?
How to avoid training mistakes behind “overuse” injuries that can take away our athletic fun.
Arthritis: ….. am I causing arthritis by exercising a lot? Should I rest my joints to let them heal?
Surgery vs. no surgery: What’s this top orthopedic’s surgeon’s surprising perspective on the role for surgery?

If you are dealing with chronic pain, thinking about surgery, worried about arthritis or just want to understand your body a little better…listen in to this conversation. You will learn a ton.

Who is Howard J Luks, MD?

Dr. Luks has been named as one of the top Sports Medicine Physicians in the United States, by US News and World Report. He has also been named as one of the Top 10 “Social Health Makers” for Osteoarthritis. Dr. Luks has been named one of the top Sports Medicine Physicians in New York for nearly 10 years in a row and Dr. Luks was named one of Twitter’s Top Ten Doctors and served as an Advisory Board Member of the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media for 3 years.

After graduating with honors from New York Medical College, Dr. Luks completed his Orthopedic Surgery residency in NY in 1996 and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Hospital For Joint Diseases in NYC in 1997.

As the Chief of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy at New York Medical College for over 20 years, Dr Luks was entrusted to teach the next generation of Orthopedic Surgeons about the needs of athletes of all ages. As a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine, Dr. Luks focus is on injuries that involve the shoulder, knee, ankle, and elbow.

More than twenty years of experience in an academic community has enabled Dr. Luks to offer a comprehensive sports medicine treatment experience; including a solid education about what’s bothering you, and a formal plan to move forward and back to your anticipated level of play. Most injuries are managed non-operatively with a focus on how to adjust training, lifestyle, diet, and exercise to improve condition.

Blog post on when to get an MRI: https://www.howardluksmd.com/sometimes-our-joints-just-hurt-and-its-ok-not-to-know-why/

Website: https://www.howardluksmd.com/

Twitter:

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Who is Dr. John Day?

Dr. John Day is a cardiologist specializing in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart rhythm conditions at St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. He received his medical degree from John Hopkins and completed his residency and fellowships in cardiovascular medicine and cardiac electrophysiology at Stanford University. Dr. John Day is board certified in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology.

Since 2004, Dr. John Day has appeared as a health expert on all of the major television networks. For several years he had a weekly television segment on the CBS affiliate in Utah. Over 65,000 people now follow him through his newsletter, blog, or social media channels.
In 2017 Dr. John Day published his first book, The Longevity Plan. This book went on to become an Amazon number one best seller and was named best books of 2017 by the Huffington Post.
In 2021 Dr. John Day published his second book, The Atrial Fibrillation Cure which was also an Amazon best-seller and was the top selling book in the entire cardiovascular space for over two months.
In addition to his books, Dr. John Day is the prolific author of more than 100 studies that have been published in many of the most prestigious scientific and medical journals. He also is the founding editor-in-chief of the Innovations in Cardiac Rhythm Management medical journal.
Dr. Day is also a researcher and pioneer in the field of electrophysiology, with a patent on technology that allows physicians to map the source of atrial fibrillation three-dimensionally.

https://drjohnday.com/

Podcast Summary Notes

"Long time, competitive endurance athletes have a higher risks of AFib, which is a marker of premature aging. The faster you solve AFib, the better your long-term outcome. Ablation technologies have come a long way….success rates of 80-90% can be expected."

What is atrial fibrillation? (https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/atrial_fibrillation.htm)

Atrial fibrillation (AFib or AF) is the most common type of treated heart arrhythmia. An arrhythmia is when the heart beats too slowly, too fast, or in an irregular way.
When a person has AFib, the normal beating in the upper chambers of the heart (the two atria) is irregular, and blood doesn’t flow as well as it should from the atria to the lower chambers of the heart (the two ventricles). AFib may happen in brief episodes, or it may be a permanent condition.

Cardiologist vs. Cardiac electrophysiologist (EP)?

To become an EP takes an extra 2 years of trining. EP’s deal with every electrical related to the heart. Treatments: ablation, pacemakers, etc.

What is the connection between AFib and long-time endurance athletes?

It is true. There is a U shaped curve with both ends having a higher than average risks: a couch potato

The Longevity Plan: Seven Life-Transforming Lessons from Ancient China

The AFib Cure: Get Off Your Medications, Take Control of Your Health, and Add Years to Your Life

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This is a shortened version of Episode 50 (1.5 hours long)....I cut out the good and left the great. If you haven't listened to the full episode, start with this one and then graduate to the full story from George Dallam, PhD.

Nasal breathing is not a trick or hack to get an unnatural advantage. Nasal breathing is the designed in way to breathe properly. Not nasal breathing causes health and performance problems. But it's never too late to do it right. Learn the why's and how's of nasal breathing from George Dallam, PhD.

Dr. Dallam says, "One simple rule: breath through nose all the time, or as much as possible."

Benefits of nasal breathing:

Better filtering of particles and viruses (less nasal infection, bronchitis). Filtering becomes even more important when exercising because we take in so much more air.
Less water lost though breathing
Less energy spent on breathing (more energy for locomotion); higher O2 extracted per breath (higher efficiency)
Recovery from "EIB" exercise induced bronchoconstriction (exercise induced asthma)
Provides a powerful training stimulus to improve fitness…make you faster even if you go back to mouth breathing in high intensity efforts, such as races
Improved stress management
Better sleep, and overall improved recovery from exercise (lower stress, avoidance of snoring)
Better posture and movement ability with improved diaphragm activity
Functional movement benefits —diaphragm is a major core muscle that is under strength when we mouth breathe.
Avoids possible damage to the heart from over breathing (a hypothesis from Dr Dallam)

Notes from discussion with George Dallam, PhD

Myths about breathing:

I feel the need to breath faster when I need more oxygen — mostly false. It is the presence of higher than usual CO2 in the blood that causes the “air hunger”
CO2 is bad, and needs to be removed as fast as possible — false; CO2 is necessary for normal bodily functions. Too much AND too little CO2 are bad for the body.
Breathing faster brings in more oxygen (superoxygenation) — no; red blood cells are generally 95-98% oxygenated after passing by lungs. You don’t get more oxygen into red blood cells, you just lose more CO2 from blood plasma, which creates problems for the body
Breathing doesn’t take much energy or oxygen to do — false. During exercise, breathing can use as much as 15% of the total energy burn of the body…15% of the oxygen being used. If we can save 25% of that by breathing more efficiently (less breathing for same oxygen), we’ll have more oxygen left over for other muscles to use.
An athlete cannot get enough oxygen for exercise though just nasal breathing — false. It is easy to see why people would come to this conclusion after one attempt, but with adaptation, many elite athletes compete using just nasal breathing.

What does the nose do for us?

Conditioning of the air: humidifying the air and warming up the air. Reduce lung dehydration and related wheezing and breathing problems
Filtering: particulates (dust, smoke), viruses are captured instead of putting in lungs. Avoid damaging lungs long-term (emphysema, cancer) and reduce infections impacting lungs.
Increasing air resistance…forces a recruitment of the diaphragm which is the best muscle for efficient breathing. Breath through the nose, then you will breath diaphragmatically

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Nasal breathing is not a trick or hack to get an unnatural advantage. Nasal breathing is the designed in way to breathe properly. Not nasal breathing causes health and performance problems. But it's never too late to do it right. Learn the why's and how's of nasal breathing from George Dallam, PhD.

Dr. Dallam says, "One simple rule: breath through nose all the time, or as much as possible."

Benefits of nasal breathing:

Better filtering of particles and viruses (less nasal infection, bronchitis). Filtering becomes even more important when exercising because we take in so much more air.
Less water lost though breathing
Less energy spent on breathing (more energy for locomotion); higher O2 extracted per breath (higher efficiency)
Recovery from "EIB" exercise induced bronchoconstriction (exercise induced asthma)
Provides a powerful training stimulus to improve fitness…make you faster even if you go back to mouth breathing in high intensity efforts, such as races
Improved stress management
Better sleep, and overall improved recovery from exercise (lower stress, avoidance of snoring)
Better posture and movement ability with improved diaphragm activity
Functional movement benefits —diaphragm is a major core muscle that is under strength when we mouth breathe.
Avoids possible damage to the heart from over breathing (a hypothesis from Dr Dallam)

Time marks to find particular parts of discussion:

Dr. Dallam background and the beginning of interest in nasal breathing: 4:58
Myths about breathing:18:51
What does the nose do? 31:00
More problems from mouth breathing: 39:30
Stress and related lower performance from over breathing: 46:30
Intro to transition to nasal breathing: 50:50
Advantages of nasal breathing: 53:58
Potential heart damage (related to AFib) from mouth breathing during hard exercise: 1:05:23
How long does it take to adapt to nasal breathing during exercise: 1:07:15
Summary of adaptations in transition to nasal breathing: 1:12:13
Recommendation for getting started: 1:20:14
How to find Dr. Dallam: 1:26:10

Notes from discussion with George Dallam, PhD

Myths about breathing:

I feel the need to breath faster when I need more oxygen — mostly false. It is the presence of higher than usual CO2 in the blood that causes the “air hunger”
CO2 is bad, and needs to be removed as fast as possible — false; CO2 is necessary for normal bodily functions. Too much AND too little CO2 are bad for the body.
Breathing faster brings in more oxygen (superoxygenation) — no; red blood cells are generally 95-98% oxygenated after passing by lungs. You don’t get more oxygen into red blood cells, you just lose more CO2 from blood plasma, which creates problems for the body
Breathing doesn’t take much energy or oxygen to do — false. During exercise, breathing can use as much as 15% of the total energy burn of the body…15% of the oxygen being used. If we can save 25% of that by breathing more efficiently (less breathing for same oxygen), we’ll have more oxygen left over for other muscles to use.
An athlete cannot get enough oxygen for exercise though just nasal breathing — false. It is easy to see why people would come to this conclusion after one attempt, but with adaptation, many elite athletes compete using just nasal breathing.

What does the nose do for us?

Conditioning of the air: humidifying the air and warming up the air. Reduce lung dehydration and related wheezing and breathing problems <

Sponsor: RePowerU -- a free fitness practices assessment (a 10-minute questionnaire)

Matthew Smith, DC, CES

Dr. Matt Smith is a sports chiropractor, strength coach, and the founder of EverAthlete, an online strength training, injury prevention, and recovery resource for outdoor enthusiasts. Matt has been a trusted coach and consultant to some of the best athletes and highest performers in the world, helping them navigate injuries and perform at their best.

EverAthlete website: https://www.everathlete.fit/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everathlete/?hl=en Part 1 — Breathwork for Recovery (episode 48) -- https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/48-breathwork-for-faster-recovery-matthew-smith-everathlete/

Part 2 — Injury Prevention for Older Athletes

Older Athlete are particularly vulnerable to injuries:

Many years to accumulate movement problems and muscle imbalances
Past injuries from accidents
Too much time sitting
Too little cross-training
Slower healing

Summary

(1) Do assessments to identify body areas that need work

Example: Lunge Movement Assessment:

Lowering the body down so the back knee comes close to touching the floor. Then stepping back to the original position.

A few things we look for in a test like that are:

(1) torso control: Does the torso stay upright or does it drop down towards the floor, towards the knee as you go through the movement.
(2) lower body: are the hips (and torso above) shifting from side to side, and do the hips stay level?
(3) front foot points straight ahead
(4) front knee to point straight ahead in line with 2nd and 3rd toe (vs. pointing inward our outward relative to the foot)
(5) overall movement should look smooth and stable

When we see a problem, we do further breakout tests to fine tune the finding. Do they struggle with hip or ankle mobility or lumbar stability? Deficiencies in those areas can lead to a “messy” lunge.

(2) How to avoid injuries:

Focused efforts on individual muscles that need to be addressed (based on assessments) in order to allow proper movement patterns:
1. tissue work (foam roller)
2. stretching (lengthening tight muscles)
3. activation (such as using bands to turn on muscles creating muscle imbalances)
Practice standard movements until competent (check out Matt's Instagram or Website for details)
Mix up training: use of strength training as cross-training: healthy exercise to build balanced strength into the body for greater resilience as well as to learn proper movements that don’t lead to stressful movements (and pain or poor performance). Force the body to adapt to a variety of movements…to bring the body back to balance. If we focus too much on one sport we become unnaturally adapted to that limited movement set. Reduce the cycle of repetition.
Periodize your training. Undulating the load over time…each week up through each annual cycle. Have a buildup, a peak, and then a recovery phase. Build time into the plan for cross training (for balance) as well as recovery (for repair of biological systems). Without t

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Matthew Smith, DC, CES

Dr. Matt Smith is a sports chiropractor, strength coach, and the founder of EverAthlete, an online strength training, injury prevention, and recovery resource for outdoor enthusiasts. Matt has been a trusted coach and consultant to some of the best athletes and highest performers in the world, helping them navigate injuries and perform at their best.

EverAthlete website: https://www.everathlete.fit/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everathlete/?hl=en

Summary

During exercise, approximately 15% of the calories we burn is used for breathing. That is oxygen that is unavailable for our muscles that propel us. What if there was a way to be more efficient in breathing? What if that same skill in breathing would allow us to be more calm and recover faster? To sleep better? Wouldn’t that be a skill worth learning?

Overbreathing

Caused by stress: shallow chest breathing
Causes stress: mouth breathing increases stress
Poor breathing habits

How?

Belly breathe
Breath slower
Nasal breathing
Get comfortable

How to start

Everyday life
Low intensity exercise
Push the envelope

Videos:

Diaphragmatic Breath Video: Diaphragmatic Breathing
Clear the nose to be able to breathe nasally: https://youtu.be/1IWWcyk3_jk
Switching to nasal breathing during exercise (10-12 weeks): https://youtu.be/0gtlAAQzENw

——Notes on discussion with Matt (not a transcript)--

We are interested in understanding your perspective on how fitness impacts health and longevity, and on how health impacts fitness.

Matt is a sports chiropractor and strength coach. Worked in athletic performance for 15 years. Founded Everathlete….now an online platform focused on helping athletes improve outdoor pursuits: hiking, swimming, biking, running. Training programs and recovery programs. Started with a focus on injury treatment and prevention for athletes…migrated into a performance training company designed to meet people where ever they are, and helping them get to where they want to go. We use a wide variety of resources including strength training, soft tissue therapy, injury prevention techniques, breathwork (as a tool for recovery).

We will be recording two podcasts with Matt. (1) breathwork and (2) performance training for adventure athletes including injury prevention.

Worked with a wide variety of athletes: olympians and world champions, as well as many masters athletes.

Breathwork: Several books have come out in the last few years. Oxygen Advantage, Breath are the most notable.

Q: What is breathwork?

Breathwork is the practice of breathing to improve one’s health. Used it heavily personally and with athletes. Deliberate practice of breath to improve your state of being. Incorporating a breath practice to improve your overall health and performance.

Based on a couple principles:

(1) we need oxygen to survive and compete, and we need to be efficient in the capture, transport and utilization of oxygen to produce energy, and
(2) we need to be good at

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Christine Bell

Christine Bell has more than 20 years of experience and expertise in treating orthopedic and sports injuries. Having worked in Australia, the UK and the USA she has learned many treatment methods and techniques and treated a vast array of sports and orthopedic conditions. She is an expert in many techniques for healing injured athletes, including Dry Needling, which is a super fast method of healing the soft tissues of an athletes body. Contact Christine here: https://aussie-pt.com/contact/

Mobility & Strength Class Video: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/ZiE8tLNNrVTgvEJKjuN4aX28t5QQnnpejNOtholCGJ3f9t8f2k81M2yLCdCZy3wD.WJ4JM9iStHsHnhDQ Passcode: 71L&VPo+

Note: you need a long foam roller, a mat, hand weights and a small looped band for this workout.

Notes from Discussion with Christie Bell, P.T.

Christine is in the business of fixing injured athletes

Q: Why are you so good?

The first thing I look at is the cause of the injury. I don’t just look at the spot that is painful. I look for the source of the problem. Further up or down the chain, that is directly influencing the injury. Look at the overall body.

The key is to have enough time. I book 1 hour sessions to have enough time to get to the bottom of what is happening. What is it they are doing that is causing that pain.

Lately there are a lot of problems related to working at home…which is not setup for sitting in a good posture for a long time.

Q: What is your backstory?

Grew up in Australia. Primary sport was basketball. Always spraining ankles. The physios helped me a lot, and I eventually wanted to do that. I got my PT education in Australia and later Boston, MA USA.

Q: What is Dry Needling, and how does it help?

Dry Needling is a fairly new modality. It is based on trigger points. A PT is trained to deal with trigger points, but it is hard to get at the trigger that can be deep in the muscle. So, a needle can get down into the muscle without having to push through the overlaying tissue. Plus Needling takes a second vs. 30-60 minutes, maybe multiple times rubbing on the trigger point. It is fast.

Trigger Point — like a lentil (bean) under the muscle or a tight, ropey band in the muscle that is switched on all the time. Can be from over use

Referral pain — a spinal / nerve being pinched by a tight muscle in the back that is causing a nerve pinch. Sciatic nerve pain is a sharp pain. A referred trigger point is usually a dull muscle pain.

Q: What is “Dry” needle?

Same as acupuncture needle. The needle is very thin since there is not hollow channel inside for delivering liquid like you would use for an injection. Because it is so thin, you usually cannot feel it.

Q: Acupuncture vs. Dry Needling?

Acupuncture is based on meridians where as dry needling is doing directly to the muscle to relieve trigger points. Acupuncture is for systemic issues more than muscle issues.

Q: What is Dry Needling use for?

Muscle issues and tendon issues. Neck, back, thumb, tennis / golfer elbow. Spasm around that area. Release the spasm and encourage blood flow. The knots in the muscle contain byproducts of muscle contraction that had been held due to poor blood flow. It gets released and lets the muscle relax which lets the blood flow properly.

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http://rockymountainhpc.com/dr.-black.html

Dr. Stephen Black is the CEO and Owner of Rocky Mountain Human Performance Center. He is an acknowledged leader in the field of sports medicine, rehabilitation, fitness, and sports performance. Dr. Black has worked extensively with professional and amateur athletes in many sports, leveraging his holistic and integrative approach to improve performance.

Dr. Black is himself a long-time, high-level athlete, who knows personally as well as professionally the challenges and opportunities available to us all for slowing the effects of aging with individualized programming for higher fitness and superior performance.

Dr. Black’s philosophy is to proactively addressing imbalances, deficiencies, and poor movement patterns to help older athletes become healthier and stronger while having fun.

Show Notes: not a transcript but a summary of the key points discussed with links to other material mentioned.

Key Points Summary:

Age: Chronological vs. physiological age: create a gap in your favor
Start Early: the earlier you start in athletic, the better your health as you get older (don’t wait!)
Be Proactive: avoiding health problems has a much bigger payoff than solving health problems after they arrive.
Consistency & Moderation: for the older athlete, consistency is key to derive the benefits of healthy behaviors, and moderation is important as we shift to prioritizing health over performance.
Patience: progress toward health and fitness is a journey, not a destination.
47 foods: stay within your food selections to find consistency
Protein: 1.5-2.2 grams of protein per kilo of body weight for an active person working out 1-3+ hours per day. And, err on the side of too much to compensate for worsening digestion and signaling in our bodies as we get older. Eat protein with carbs (1-to-3 ratio of protein to carbs)
Weight-bearing Resistance Exercise: older athletes must get some weight-bearing resistance exercise to retain muscle mass and maintain bone health.
Recovery: Use a 1-to-3 ratio. For every 1 dose of high intensity, 3 does of recovery. Dose = time exercising. “I’m as good once as I ever was”. But get the recovery to avoid injury and/or catastrophe.

Q: Connection between Health and fitness today as well as between health and fitness into the distant future.

Consider two sides of that questions: chronologic age vs. physiological age.

One thing is the younger a person started participating in athletic activity, the greater their health as chronological age progresses. Exceptions can occur due to lifestyle changes and accidents. But putting deposits into the fitness bank helps delay aging.

Q: One of the key questions is, for each person, what are the interventions that will make the most impact for the least investment, least effort? I assume it will be a unique conclusion for each person, as everyone is different genetically, and has had a unique life to date, but also each person has attempted in his or her own way to compensate for the impact of aging on health and fitness. So, how do you find those best few things for each person you work with?

I’ll start by saying it is always better to be proactive than reactive. If you can get ahead of issues, you’ll get further than you will by trying to solve issues after they arrive.

If proactive is the goal: take a close look at your current

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Build strong habits to find the consistency you need to create the life you want to live

Our Guest Today -- Samuel Salzer

https://www.samuelsalzer.com/

Samuel Salzer is a habit expert and experienced Behavioral Designer, specializing in creating scalable behavior change solutions. Co-author of the book Nudging in Practice - How to Make It Easy to Do The Right Thing and one of the world’s first Chief Behavioral Officer's in tech. He's co-founded the Habit Coach Professionals, providing the first certification dedicated to helping coaches level up their coaching business using tools and insights from behavioral science.

Changing behavior is hard. Generating engagement, increasing adherence, improving retention, maintaining growth — online or offline, it doesn’t matter. It’s hard. The good news? Behavioral Design makes it easier.

Sam is a expert in applying insights from Behavioral Science and Behavioral Economics to fuel habit formation and digital behavior change. Sam wants to make the world a better place, one good habit at a time. To that end, Sam provides help to coaches and value-driven organizations make their products and services better using the latest Behavioral Design tools and insights.

Show notes: not a transcript but a rough but thorough description of what was discussed and the points made

People struggle to make changes in their lives. Sometimes for a long time. People want to improve themselves in some way. They have a good intension but when they seek help, the world gives them a terrible solution that either doesn’t work at all or only provides short term benefit, and sometimes provides harm.

Samuel’s fuel is to take the science behind behavior change to turn it into actionable advice and tools for regular people to use in making their lives better.

Samuel has worked on solutions that have helped millions of smokers seeking to break the habit, and for weight management interventions, and he has provided 1-on-1 coaching as well.

I now know that behavior change and habit formation is a skill that any of us can learn. So we are not helpless if we care to get control over ourselves to install good habits that will allow us to do the things we want to do consistently.

I originally started the Wise Athletes podcast with Dr Glen Winkel in order to talk to experts to discover what would make a difference for the older athlete looking to both improve performance AND to extend the time in life I could be a strong athlete. My initial idea was that if I only knew what to do, that would be enough, but I was so wrong.

There are 3 obstacles:

(1) what IS true, what should older athletes like me know in order to make good decisions about improving performance, staying healthy, and extending the window for being a strong athlete.

But quickly I came to understand that:

(2) there are too many things that are true and relevant to my goals. I had to find a way to prioritize, to apply an 80/20 rule, a way to be sure to do the behaviors that will have the biggest impacts for the smallest efforts…

https://www.wiseathletes.com/applying-an-80-20-rule-the-fitness-practices-assessment/

Because, surely…. if I knew what would have the biggest payoff I would do it, right?

but no. ….the third and the hardest obstacle to overcome is:

(3) It is so hard to stick to a fitness plan that it approaches impossibility for nearly everyone to be

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Our Guest Today: Chris Schwenker, P.T.:

"Indoor Virtual Cycling is the evolution of our great sport. The Zommunique' (theZommunique.com) has it covered with in-depth reporting, eSports racing news, community features, cutting-edge training and performance research, tips, and suggestions. The ZOM's authoritative content team, led by its founder, Chris Schwenker, P.T., an avid virtual cyclist and Physical Therapist with over 25 years of experience, focuses on the athlete, the avatar, and everything in between."

Chris Schwenker, P.T. background

Semi-retired as owner and director of his private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice after over 20 years, Chris is blessed with the freedom to pursue his passion for virtual cycling and writing.
On a continual quest to give back to his bike for all the rewarding experiences and relationships it has provided him, he created a non-profit - The DIRT Dad Fund (www.DIRTDadFund) to support members of his online cycling team.
Through the pages of his cycling and fitness blog site, The Zommunique' (www.TheZommunique.com), Chris is committed to helping others with his bike.
Chris graduated with top honors as valedictorian of his hometown high school and received a full academic scholarship. He attained a biology degree from Brandeis University, where he played Division 3 soccer as a Justice Brandeis Scholar. Chris received his professional post-graduate degree from the SUNY-Stony Brook School of Physical Therapy and has been in private practice for over twenty years. Chris has co-authored several research papers, been a guest on multiple fitness and cycling-related podcasts, and written and interviewed for many articles on the subject. You will find him behind his desk when not riding on the North Fork of Long Island roads, where he lives with his beautiful wife and is proud of his two college student children.
Love all of virtual cycling, not just Zwift.
Always loved sports. Soccer in college, then powerlifting. Got big (192 lbs with very low body fat), and didn’t do any cardio. When Chris’s father died young (before he met any of Chris’s children), Chris shifted into cardio sports.
Raced up and down the east coast. Transformed his body: from 192 lbs to 128 lbs with single digit body fat. Now his son is 21 years old.
He now rides mostly indoors. The original issue was the time constraint for when he could ride. He only had a window early in the day, before the sun rose, so he was riding indoors mostly at 4 - 630am.
Chris was also concerned about safety on the roads he had easy access to ride.
He did try freezing cold rides, but didn’t like it.
He is a member of the DIRT team, which has 10,000 members. It’s the biggest club on Zwift.
Chris rides a lot. 15,000 miles last year.
Chris started virtual cycling to stay warm, and stay safe, but that isn’t why he does it now. He now is attached to the community, camaraderie, ….his friends are on Zwift. The racing teamwork is much better than real life in his amateur experience. AND, you don’t have to crash.
Racing in virtual cycling is real racing. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat lives on in the virtual environment.
Chris’s team uses team tactics to make the virtual racing more exciting than real life racing.

Any advice for people transitioning from riding outdoors to riding indoors for the winter?

Make sure the bike fits. If you a

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Yoga for Cyclists? YES!

Yoga is everywhere, but is it for cyclists? YES! Hunter Allen was one of the first coaches to bring yoga to his clients to help them be more resilient, recover faster, and get stronger on the bike.

Using yoga to recover faster and get stronger on a bike.... with Coach Hunter Allen

Hello, and welcome back to the Wise Athletes podcast with Joe Lavelle and Dr. Glen Winkel. On today’s episode, number 43, we are joined by the legendary cycling coach Hunter Allen.

Hunter was co-author of the book “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” (with Dr. Andy Coggan) which has been translated into 8 languages and sold over 120,000 copies. He also co-wrote “Cutting-Edge Cycling” with Dr. Stephen Cheung, was the co-developer of TrainingPeaks WKO software, and was the founder of Peaks Coaching Group.

Episode 40 with Hunter Allen: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/40-power-meter-find-your-superpower-with-hunter-allen/

What Hunter is less well known for is his work in bringing yoga to cyclists with his Yoga for Cyclists video.

When Hunter was a professional cyclist, he was looking for ways to help him recover and become more supple without adding to his exercise regime. He found yoga, and over the years was able to curate a set of yoga poses that work best to help cyclists recover and, over time, develop supple, resilient muscles.

Widely known as one of the top experts in the world in coaching endurance athletes using power meters, Hunter Allen has been instrumental in developing and spreading the power training principles. Hunter is a USA Cycling Level 1 coach, was the 2008 BMX technical coach for the Beijing Olympics and has taught the USA Cycling Power Certification Course since 2005. A former professional cyclist for 17 years on the Navigators Team with over 40 road victories to his credit, Hunter has been coaching endurance athletes since 1995, and his athletes have achieved more than 2000 victories and numerous national, world championship titles and Olympic Medals.

Hunter Allen -- Yoga for Cycling Pioneer

http://www.peakscoachinggroup.com/

https://shoppeaks.com/product/yoga-for-cyclists/

Hunter was one of the first to bring the benefits of yoga to the cycling world. He started when he was a professional cyclist….he was looking for ways to recover better.

How did you bring yoga into cycling? When you start to understand the idea of muscles and how bound up we become as cyclists because of the awkward position we are in for so many hours. Bent over, arms out in front, never extend legs fully, craned neck. Because of the 1000s of hours we are in that position we develop muscles very specific to that.

I can always tell who is a cyclist because they have stand with knees slightly bent. Never straighten legs. Hamstrings are tight. Never extend through heels. Tight hip flexors. Needed to create suppleness in those muscles to become a better cyclist. Prevent muscle cramps. Create more relaxation in those muscles to relax more, and ride faster, and avoid becoming that hunched over old man.

Yoga helps us to open our chest, get more in alignment with gravity to let gravity go through you.

Help on the bike and off the bike.

Looking for a solution to undo some of that tension I had

Sponsor: RePowerU: 12 Elements of Fitness Assessment (a free service): https://formfaca.de/sm/SR_8_j7es ———

MAT is based on four pillars:

Look at limits in range of motion (ROM), and where a limited ROM is found, look at the muscles involved in creating the normal ROM…those are the muscles that are weak or are not firing well
Test those muscles to confirm inhibition
Treat those muscles to reactivate them
Then retest the range of motion to confirm resolution

So, how long does the effect last?

“Until you break it”.

———

Outline of Discussion

What is MAT?

It’s a biomechanically based process designed to identify and correct muscular imbalances that are responsible for chronic tightness…pain….decreased performance. MAT practitioners do not treat pain directly…they don’t seek pain and go to the location of the pain to provide treatment. Instead, MAT practitioners look for imbalances between right and left side of body, which would indicate an area of weakness which may be the cause of the tightness, pain, decreased performance.

Rhonda Mansell background:

Been in the fitness industry for 30+ years. 10 years ago had a client go to MAT, which intrigued Rhonda. She looked into MAT and decided to learn it. The first day experience in class included every person had a story about how MAT solved their long-standing problem.

Rhonda has treated olympic athletes, elderly parents of clients and athletes of all types.

What is a neuromuscular (brain to muscle) connection? What is inhibition?

It you use a box as an analogy for brain to muscle connections, an elite athlete’s box would be full of connections. The elite athlete would be able to engage all or nearly all of his/her muscle fibers on demand. The typical person’s box would be much less full. The typical person cannot actuate his/her muscle fibers on demand due to a variety of possible reasons including a lack of training to tell the brain such connections are needed.

Imagine a graph. At the top is the maximum threshold and at the bottom is the minimum threshold. Above the top / maximum is injury and muscle failure. Below the minimum is muscle atrophy and possibly cell health (from non-use). In between is the “set point” for that muscle.

Ideally the set point is close to the maximum. But as we age our muscles do not function as well or recover as quickly as when we were younger. The set point can be far below the maximum due to over training, injury, overuse, muscle inhibition, not recovering well. By increasing the connection between the brain and the muscle, you can improve the set point to get it closer to the maximum threshold.

What is set point?

it is the physiological operating window. The load that the muscle can handle. If you exceed it, you are going to get inhibition of that muscle, especially if you keep exceeding the set point. That means, the set point (and power output) will fall further below the maximum threshold (where the set point would be with zero inhibition). It shows up as tightness or pain. The muscle fibers are not actually being damaged.

Muscles are a set of muscle fibers. Muscle fibers in a muscle do not all turn on at the same time, not even if you want to lift the heaviest thing you could. We’ve all heard of stories of people lifting amazing heavy objects under extreme stress (lift car off of child), but normally a person cannot make all the muscle fibers contract all at once. The fewer of the muscle fibers that a person can make activate at once is related to the set point…and the maximum threshold is all the fibers firing at once. If you exceed the set po

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Outline of Discussion - Year-Round Strength Training is a non-negotiable requirement for masters cyclists; Menachem tells us how to do it to get faster on the bike

Previous Episode with Menachem:

https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/38-truth-in-strength-training-for-masters-cyclists-with-menachem-brodie/

Videos referenced:

Prone Glute Raise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIXiUdgUZ38
Anatomical Adaptation Stage details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1f-HCWm5wE
Goblet Squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaMwB7ANueY
3 Core Exercises for Cyclists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK5reUmwMsQ
Bretzel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VczZv4Pbq8

Topics:

Why Year-round is a non-negotiable for masters cyclists
How to get the most out of your strength training
The importance of posture
What IS true core training"?

5 stages of strength training to cover throughout the year.

Anatomical adaptation (3-6 weeks, low to no weight, building up movement skills) - Oct/Nov
Hypertrophy (8-12 weeks; more weight but only RPE 7/8) - Dec/Jan/Feb
Max strength (endurance athletes shouldn’t lift very heavy … avoid injury)
Conversion to sport specific
Maintenance (not covered today) (Unless you are an elite level, you only need to go thru the first 4 stages.)

The Strength Training Calendar

(1) September/October — end of season…take a couple weeks off to recharge, then begin strength program in the Anatomical Adaptation stage. 4-6 weeks (less, if you’ve been lifting all year; more, if you are new to strength training) of anatomical adaptation…just learning to move properly in the fundamental 5+1 movements. This is where most of the benefit comes from if you are not well trained in proper body movement. Just body weight or very low weight. Need to learn how it feels to move properly, then you can tell if you are doing it right without watching in the mirror.

front squat (e.g., goblet, weight in front of you) is preferable to back squat.
prone glute activation is one Menachem really likes. Lay on stomach, hands under chin. Cyclists generally have a hard time doing this because they don’t have a conscious brain connection to the glute is they haven’t been using it (very common among cyclists). The glute is supposed to generate 30% of the power in the pedal stroke.
divots on the side of glutes indicates low muscle tone in glutes. Glutes should be round and full.

Example movements:

Prone glute activation -
Tempo goblet squat (3-1-3-1….3 seconds down, 1 second pause at the bottom with tension throughout the glutes and spreading the floor, 3 seconds to come up using glutes and quads, 1 at top, and start over
kettle bell dead lift not to floor with a very light weight….learn to squeeze oranges in armpits…keep chest up, not rounding back and moving from spine.

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Power meters are everywhere, but few people really know how to use one to get higher performance

Using a Power Meter to find your super power on a bike.... with Coach Hunter Allen

Hello, and welcome back to the Wise Athletes podcast with Joe Lavelle and Dr. Glen Winkel. On today’s episode, number 40, we are joined by the one and only, the legendary cycling coach Hunter Allen.

Hunter was co-author of the book “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” (with Dr. Andy Coggan) which has been translated into 8 languages and sold over 120,000 copies. He also co-wrote “Cutting-Edge Cycling” with Dr. Stephen Cheung, was the co-developer of TrainingPeaks WKO software, and was the founder of Peaks Coaching Group.

Widely known as one of the top experts in the world in coaching endurance athletes using power meters, Hunter Allen has been instrumental in developing and spreading the power training principles. Hunter is a USA Cycling Level 1 coach, was the 2008 BMX technical coach for the Beijing Olympics and has taught the USA Cycling Power Certification Course since 2005. A former professional cyclist for 17 years on the Navigators Team with over 40 road victories to his credit, Hunter has been coaching endurance athletes since 1995, and his athletes have achieved more than 2000 victories and numerous national, world championship titles and Olympic Medals.

If there is one person on the planet who can help us get more from our power meters, it is Hunter. Listen in as Hunter walks us through the basics of what to track and how to use the information to get faster on your bike.

Outline of Discussion

To get benefit from owning and using a power meter, you need to collect data. Just ride it in various ways; go up hill, do some sprints, what does 300 watts mean, that is the first step.

You have to test. Testing is training; training is testing.

Test a few different areas of philology:

Neuromuscular power: ability to contract a muscle as hard as you can for a very short amount of time. Do a 15 second sprint. Use the best 5 second portion of that 15 second effort.
Anaerobic ability. Test for about 1 minutes for as hard as you can do for 1 minute. Average power for 1 minutes. A 6-8% hill or ride into the wind. The last 30 seconds will be hell, but push through.
VO2Max: the volume of oxygen you can bring into the lungs and deliver to the muscles. 3-8 minutes. Use 5 minutes. Go hard but pace yourself. Remain at your VT2 threshold at the end.
Functional threshold power. FTP. The hour of power. The original thinking was that the gold standard for endurance efforts was the 40k time trial, which takes about 1 hour. Less if you are really strong (25 mph with no draft). Hard. That’s the baseline. This also correlates will with a threshold and seemed to be a good metric for ability to be successful as a cyclist. One of the key mistakes people make relates to the short cuts used to estimate FTP in less than an hour. They came up with a 20 minute test and subtract 5% off the result to estimate FTP. The problem comes in where people forget to the the 5 minute test before doing the 20 minute test. Cannot do the 20 minute test fresh…will result in too high FTP as a result of too much anaerobic power available to artificially boost the hour of power metric.

Power curve is the plotting of your best power levels over every timeframe. Mean maximal power. Then the software fits a curve…a power duration curve, that i

Sports Hypnosis

Sports Hypnosis is not the magic show you’ve seen in the movies or on TV. Sports hypnosis is a form of mental training and can used by a hypnotherapist or by the athlete using self-hypnosis to improve athletic performance.

Wikipedia - Definition of Sports Hypnosis

"Sports hypnosis refers to the use of hypnotherapy with athletes in order to enhance sporting performance. Hypnosis in sports has therapeutic and performance-enhancing functions.[1] The mental state of athletes during training and competition is said to impact performance.[1] Hypnosis is a form of mental training[2] and can therefore contribute to enhancing athletic execution. Sports hypnosis is used by athletes, coaches and psychologists.[2]"

Background paper on Sport Hypnosis science: https://medcraveonline.com/JPCPY/a-review-of-the-development-of-sport-hypnosis-as-a-performance-enhancement-method-for-athletes.html

Outline of Discussion

Athletes can develop (or even carry forward from childhood) certain thought patterns that are detrimental to their sports performance. Something triggers a certain fear of failure or of embarrassment or whatever, and the thought is a distraction or directly impairs the skill deployment or physical act of performing the sport.
A patient experience in little league baseball was impairing his golf performance. Wendi helped him to avoid that connection and negative impact on his performance.
Via hypnosis, people can make changes that they think is impossible. Like the smoker who has tried many times to quit smoking and now thinks it’s impossible. Using hypnosis, that person can acquire the feeling of being so proud of having quit…and that feeling gives them extra strength of will to stop smoking.
With a hypnosis strategy….having a anchor to bring them back to a balanced state. Using hypnosis to create a anchor word to reestablish control…..such as golfers when they address the ball, or the cyclists when descending and the bike starts to wobble.
The hypnosis strategy can remove the distraction problems so athletes can perform to the full level of their skill..Also able to get faster, cleaner feedback for skill improvement.
Golfers went from 0-1 out of 5 to 3-4 out of 5. Basketball free-throws can also be improved dramatically.
The trigger should be initiated automatically, not just by remembering to think of a trigger word. The dimples on the golf ball, the front of the rim on the basketball court. Something that will always be there and be noticeable without remembering to look or think of it.
Everybody is hypnotizable, and everybody can learn how to do self-hypnosis to create these effects on themselves. You don’t have to be in some zonked out state.
Just relax in a recliner. A comfortable chair. But not a bed because you might fall asleep. Then relax your body. Start at the top of your head. Relax your face, your neck, then your shoulders. You slow your breathing down and notice your arms are heavy. You belly is limp and your legs are heavy. Take your time, but let your body get so heavy that you don’t even want to move and nothing needs

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Outline of discussion - How to really use strength training to improve endurance athletics

Strength training for cyclists, done the right way, is not sexy.

Upper body and rotatory stability (ability to lock the hips and ribcage together to resist twisting that would result in power leakage) work plus some other function movement pieces form a holistic approach to making a cyclist stronger.

Need to counteract adaptations you get on the bike and counter balance the parts of the body not being trained by riding on the bike.

“Niche strength training”

We went from low weight , high reps to high weight, low reps. From endurance sets to “lift heavy shit”

Research is hard to do in a way that shows real benefits to cyclists.

The main point is technique matters more than weight lifted. What are you thinking: push weight up, push floor down, brace core? This is what matters.

Its hard for people to do it because they have already been brainwashed into thinking that lifting heavy weights is what will make them better athletes.

First athletes have to learn the skill to create intra-abdominal pressure to stabilize the core, bracing / locking / using the glutes to create power before you start to load them with weights. These are skills that translate into improved performance on the bike even before starting to lift heavy weights.

People are getting hurt by lifting heavy when they are not ready.

Resistance training is not just about getting stronger, it is about learning to move properly to apply the greater strength in just the right way to make power on the bike. But you need the bike skills too. Braking, cornering, climbing out of the saddle.

When you learn how to move well as a human being, that will translate into feeling better, more powerful on the bike. Then, when you also get stronger by lifting heavier weights, that will also translate into more power on the bike. It might just manifest as a much easier feeling when riding or it might show up as a bigger number on the power meter. Maybe it shows up as no pain anymore, which is hard to recognize unless someone asks you about it.

Resistance training has two big benefits: teaches the rider to lock the hips to the rib cage to reduce power lost (power going into moving the body vs power going down into the pedals) and strengthening muscles makes the body more resilient (less prone to injury and faster at recovery to allow for harder and more consistent training).

The “core” is everything between the neck, elbows and knees.

Will share a video on the shielded breath. http://s.bl-1.com/h/dl5nVkCZ?url=https://youtu.be/6X3zkh66KVo

This plus the McGill curl up done properly. http://s.bl-1.com/h/dl5nVpdc?url=https://youtu.be/2naoyUMxE20

This is where most of the benefit form strength training for cycling will come from. Call it 3-5 exercises, that doesn’t include: squat, deadlift, …. It being able to coordinate things between the shoulders and the hips. http://s.bl-1.com/h/dl5nVt1f?url=https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2scKg9aZ87wtgyybpq3HDQUsSdFFAXut

Force create motion. Stiffness controls motion. We need to p

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This is episode 37 with Shawn Anderson, who is just back from a 250 mile trek across Spain. Shawn is a guy who does things. Big things that most people wouldn’t dream of doing. But Shawn thinks we all should get out of our comfort zone….do something, anything bigger than we are comfortable doing. If only just to stretch ourselves a little bit. And once you start, who knows where you’ll go.

I asked Shawn to join us on the wise athletes podcast because I was feeling that I had lost my own adventurous heart, and I hoped he could help me see a path back to being that person who did adventures. I gave up doing adventures some years ago because I was getting “too old”. But that was a mistake.

Shawn Anderson Bio:

Shawn is a #1 ranked motivational author with a history of inspiring others. A seven-time author, Shawn is also the creator of Extra Mile Day...a day recognizing the power we each have to create positive change when we "go the extra mile." (On 11/1/20, 512 cities made the declaration and recognized local extra-mile heroes.). Shawn walks his talk.

Besides having inspired tens of thousands through his speaking and writing, Shawn’s pedaled a bike solo across the U.S. (twice), and created adventures in 50+ countries including having walked over 3,000 miles across eight countries since 2014 (England, Ireland, Spain (twice), Portugal, Italy, France and 750 miles around Shikoku, Japan.)

Still...he believes his greatest adventures and success are waiting to be lived.

Book titles:

The Four Fibs
SOAR to the Top!
Amicus 101: A Story About the Pursuit of Purpose and Overcoming Life’s Chaos
Extra Mile America: Stories of Inspiration
Possibility and Purpose
Lessons From A. Friend
A Better Life: An Inspiring Story About Starting Over

Twitter: @ToShawnAnderson

Extra Mile Day & Extra Mile America History:

In 2009, in order to symbolize the "go the extra mile" message, Shawn Anderson (a non-bicyclist) pedaled 4,000 miles ocean-to-ocean, interviewed 200+ people along the way whom had been identified as having gone the extra mile, and then gave $10,000 of his own money to the people and organizations whose stories most inspired him. As a part of that cross-country extra-mile ride, Extra Mile Day (11/1)......a day recognizing the capacity we each have to create positive change in our families, our organizations, our communities and ourselves when we "go the extra mile"... was created with 23 inaugural cities. The momentum of this unique day has continued to build each year since, and on November 1, 2020, 512 mayors and cities made the "Extra Mile Day" declaration and recognized people who are "going the extra mile" to make a difference in volunteerism and service in their community.

Facebook:www.facebook.com/ExtraMileAmerica
LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/gotheextramile
Website: www.ExtraMileAmerica.org
Camino de Santiago (treks): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago

TriDoc

Jeff Sankoff is the TriDoc, an emergency physician, triathlete and USAT and Ironman University certified triathlon coach.

Jeff is an accomplished triathlete with more than 75 70.3 finishes including six World championship finishes and six Ironmans including one World Championship finish. He has been a medical contributor to Triathlete, Inside Triathlon and Beginner Triathlete magazines and websites; and now produces the TriDoc podcast, a bi-weekly show covering health and wellness issues as they relate to the endurance athlete.

CREDENTIALS

Board Certified Emergency Physician
USAT Level 1 Coach
IRONMAN University Certified Coach
LifeSport mentored coach
Experienced triathlete; national age group team member.
Founder, Tri-Doc Podcast
Regular contributor to Training Peaks and other publications

Discussion Outline

Training Secrets from the TriDoc — Jeff Sankoff

Consistent Training is the key to endurance success
Reverse J Curve -- do enough work but not too much
HRV - not that useful yet
Strength training is super important
No supplements
Lots of tech for measuring effort in workouts
Alcohol impairs performance and recovery
Biggest mistakes of masters athletes (beware shortcuts)
Eat food on the bike (not just fluids)
Mostly plant-based. Some fish too.
Sleep is a challenge but important
Training is a key stress management tool
Age is a state of mind (you are as old as you think you are)

Keys to athletic longevity:

Keep a youthful mindset
Keep weight under control
Keep moving, always
Find something you love, and just do it.

Contact info for TriDoc

www.tridoccoaching.com www.tridoccoaching.com

www.tridocpodcast.com www.tridocpodcast.com

http://twitter.com/triathmagtridoc

https://www.facebook.com/tridoccoach

https://www.instagram.com/tridoccoaching

The Science and Practice of Extending Healthspan and Athletic Performance Longevity for Older Athletes via Biomarker and DNA Analysis

Today’s WiseAthletes episode is with one of the leading minds in the basic biology of aging and translating scientific discoveries into new ways of detecting and preventing age-related conditions. Gil Blander, PhD. Gil is the founder of InsideTracker, the only fitness program that analyzes a sample of blood and, in conjunction with your DNA and your wellness and lifestyle goals, provides a personalized diet, nutrition, exercise plan, which is best for your body and your goals.

Outline of discussion

In general, what are the things that older athletes can do to shift their trajectory toward better health and athletic performance, both now and for a healthy aging future?

The discussion was broken into 3 buckets (with timestamp):

2:50 — Nutrition
13:50 — Lifestyle
27:32 — Movement

(1) Nutrition (starts at 2:50)

We'll start with what not to do.
Packaged foods aren’t the best. In addition, too much sugar, too much fat, too much sodium in foods prepared in restaurants — make your own food to have more control over what goes into your food
And, don’t drink liquids full of chemicals..no sodas, etc. Just drink water.
USDA database has 8000 food items
Average American in an average day eats only 20 food items, and the variation between people tends to be low. Meaning there are only a small number of things nearly all of us actually eat.
Eat more variety of foods
Find for each person the superfood that works for them. Is it kale? Is it a Paleo diet? We can find out by looking at what is happening inside the body
General rules can get you 60% of the way there, but to refine e even more takes more personalized data.
And it’s more than what you eat. It’s also when you eat and how often you eat.
Social pressures can be difficult, so one solution is to try to do these changes with your family.
Oatmeal and blueberries are generally thought of as excellent food choices partly because they are high fiber foods which help us even out the rise in blood glucose (avoid spikes) and absorb some of the fats eaten at the same time.
Glucose is one of the key biomarkers for longevity.
Oatmeal and blueberries are some of Dr. Blander’s superfoods but other people’s could include: avocado, beans, kale.
It’s a 60/40 rule. 60% of superfoods are good for all of us, but the other 40% is individual, which can only be discerned by looking at the body’s biomarkers.

(2) Lifestyle (starts at 13:50)

Sleep is so important and people are not paying close enough attention to it.
The body is like a machine. We have to maintain it at least as well as we maintain our car. Sleep is like regular maintenance. If you want to be healthy, let your body sleep more.
Plus, we can look at your blood to see what is going on inside, just as the car technician can plug into the car computer to see what needs repair.In addition to getting enough sleep, consistent sleep is also important.
Enable this by getting the technology out of your life when its time for bed. For most of us, we can live without it for a few hours.
Other factors: temperature of room, light coming through windows
Have to manage stress as well. So much of our stress is manufactured stress…the stress of modern life. Including that strange modern version of loneliness that also causes stress. We have to seek out ways to feel happier and more satisfied. In addition to adequate sleep, meditation, enjoying a good meal, yoga, Try to think positively.
It’s the chronic stress that is the problem. Some stress is good,

Can you achieve greater endurance with improved chest expansion?

Today’s WiseAthletes episode is with Bob Prichard of Somax Performance Institute. Bob, Glen and I talk to about a Microfiber Reduction treatment he developed for improving restricted chest expansion. Microfibers are scar tissue, which Bob says is very common, especially among those who have ever had injuries to their ribcage and surrounding muscles. Even though I have had broken ribs in my past, I was certain my chest expansion was good. I was surprised to find I had rather severe restricted chest expansion. It turns out that restricted chest expansion is not something you can feel....you have to measure it. Measure yourself and find out if this applies to you.

Bob Prichard, President of Somax Performance Institute

Bob has worked with over 5,000 athletes to improve performance by improving flexibility and efficiency. His 18 Olympic athletes have won 43 Gold Medals and set 11 World Records. Bob has made original contributions to the sports fields of running, swimming, cycling, golf, tennis, rowing and others. He is the author of The Efficient Golfer and the forthcoming Beyond Muscle and The Great Brain Robbery.

Check out the Somax website (www.somaxsports.com) to see before and after photos and videos of athletes who have completed his program.

Somax Performance Institute website

www.somaxsports.com

Topics in today's episode:

How can the cyclist be safer on the road?
How can the cyclist get justice (and compensation) if injured in a bike-car crash?
What are the cyclists' rights and obligations on the road?
What insurance should the cyclist have, just in case?

The Cyclist-Lawyer, Megan Hottman, Attorney at Law

Megan Hottman has represented over 160 cyclists in their individual legal cases. She has also provided counsel to other lawyers, and to cycling groups and other organizations. Megan has also co-authored a cycling-law resource book, Bicycle Accidents, Crashes & Collisions: Biomechanical, Engineering, and Legal Aspects (Rev.Ed), (Aug 2016).

Megan handles cases in all 50 states, and is licensed in Missouri, Colorado, Arizona and Nebraska. She provides frequent legal education seminars on biking laws, trends she sees in her cases and those nationwide. She also provides education to law enforcement officers.

A competitive cyclist and cycling enthusiast ," Megan leads by example in the cycling community, whether mentoring newbie cyclists, or sponsoring cycling teams and events.

Megan was featured in an Outside Magazine article in March 2015 titled "Broken Spokes".

Megan was interviewed in a HBO Real Sports episode titled "Bike Wars".

Many great resources on Megan's website

https://www.hottmanlawoffice.com
Crash Advice: https://www.hottmanlawoffice.com/crash-advice
Insurance Coverage: https://www.hottmanlawoffice.com/insurance
When you see a crash: https://www.hottmanlawoffice.com/cycling-crash-bystanders

Megan has been racing her bike for 20ish years now. She has raced in 4 cycling disciplines: road, track, mountain biking and cyclocross (and has competed in 3 of their national championships), plus gravel worlds and fat bike worlds. A sampling of Megan's cycling career highlights (so far):

2009 Masters Track National Champion, Pursuit
2010 Colorado Best All-round Rider, Road (Cat 1/2)
2007 & 2010 Colorado State Time Trial Champion
2010 Colorado State Criterium Champion
2014 Colorado Best All-round Rider, Cyclocross (W35+)
2015 Gravel Worlds Female Single Speed Champion
2018 & 19 Gravel Worlds, Age Group, 2nd place
2019 World Record holder: longest static cycling class (28 hours)

https://www.hottmanlawoffice.com/megan

Hottman Law Office, P.C.

1211 Avery Street, Suite 103

Golden CO 80403

(p)303 273 5297 (LAWS)

(f)866 590 2837

www.TheCyclist-Lawyer.com

My motivation to starting Wise Athletes was to uncover knowledge that would help older athletes like myself to slow the progression of the symptoms of aging on athletic performance and on life in general. I don’t particularly like the idea of getting old, and I’m happiest when I can forget my age because my body is working well…..working like it did when I was younger. Dr. Mike T Nelson's programs for building metabolic and physiologic flexibility are just the thing for helping the older athlete “reset the clock”. I have taken Dr. Mike's FlexDiet certification program (I paid full price for it) and have followed the program for the last 3 months. I have gained a lot of muscle and lost a lot of body fat in the process, so I know quite a bit about how effective it is. Send me an email if you'd like to know more about my own experience.

Key Concepts (train your body to be able to:)

Burn body fat when resting or doing low intensity exercise
Burn glucose for high intensity efforts (and whenever you eat carbs)
Switch between fat and glucose burning quickly
Build and maintain muscle mass for strength when you want and need it (and for metabolic benefits)
Shift between high energy (exercise, work) and low energy states (relaxation, sleep, recovery) with & without chemical interventions (e.g., caffeine)
Expand your comfort zones in temperature, oxygenation (CO2 tolerance), muscle pH, and heart rate reserve (max HR - resting HR) to build physiologic headroom

Dr. Mike T Nelson

Creator of the Flex Diet Certification & Phys Flex Certification, kiteboarder, lifter of odd objects, metal music lover.

PHD IN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY FROM UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BA IN NATURAL SCIENCE FROM ST. SCHOLASTICA
MS IN BIOMECHANICS FROM MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT CARRICK INSTITUTE FOR CLINICAL NEUROLOGY
MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE (ACSM)
CERTIFIED SPORTS NUTRITIONIST FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF SPORTS NUTRITION (CISSN)
INSTRUCTOR AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY
PROFESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NUTRITION (ASN)
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS NUTRITION MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF SPORTS NUTRITION (ISSN)
NATIONAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION (NSCA) CERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST (CSCS)

Dr. Mike's Website https://miketnelson.com

Dr. Mike's Instagram drmiketnelson

Mastering Sleep for Better Recovery

The one thing the masters athlete needs to do to speed up recovery is sleep, which is the one thing most of us just cannot do well anymore. Listen in as Dr Bender shares the tools you need to master your sleep.

Amy Bender, MS, PhD

Director Clinical Sleep Science at Cerebra, a digital health company focused on improving access to advanced digital sleep analysis and diagnostic sleep technology.

Award winning sleep scientist Dr. Amy Bender is our source of evidence based insights that will play an integral role in creating your new sleep strategy. After spending over 15 years studying sleep through many avenues including work as a sleep technician, clinical research, written publications, interviews for stories in Oprah Magazine and public speaking appearances including her Ted Med talk, Dr. Bender has an intimate relationship with the science. Her ability to translate the science to the field is evident through her successful work with NHL, Canadian national team athletes and Olympic athletes.

How much sleep?

Everyone is different, but 7 hours seems to be the sweetspot for most.

What is quality sleep?

Falling asleep in less than 30 minutes
Waking up no more than 1 time per night for 20 minutes or less
Sleeping 85% or more of your time in bed.

Does Sleep Timing Matter?

Yes, although people are different. There is no one-size-fits-all formula for when you need to go to sleep.

Sleep Supplements?

melatonin (0.5mg is a dose similar to what your body makes...more is too much) -- good for sleep time shifting. Get a reliable brand to get accurate dosing.
magnesium -- can help, especially if you don't get enough in your diet
tart cherry juice -- 1 oz taken an hour before bedtime (also suggested to take in morning)
prescription sleep meds are powerful....best if only taken for a short time

Sleep Skills?

4-7-8 breathing -- breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, breathe out for 8 seconds. repeat 4 times
cognitive shuffle - start with a word "bed-time". start with the first letter "b" and think of as many objects as possible that start with "b"...ball, bat, bear, button, bed, etc., then move to "e", and continue until you fall asleep.
if nothing is working, get out of bedroom, and go do a relaxing activity such as reading in low light until you feel sleepy before returning to bed.
20-minute naps to catchup on lost sleep can help taken in the 1-4pm to not be too close to normal sleep time. Set alarm for 30 minutes...try to wake up before alarm.
have a sleep routine....get ready for sleep

What's a Sleep Routine?

Set a one-hour time before bed to start winding down each night
A warm bath or shower can help
Stretching, reading, making a to-do list to clear your mind of things you need to remember

Sleep Environment?

Dark room: keep the sun out of the room and get the lights out of the room when you sleep
Quiet: ear plugs can help, white noise machines or fans
Cool: find a way to keep the room cool at night; if you warm up during sleep, you will wake up
No phone: noises, tempting distraction

Learn more from Dr. Amy Bender below as well as find access to links from topics discussed during our conversation.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sleep4Sport

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleep4sport/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramymbender/

Centre For Sleep:

Our topic today is mushrooms, and whether mushrooms are a missing element in the older athletes' arsenal of performance, recovery, and longevity. Helping Glen and I to better understand mushrooms is Jeff Chilton, an expert in the study of historical uses and impact of medicinal mushrooms, and who is also the Founder of Nammex, the very first company to supply medicinal mushroom extracts to the nutritional supplement industry.

Who is Jeff Chilton?

Jeff Chilton studied Ethno-mycology at the University of Washington in the late sixties and in 1973 began a 10 year career as a large scale commercial mushroom grower. Jeff is the co-author of The Mushroom Cultivator, published in 1983. In 1989 Jeff established Nammex, the first company to supply medicinal mushroom extracts to the Nutritional Supplement industry. In 1997 he organized the first organic certification workshop for mushroom production in China.

Jeff is a founding member of the World Society for Mushroom Biology and Mushroom Products in 1994 and a Member of the International Society for Mushroom Science. Nammex extracts are used by many supplement and food companies and are noted for their high quality based on scientific analysis of the active compounds.

Nammex website: www.nammex.com

Consumer website for buying Nammex mushroom extracts: www.realmushrooms.com

Additional information about Mushrooms

What Mushrooms to try?

Chaga (Inonotus obliquus)
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
Cordyceps (Cordyceps militaris)
Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

The key active compounds of medicinal mushrooms are:

Beta-glucans, which support immunity, and are considered to be antibiotic and antiviral.
Triterpenoids, which are found to be liver protective, lipid lowering, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and inhibit histamine release.
Ergosterol, which has antitumor and antioxidant properties, and is a precursor to Vitamin D2.

SBT GRVL is a world-class gravel race experience held on the amazing gravel roads in and around the iconic Steamboat Springs, CO. The combination of the great views and fun people make for an unforgettable gravel riding experience. Listen in as Glen and I talk to Amy Charity about the 2021 SBT GRVL (Steamboat Gravel race). She even reveals how you might guarantee a spot in the 2022 event.

Amy Charity is an American professional racing cyclist. She rode for the Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies team. She raced in the 2015 UCI Road World Championships. Wikipedia

Amy's personal website: amymcharity.com
SBT GRVL website: sbtgrvl.com
SBT GRVL Volunteers: https://sbtgrvl.com/registration/volunteers/
Amy is the Co-founder and Owner of SBT GRVL

I asked Dr. Stephen Seiler to join me on Wise Athletes to discuss Athletic Performance Longevity. We discuss his research and speculate about how older athletes can keep the machinery healthy for performance today while also doing the right things for athletic longevity, which is way more than just healthspan. You and I, we all want to be strong, healthy, and athletic as long as we live.

Guidelines for Older Athletes Seeking Athletic Longevity

Do What You Love, what gives you joy. If you do the thing that provides camaraderie or whatever you love, you’ll keep doing it. If you are not smiling and enjoying yourself while doing your training or sport, at least on most days, then figure out why not.
Be Kind to Yourself. You can’t go hard every day. And you shouldn’t wrap your self-worth in your ability to go hard all the time. Enjoying it is far more important than extracting the last 1% of performance. If you enjoy yourself, you'll be better in the long-run.

And here are some details to get it right:

Keep At It. Exercise is good for your quality of life and longevity, and stopping will just make it harder to start again.
Tone Down the Risk Taking. Don’t "die of stupid", but also don’t get hurt because then you’ll have to stop exercising.
Seek a Flow or Rhythm in the Training Process that accommodates actual (which might be slower) recovery from the hard efforts. Earn the right to go hard by going easy and recovering well. Working out too hard, too often can turn exercise into an unhealthy behavior.
Lengthen the Workouts to Emphasize Muscular and Cardiovascular Endurance over pure power to compete better with the younger athletes
Adopt a Preventive Maintenance Mindset to keep the machine healthy and avoid nagging pain and injury that will interrupt consistency and sap the joy from athletics. Take time to do some strength training, some mobility work, some core work and some daily stretches to keep you in the game. And do some body weight-based, speed/power and agility/balance work to hang on to it longer.
If You are Not an Athlete yet, then Get Going. It just gets harder later. You'll never be as young as you are today. Find one or more things you love and get going. And, as a bonus, the newer athlete can make fast progress, and keep getting better for a long time.

Dr. Stephen Seiler YouTube presentation on Aging Athletes

Dr. Seiler published a YouTube presentation called “Does Our Endurance Machinery Slow Down At Different Rates as we Get Old?” Dr. Seiler's presentation concluded that athletic performance does drop due to 3 primary factors:

https://youtu.be/bzphy5EN8lg

My Notes from Dr. Seiler's presentation:

(1) Maximum Heart Rate Falls As We Get Older. The drop is steady after age 30 but accelerates after 55. The good news is: (1) at VT1 (the maximum endurance pace, older guys can achieve higher % of VO2Max at the same lactate as younger guys. And, at VT2 (FTP), while older guys have less range in BPM above VT1, old guys can still use a higher % of VO2Max (less advantage than at VT1), perhaps due to larger proportion of slow twitch muscle fibers.

More good news, looking at multiple biometric factors for older athletes vs. younger athletes with the same performance, older athletes seem to have better cardio adaptation from more years of training. So, while central capacity (heart ability to pump blood) is declining, the peripheral capacity (muscle ability to do work) holds steady if training is maintained.

(2) We Lose Muscle Mass, and Type II Fibers Disappear More Rapidly. Mitochondria are highly responsive to activity, so if we remain active and provide a stimulus they remain number ours and healthy. Masters athletes have

In part 1 (Episode 24) of this 2-part series about what to do in the 24 hours before a race or big event, we talked mostly about the “warmup”. Glen talked in detail about what he does in his extensive warmup that he needs to perform his best, which is complicated by many old injuries (to his back and heart, primarily) and just simply, a body that is getting older.

Episode 24: The 4-Step Winkel Warmup: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/how-to-warm-up-the-older-body-to-prepare-for-a-hard-cycling-event/

Today, in part 2, we’re going to finish up by covering more variables that impact the day’s athletic performance, especially for the older athlete, and tactics that can be implemented to try to maximize performance.

Why bother, you say?

Well, here’s the thing. Racing is a special opportunity. As an adult, you don’t get to feel this alive very often. Yeah, sure there are other things you can do but this is one of them. Enjoy it, and avoid wasting it or turning it into a disaster you’ll regret.

So, if you want to do your best, after all your training and paying your money and bothering to show up, why not remove impediments that CAN be removed quite easily. This stuff isn’t hard or expensive. It just requires a little planning ahead. And a little discipline.

Again, in the 24 hours prior to an event/race, you can do a set of things to get your body ready to perform maximally for your event. So aside from the warmup that we discussed in detail in part 1, what are those tactics, those things we could do well to maximize our performance? Why does they matter? How does it matter even more for older athletes?

We are not going to talk about training for an event, or tapering for an event. We’re just talking about the 24 hours before. And there are a lot of things you can do that will probably help, yet, for all of us, time is a luxury.

We’ll discuss 10 categories, and then we’ll put them into a timeline for implementation.

The categories are:

Exercise: Goldie locks: not too hot and not too cold. You don’t want dead legs, but you don’t want a tired heart. People are different. You are different from year to year, and race to race. Figure it out by seeing how you feel in advance.
Food – macros: carbs, fat, protein. No big changes. Nothing new. No alcohol. Focus on carbs. You already have plenty of fat, and fat is slow to digest. Protein can also be slow to digest and is a poor fuel. Eat real food, like oatmeal, in the final meal before the race. Most carb sources have fat and protein but not too much. Some protein before training has a protective effect, but get enough carbs. Stay away from sugary junk until you are exercising. Many people suffer from dropping blood sugar if they eat 1-2 hours before warmup due to the compounding effect of insulin and muscle pulling in sugar during exercise. It makes you feel very tired.
Hydration: avoid dehydration. No alcohol. maybe drink extra water the day before and morning of. Beware impact on sleep. And need for toilet at race. It isn’t cool to pee in the bushes at a race.
Supplements: nothing new, caffeine,
Nerves: adrenaline is good, but…(need a toilet, can’t concentrate, etc.)
Logistics – driving, parking, sign-in, toilet, water, food, ….
Race / course: know the course (ride it, if possible, the day of if possible), know the competition (people (someone you want to beat; what will they do?), y

It wasn't 6 months ago that I was thinking that someone should organize a gravel race somewhere along the Peak-to-Peak highway above the Denver-Metro area. I was starting to think I might have to do it myself when I heard about NedGravel. It sounds amazing. I'm definitely going to ride in this one.

Listen in as I talk to Gavin Coombs, Founder and Race Director of NedGravel about how he and his team have pulled out all the stops to make this a great ride or race, whether you are a beginner or a hardcore gravel racer.

Coming July 31, 2021 (80% full as of the end of April)

Gavin and his team built one of the most challenging gravel races in the world. They built organized rides for all of us out of their regular fun rides, which have a ton of climbing and technical sections, and all at an elevation of 8,000-10,300 feet. The 3 courses pay homage to the hardened miners, dreamers and misfits who came before us as we ride through ghost towns, past mines and up mountains. The 3 courses vary in length and difficulty to accommodate a wide range of skills and desires for suffering.

A fun, inclusive and challenging event in beautiful Nederland, CO (in the foothills above Boulder, CO)

https://www.nedgravel.com/

Today Glen and I are joined by Jesse Jarjour of MyVeloFit, the recently publicized “ World's First AI Powered Online Bike Fit.” I tried the MyVeloFit system to test my own fit.....I learned a ton, and you should do the same. It is an amazing bit of technology.

www.myvelofit.com

Jesse and his team designed the MyVeloFit system to mirror the process you would experience during a professional bike fit. This starts with assessing your mobility, then analyzing your on-bike position, making adjustments to that position, assessing the changes, and repeating this process until you find a fit that works for you.

Jesse Jarjour has been fitting bicycles to people for over a decade. He holds certifications from Retul, Trek Precision Fit, and has a level 2 certification from the International Bike Fitting Institute.

Jesse has fit over 3000 individuals of many different athletic backgrounds. Jesse embraces technology in bike fitting. His Studio in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is one of the most technologically advanced fit studios in Canada. He uses the MyVeloFit technology alongside technology from industry leaders such as Gebiomized, Retul, and Dartfish. He uses MyVeloFit to to take a baseline of his clients and give them visual reports of how the measurements work while they are in the studio and as a "pre fit" tool to ensure the clients are in a relatively sound position before coming in.

Sample output from MyVeloFit analysis:

Glen and I are joined today by Inspirational athlete, Triny Willerton, who is the founder of ItCouldBeMe (itcouldbeme.org), a non-profit on a mission to change the relationship between drivers and vulnerable users of the road by re-humanizing cyclists and creating a movement of mutual responsibility and respect to make roads safer together.

Just a few years earlier, Triny decided to get back into shape after gaining weight during multiple pregnancies, and changed the course of her life. She met her husband, Nigel, in a race; she progressed to being a high-performing age group triathlete with a goal of qualifying for the IRONMAN Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. On the cusp of achieving her goal, she was nearly killed by a speeding driver while she was training on her bike.

Her story was already inspirational, but now Triny had only 5-months to recover from immobility in her hospital bed to race in Kona as the representative of Women for Tri. With her signature determination, Triny achieved her dream of racing in Kona.

With this experience, her passion for bike safety led Triny to found, ItCouldBeMe, a non-profit working to improve road safety for cyclists.

To find out more, please visit us at www.itcouldbeme.org To join us as an ambassador: https://www.itcouldbeme.org/ambassador-program/ Coeursports: https://www.coeursports.com/collections/new-arrivals Newton Running: https://www.newtonrunning.com Headsweats: https://www.headsweats.com/collections/it-could-be-me Rudy Project: https://www.rudyprojectna.com/ Bicycle Colorado https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/ Rachel Joyce and Dana Platin workshops : http://www.thewarmiproject.com/reinas Cycliq Upride : https://upride.cc/ Secretary of Transportation- Pete Buttigieg https://www.transportation.gov/office-of-secretary

Articles:

https://303triathlon.com/tag/triny-willerton/

https://www.coeursports.com/blogs/latest/it-could-be-me

Our talk today will be about the nonprofit LoveYourBrain. I wish everyone, and especially cyclists, knew about LoveYourBrain and its fantastic support of the traumatic brain injured…but they don’t…at least not yet. While I had heard of LoveYourBrain through a friend of mine who was hit by a car while riding his bike in the mountains of Colorado, I didn’t really understand how important it was until now. Resilience won't make your problems go away ... but resilience will help you see past your problems, find enjoyment in life and handle the stresses of life.

About LoveYourBrain:

LoveYourBrain (LYB) is a non-profit that improves the quality of life of people affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and raises awareness about the importance of brain health. LYB's evidence-based programs and resources are designed to create community, foster resilience, and help people understand the importance of loving your brain. Guided by their family’s experience, brothers Kevin and Adam Pearce established LYB following Kevin’s severe TBI from a snowboarding accident prior to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Kevin’s remarkable resilience was documented and transformed into the award winning HBO Documentary, “The Crash Reel,” which brought to light the experience of TBIs.

Why this matters

Isolation, unemployment, failed relationships, and suicidal ideation is reality for the brain injured. And since brain injury is often invisible, affected people are misunderstood and often poorly served by the standard medical system.

LoveYourBrain website: https://www.loveyourbrain.com/

For today's podcast, I am joined by 3 people who have had deep personal connection to brain injury as well as to LoveYourBrain. We’re going to hear about their journeys, AND the story of LoveYourBrain, we will also find out how any of us can benefit from the resources provided by LoveYourBrain should we need it, and how we can help the LoveYourBrain team to continue doing their good works.

My guests today are:

Adam Pearce, who is the co-Founder and Executive Director of LoveYourBrain.
David Adler, who is a business leader and an avid cyclists and skier. In 2013, he was hit by a car while riding his bike….leaving him with more than 20 broken bones, two collapsed lungs and a TBI.
Brett Tivers who is a high school sports coordinator and teacher now in New Zealand, but was a professional cyclist, and winner of the 2011 Tour of Battenkill in NY. In 2012, while racing in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Brett crashed at 38 mph and was knocked unconscious, resulting in a brain injury which ended his professional cycling career.

Virtual Ride for Resilience info:

Landing page link: https://www.loveyourbrain.com/ride-for-resilience

Participant Guide link: https://my.visme.co/view/epdnp44x-loveyourbrain-ride-for-resilience-toolkit#s1

Sign up/fundraising link: https://www.classy.org/event/virtual-ride-for-resilience/e325437

Brain Injury Stats

More TBIs occur while cycling than in football
From all causes, over 3 million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur in the US and Canada each year
Approximately 70,000 people every year experience long-term disability from TBI
TBI is complex and leads to whole person challenges (physical, emotional, cognitive)
For concussions (mild TBI), one year after injury, 10-15% of patients have not recovered

Adam

The Warm Up for the Older Athlete-- by Glen Winkel

When I first started bike racing 40 years ago, I didn’t know anything about the warmup, stretching, etc. Sometimes, I would literally jump out of my car, pin my numbers on and hit the start line. And then drill it from the start! Nowadays, I am much more methodical in my warmup and I want to share with you what I have learned and tie in the cardiovascular and muscular aspect of it all. But now I have to warmup to keep from getting injured and to wake up my body so I can perform well. So, how do I do it?

First question I ask: Will you be going full speed from the gun? For a time trial, since the clock is running from the final countdown till you cross the finish line, you have to get to your maximum speed and stay there the whole time, so the answer would be “YES”!

What about a Criterium, Road Race, Gran Fondo, Hill Climb, Track race (points race, pursuit, sprints) or gravel ride, cycle cross or mountain bike race? For some of these, you might answer that depends. For example, let’s take the Morgal Bismark RR. “Normally” it starts off pretty leisurely (for masters) and we mosey over to the bottom of the wall, and then all hell breaks loose! Or some criteriums, start off fairly easy as everyone gets oriented and then someone attacks after the 2nd, 3rd or 4th lap into the race. Or sometimes, the race goes from the gun, so in that case you better be ready to go! The mountain bike races I have done, the start is a full on sprint till the single track and then it settles down somewhat. Often, you will make the decision before hand and you’ll get it wrong… therefore if doing well in an event is important to you, it would be prudent to be fully prepared to go hard at the start. With that concept in mind, let’s get you ready to go, so no matter how the race starts from the gun, whether it starts off leisurely or like a field sprint you will be ready.

Now the next question you must be able to answer is: What type of riding will I be doing in this race? Steady state Time Trial effort, hill climb, road race with hills, criterium with large bursts of power plus lots of short intervals. Once you have answered this question, you now know what type of riding you are preparing for.

Let me describe what I do and why. You may have your own warmup method that works great for you and you may want to stick to that. Or you might want to try out my method instead of what you are accustomed to or you might want to pick and choose those aspects to add to what you are already doing. Each cyclist has their own tried and true method of warmup. My hope is that you learn another method of warming up and if your results are not what you want them to be, perhaps due to a poor warmup, then try to incorporate some of these suggestions and see if it makes a difference. If you find that it’s beneficial, then make it a part of your regular program.

TimingI now have a rule of thumb about when I arrive at races. I like to have a minimum of 1.5 hours to get warmed up. Which means that I have to arrive at the race venue 2 hours before my race starts to get my race number, find the porta-potties, get the bike ready, put my gear on and start my warmup. This wasn’t true years ago when I was younger, but now it’s a general rule. You may find this a bit extreme, but then perhaps you are not over age 65 either, so plan your warm up time accordingly.

So assuming I have 1.5 hours to warmup. There are 6 phases to my warmup: These are 1) general warmup, 2) stretching 3) warmup ramp, 4) cardiovascular 5) muscles 6) Final warmup

General warmup (1)Basically, I get on my trainer and I just turn the pedals. You might see me in my sneakers (I often don’t wear my cycling shoes during this phase). This is because I don’t need them. For this phase, I am only getting the blood starting to flow, loosening up the legs from the drive, warming up the muscl

I am joined today by Patrick Bohan, the author of “How a Neurological Disorder Changed My Life for the Better.” Patrick is a writer and an avid cyclist who has won state and national championships despite being afflicted by two neurological disorders.

While it’s true that Patrick has two neurological disorders, but they do not have him.

Listen in as Patrick explains how his outlook on life and a simple philosophy of always overachieving allows him to do more than seems possible. His story is amazing. We all can learn from his example in not making excuses, never feeling sorry for himself, and never giving up.

When you look up the word “Grit” in the dictionary, you should see a photo of Patrick standing atop a podium after he has beaten completely healthy, very strong cyclists in state and national level time trial events. Patrick lives by the philosophy of over achieving in whatever he does, and the results speak for themselves.

Patrick suffers from the neurological disorder, multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) from which there is no cure.

MMN is marked by muscle atrophy, difficulty walking or lifting items, cramping, muscle twitching and muscle spasms, muscle tightness and discomfort, lack of mobility in the affected muscles, loss of Achilles reflex.

And if that wasn't enough, Patrick also suffers from cramp fasciculation syndrome (CFS) and Peripheral Nerve Hyper-excitation (PNH) … a major symptom of which is paresthesia (par-uhs-thee-zhuh) in hands and feet, cold hands and feet, numbness in all affected muscles, stabbing pains, buzzing sensations among other annoyances.

As a result of his medical conditions, Patrick is required to spend 14 or 15 hours a day laying down in discomfort and fatigue.

We all can learn from his example in not making excuses, never feeling sorry for himself, and never giving up.

Patrick's Bio

I am an engineer by trade and avid cyclist who has won state and national championships despite being inflicted with two neurological disorders. Currently, my diagnosis is both cramp fasciculation syndrome (CFS) and multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), but the diagnosis can change since my disorder does not fit into any one bucket of disorders. I am the author of several books including the Adventures of a Bike and his Boy. I enjoy the outdoors and love living in Colorado.

It is possible to improve athletically over the age of 50 with a debilitating neurological condition. Furthermore, improvement may come in the absence of athletic genes (or slightly favorable). I achieved athletic success with a debilitating neurological condition for four reasons. First, training techniques can alter muscle protein composition overcoming physical limitations. Second, training can teach the body to bypass diseased cells by creating alternate neural pathways for the brain and muscles to communicate. Third, cycling is the great equalizer in sports. What I mean by this is that cycling is a sport that enables older individuals and people with disabilities to remain fast and competitive. Finally, disease influences personality traits such as resiliency, grit, and mental toughness to overcome physical limitations such as pain.

Patrick's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.bohan.9

Patrick's book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Neurological-Disorder-Changed-Life-Better/dp/B08WK51VNB/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=patrick+bohan&qid=1617135941&sr=8-1

Patrick's children's book:

How a Neurological Disorder Changed My Life for the Better: The Science Behind Nerve, Muscular, and Neuromuscular Disorders and Their Effects on Cycling

THE ADVENTURES OF A BIKE AND HIS BOY: Castle Rock Blues

Your body has adapted to sitting in a chair. Learn how to become strong again for life, and how to capture more power on the bike. Oh yeah, and eliminate back pain.

What do masters cyclists have in common with professional cyclists? Did you hear about the study of 116 professional cyclists to see who had back pain? 58% had experienced lower back pain in the previous 12 months. 41% had sought medical attention for back pain. Unfortunately, even if you are not a professional cyclist sitting on your bicycle for 20 or more hours a week, you ARE sitting in a chair and/or a bike for 50, 60 or more hours a week, and year after year. After so many years of sitting, our bodies have adapted to the sitting position, making us older athletes susceptible to injury and pain, and making us weaker on the bike and in life. There is no time like the present to get the wheels of progress working in the right direction. A cyclist with a healthy back is a strong cyclist.

I am joined today by Doug Hanna, President of Physical Therapy of Boulder (ptofboulder.com), the largest private practice in Boulder County. Doug brings over 30 years of clinical experience to his clients as well as a deep education in the field. Doug received a Bachelor of Science degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a Graduate Certificate in Physical Therapy from the Mayo School and Health Related Sciences in Rochester, Minnesota. Doug later completed Certification in Competency in Manual Therapy from the Institute of Graduate Health Sciences and a post-professional Masters of Science degree from the University of St. Augustine in Saint Augustine, Florida.

Doug can relate to the masters athlete because he is one. Doug rides and competes in gravel cycling, MTB, and bike pack races. Doug knows well the subject of back pain for cyclists.

Listen in as Doug talks about why our backs hurt and what we can do to have a healthier and stronger spine.

Link to Wise Athletes podcast website: www.wiseathletes.com

Here are the two episodes mentioned in this episode:

Dealing with Pain with Charlie Merrill: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/athlete-pain-is-real-but-not-what-you-think/

Bike Fit Case Study with Natalie Collins: https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/12-physical-therapist-bike-fitter-stop-pain-boost-power-a-case-study/

Glen and I are joined today by Lauren Costantini. Lauren has a PhD in Neuroscience, was CEO of a wearable sensors company, has been a nationally-ranked professional bike racer (including a bronze at Worlds), and now own 3 businesses: a biotech consulting firm (LCC Consulting, LLC), an adventure tour guide company (P.E.D.A.L. Adventures), and a nutrition and wellness coaching company (Confluence).

http://www.confluencecoach.com/

https://pedal-mtb.com/

Lauren is still riding hard despite a challenging surgery in 2019. As a scientist, Lauren was able to investigate the available research to find the optimal diet for rapidly returning to an elite level after her back surgery. What she found was not only a diet that helped her recover, but also helped her to be stronger than ever!

Listen in as Lauren describes her investigation and personal experience in find the best diet for her athletic performance and longevity.

A bit more about Lauren:

Lauren has been known to ‘Take the Leap’ many times in her life. Her circuitous path started as a singer and dancer in New York, followed by a PhD in Neuroscience, and was on faculty at Harvard Medical School developing treatment for Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. She moved to San Francisco to climb the corporate ladder, then headed to Boulder where she became the CEO of a wearable sensors company.
She was a nationally-ranked professional bike racer, winning the bronze medal at the Masters World Championships, and often pondered how to make cycling part of her career.
After 5 years as CEO, and realizing the top of the career ladder was not as fulfilling as expected, she resigned her position, got a sprinter van, traveled the country solo for 4 months, and hatched P.E.D.A.L. Mountain Bike Adventures, which quickly because as successful as it was fulfilling.
After facing back fusion surgery last year, she spent 3 solid months researching scientific peer-reviewed journals to identify the best foods to enhance her recovery. She did not realize that her findings would not only provide a miraculous recovery from surgery, but also elevate her performance after her recovery. With changes in her nutrition, fine-tuning her strength work, and focusing her mindset, she became stronger on the bike and trails, leaner and more defined in body composition, found unlimited energy, and overcame her troubled sleeping. She’s literally turned back the clock.
Lauren’s entrepreneurial spirit told her it was time to take another leap: she has just launched Confluence, a nutrition and wellness coaching company where she takes her science and human performance expertise, and cuts through the media hype to identify what works and what doesn't. She is constantly studying the latest research in nutrition, exercise, sleep, and body-mind connection, and provides her clients with a personalized step-wise approach to reach peak performance and vitality.
Her TedXTalk describes her passion: our bodies are constantly radiating data, and Lauren believes that through accessing that data, we can elevate ourselves to our highest potential.

Glen and I are joined today by Rob Andrew and Joseph Vigil of Cyclists 4 Community. C4C was founded only 7 years ago; how C4C has accomplished so much in such a short time is a fascinating story of camaraderie and generosity and determination to make cycling safer on the roads of Boulder county. If you are in the Boulder County area, you have to hear Rob and Joseph tell the C4C story. If you live in another city or state and want to make your community better for cyclists, you also need to hear this. Maybe you've heard of Wednesday Morning Velo? Listen in to hear the whole amazing story.

Rob Andrew One of the founders of C4C along with Russ Chandler. By day a corporate insurance guy: partner at Lockton Companies. Early morning or after work, tooling around Boulder on Road, Gravel and MTB. Racing masters for the Full Cycle FCX team. Also one of the organizers of WMV the pre-eminent cycling/business networking ride in Boulder

Joseph Vigil Joined the C4C Board in 2015 after being super impressed with the great work and effort done for the communities of Jamestown and Lyons, where he went to high school. Joseph stepped up to become the C4C Board President 2019, and then has stayed on through 2020-2021 when the president elect for this term had to step down for family reasons. He is an architect and founder of WORKSHOP8 in Boulder, and rides his bike as much as he can, before, during and after. He joined the Wholesome Masters Racing team in 2018 at the behest of Rob Andrew, who then left and joined Full Cycle.

Outline of Discussion:

Wednesday Morning Velo – started 20 years ago as the Bankers Ride. Evolved and grew over time: today would get up to 200 riders on some summer mornings. Pandemic has put a halt to that for a short time. Now have 4+ rides each week, moto medics, sponsorships, kits every 2 years, coffee and snacks after each ride. Annual budget close to $20,000
Cyclists 4 Community – started in 2013 after the floods. Looked for a way to give back to the communities most impacted and build a better relationship between cyclist and drivers in those communities. Cyclists 4 Jamestown was the beginning raising over $250,000 to help solve big problems there and in Lyons. Both locations were staples of the WMV routes we commonly road on. Other notes:
1. Incorporated in 2016 501c3 non profit
2. Big event: Crank-it-Forward started in 2017
3. Hired 1st Becca Blay and next Matt Muir as staff
4. Worked with Boulder County extensively on rebuild of LHC, James Canyon, and 4 mile to be re-build bike friendly
5. Portable sign on 36 every spring
6. Signage around Boulder county (3 feet law, cross yellow line)
7. Lights on bikes
8. Lights at key intersection
9. Bicycle Friendly Driver Education program developed – now working with Bicycle Colorado and potentially national
10. Porta potty in Jamestown
C4C today: Very engaged board and staff working on making Boulder County safer for cyclists and for better relationships with all users.
1. Boulder to Lyons bike way study (LyBo)
2. Matching Fundraiser going on right now
3. Crank-it-Forward Oct. 1 at the JCC
4. May bike Auction – fundraiser and virtual event
5. St Vrain road work
6. Jeffco to Boulder bikeway discussions

The perfect nutrition plan is so simple that there are obviously no oversights, not so complex that there are no obvious oversights. (borrowed from Tony Hoare).

Today we’ll focus on considerations for how to use nutrition to improve the older athlete’s ability to recover from exercise. The nutritional knowledge we discuss will be useful to any athlete on any diet. But still, each of us has to make our own trade-off decisions. Recovering faster and getting stronger is not all we want in life. Some of you may decide that you’d rather enjoy what you are currently eating and drinking instead of improving your athletic performance or even your longevity. So be it. At least you can make an informed decision.

Nutritional topics impacting recovery

Recovery from exercised induced damage: refueling, repairing damage, reducing chronic inflammation
Keeping / building muscle mass: eating enough protein (leucine), hormone support, sarcopenia

Nutrition has been described as a pseudoscience masquerading as a religion. So much new information and interpretations and conspiracy theories come out that people don’t know what to do except stay out of it or choose sides. I’ve done it myself more than once. EC’s perspective is refreshingly simple. She doesn’t advocate for extremes or even for any particular diet. EC’s advice is to keep it simple when it comes to choosing a formula for choosing what to eat and how much. Don’t make a list of 1000 rules of things to avoid and do. Instead, EC approach to focus on what matters the most, and then fine tune as you get closer to your personalized diet that best fits your goals and lifestyle. As John Von Neuman said, “There’s no sense in being precise when you don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

EC Synkowski OptimizeMe Nutrition | Home of the #800gChallenge®M.S., Nutrition & Functional Medicine Certified CrossFit Level 4 Coach

EC Synkowski runs OptimizeMe Nutrition, a company dedicated to making nutrition easy through digital education products and corporate wellness programs. The mission of OptimizeMe Nutrition is to provide solutions to improve weight, health, and overall well being through sustainable diet methods. Thousands have used her #800gChallenge®, a diet free of restrictive rules, to eat healthily and have reported weight loss, increased energy, and improved performance!

She has extensive education in the life sciences with a BS in biochemical engineering, a first MS in environmental sciences (with a focus in genetics), and second MS in Nutrition & Functional Medicine. EC holds the Certified CrossFit Level 4 Coach (CF-L4) credential. Her professional experience includes working as a Program Manager for CrossFit Inc (2011-2017) authoring their training course materials and serving as a subject matter expert for their certifications. She has accumulated more than 600 hours of public speaking teaching fitness and nutrition all over the world, including at TEDx (Boulder). With more than 20 years of experience and academic training, EC seamlessly translates the evidence-based scientific data into practical solutions for everyday success.

This: End Your Nutrition Confusion – Learn My 10 Principles of Nutrition -

Glen and I are joined today by Rich Voss of Voss on Track Coaching. Rich is a highly accomplished track cycling racer and coach. Rich is a 5x masters world champion, 14x masters national champion, and he has coached 5 masters world champions plus many masters national champions. And, Rich has set 5 masters world records over the years.

Yeah, Rich knows power: how to train with power, how to build and recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers, how to get the most out of what you got from “mom and dad”. But that’s not all, Rich is a master at athletic longevity….knowing how to stay in the athletic game for a long time by focusing on camaraderie and health as the basis for long-term high performance and enthusiasm for sports.

Be sure to listen to the entire episode as Rich offers his best advice for improving your sprint near the end of our talk. It is definitely worth your time.

In our talk with Rich, we discuss the following topics (in order):

Genetics
Muscle Fiber trainability
VO2 Max training
Goals vs. interests
Time management
Gym work
Recovery
Building a better sprint, even if you are not a sprinter.
Camaraderie

I think you’ll find it interesting, and you might even pick-up a few tricks for getting stronger on the bike.

You can find Rich and the Hammer Racing Team at: http://hammerracing.club/

Glen and I are joined once again by Jeff Winkler of Winkler Cycling (winklercycling.com) in Boulder, Colorado. You’ll recall that Jeff is a Category 1 USAC coach who has over 30 years of experience in bicycle racing. He started racing as a junior athlete and rose up through the ranks to become a professional cyclist racing in the U.S. and Europe. As a coach, Jeff has worked with racers in road, track, cyclocross and mountain bike disciplines, working with novice to professional athletes.

I thought it would be easy to come up with a list of common mistakes made by masters athletes, but I was wrong. “Mistakes” per se are contextual, and masters athletes in particular have a wide variety of goals. We settled on discussing a set of areas where mistakes are easy to make for masters athletes in particular as a result of aging or health issues that seem to arise or become more prominent as we get older.

In general, I think it is safe to say that we are speaking to masters athletes who fall into a range defined as:

At one end is the masters racer, who is emphasizing athletic performance but is also interested in not undermining health and wellness.
At the other end is the masters athlete who is emphasizing health and wellness but also interesting in getting better / stronger / faster in his or her sport, and improving over time or limiting losses that may be unavoidable due to aging or shrinking time allocated to athletics.

Health issues that tend to appear later in life due to aging:

Sleep issues/ recovery slowing / more aches and pains
Increasing body fat – slowing metabolism (drives a desire to burn calories)
Emerging general health issues: cardiovascular issues, metabolic (diabetes), brain health, joint health, cancer
Decreasing testosterone, muscle mass…this becomes a serious issue eventually. The lost muscle mass is mostly fast-twitch fibers
Dropping VO2 max….decreasing max heart rate, 10% per decade after 30 (can lower to 5% with exercise)
Decreasing elasticity in connective tissue: getting stiffer and less flexible
Worsening posture and muscle imbalances (stiffness, maybe pain)

Other issues that emerge over time:

Doing the same thing year after year – a loss of novelty & fun…losing the passion
Ego caught up in athletic performance – a loss of fun as performance declines…
More time constraints; limited time for exercise or less willing to spend as much time .

Biggest Mistakes made by Masters Athletes:

Not enough high intensity training (vs. endurance, tempo, and threshold)
Too much high intensity training (thinking that HIIT is enough)
Insufficient cross training (strength, mobility, balance, muscle activation)
Buying into the "I'm getting old" story (no longer testing limits, playing it too safe)
Not being proactive about recovery and health.

You can find Jeff Winkler at https://winklercycling.com/

Back when I was a mountaineer and rock climber, and looking for funny but true sayings to help guide me in moments of need…moments of high risk…moments of trying to explain to other people why the hell was I doing these crazy death defying acts of adventure.

I came up with a list of rules and laws…principles that I found helpful. Some of these are I think helpful just in general, and once in a while I’ll share one here on the Wise Athletes podcast.

Here’s the second one, which I should have mentioned first as it is central to the Wise Athletes idea:

Don’t confuse measurements of what is commonly or conveniently called ‘success’ such as race wins, racing category upgrades, miles run or ridden, Strava Achievements, feet skied, PRs, 14ers climbed, etc. with your true goals, which should be something like: happiness, health, full & long life. The former are just metrics, which are useful for easy tracking of progress, and perhaps for motivation. But don’t forget what you really want from your athletic endeavors. It is easy to mistakingly substitute one for the other when you aren’t paying attention.

I call this the Error of the False Proxy:

Today, I am joined by Sarah Brittain is the founder and CEO of Colorado Concussion Clinic, a clinic that provides evidence based care to people with head injuries. Sarah Brittain has a Master of Science degree in Communication Science and Disorders from MGH Institute of Health Professions in Charlestown, Massachusetts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. She is an active member of the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado's (BIAC) board.

Joining in the discussion with Sarah is Brian Heber, a cycling friend who was hit on his bike by a vehicle 7 years ago resulting in a traumatic brain injury from which he is still recovering. Brian agreed to share his story and lessons learned.

According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

Listen in as Sarah explains the causes and consequences of brain injury, which can be particularly bad for children and older adults. She shares her knowledge about what to look for immediately and in the days afterward, and what to do to heal as fast and as well as possible. After listening to Sarah, you’ll be armed with the critical information we all need for quickly assessing and helping friends make good decisions in the immediate aftermath of a crash. Are they okay to get back on the bike? Should they go to the ER? Should you call 911? All of this information and more is on today's episode.

Colorado Concussion Clinic: healmyconcussion.com

info@healmyconcussion.com phone: (303) 932-2030

UCI Concussion Protocol: https://www.uci.org/docs/default-source/medical/2020-uci-cycling-specific-sport-related-concussion-protocol.pdf

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute: https://www.bhsi.org/buying.htm

Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings: https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

Mayo Clinic on Concussion: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594

Today, Glen and I are joined by Charlie Merrill, PT in Boulder, Colorado. Charlie is a Physical Therapist who has been serving the Boulder community and athletes for over 20 years. Over the past few years, Charlie has added pain science and more psychologically informed modalities to his manual therapy and biomechanical toolkits. He emphasizes the body and mind in identifying physical AND psychological/social factors that result in physical symptoms, like pain. Charlie says the source of most athlete’s pain is often not what you’d expect and you can now work with him remotely at Lin Health, a new pain management platform.

Charlie's website is Mperformance.com

Charlie's new pain management platform: https://www.lin.health/

Charlie's Youtube channel has nearly 200 videos with free content: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCinoyk46RyzA1v6PqbUl8_w

Charlie's and Dr Howard Schubiner's upcoming professional training for clinicians: https://adlpages.lpages.co/beyond-pain-education-registration/

I learned from Charlie that there is a disconnect between pain and structural damage in the body. What regular people think is true is that pain indicates something wrong, something damaged...that pain is a signal to slow down, be careful, let the damage heal. But that is not always true. Pain comes from the brain.

Listen in as Charlie explains the science and practice of solving pain issues for athletes.

Some topics we touch on:

What is pain and where does it come from? Is pain the same as damage to the body?
What is pain that seems to come out of nowhere?
What is chronic pain? Is it caused by damage to the body?
Are overuse injuries real? Is Wear and Tear for athletes a thing?
How to tell and how to deal with pain that is not related to damage in the body?
Advice for the older athlete who wants to remain strong and active for a long time? (Hint: add fun, pursue novelty, connect with your psychology)

The twin peaks model I referenced from the book "Explain Pain"Which can be downloaded here. It's excellent for anyone to read: https://www.noigroup.com/product/explain-pain-second-edn-epub/

Other Resources:

Wise Athletes Recovery Deep Dive

Wise Athletes Recovery

https://www.stitchttps://www.stitcher.com/show/cycling-in-alignment/episode/4-charlie-merrill-the-psycho-social-considerations-of-pain-70104112her.com/show/cycling-in-alignment/episode/4-charlie-merrill-the-psycho-social-considerations-of-pain-70104112

Today, Glen and I are joined by Jeff Winkler of Winkler Cycling in Boulder, Colorado. Jeff is a Category 1 USAC coach who has over 30 years of experience in bicycle racing. He started racing as a junior athlete and rose up through the ranks to become a professional cyclist racing in the U.S. and Europe. As a coach, he has worked with racers in road, track, cyclocross and mountain bike disciplines, working with novice to professional athletes.

I met Jeff racing on Zwift, the largest of the social, riding virtual platforms. In this episode, we will discuss Zwift and the benefits of virtual training and racing. Listen in to hear us discuss how Zwift and other virtual platforms can aid you in your efforts to be stronger / faster / better in your sport, while adding advantages not found in the “real” world.

Jeff Winkler
www.winklercycling.com
FB: winklerjeff
IG: jeffwink
Twitter: jeffwink
Glen Winkel
BRAC: www.coloradocycling.org/
Website: www.glenwinkel.com/

Here is a summary of the Zwift on a Budget video below:

1) Software: Download the Zwift app to your laptop or desktop. It can also run on your iPad, or phone.

2) Trainer: Zwift works best with smart trainers, but it can work well with traditional trainers too. You will need sensors for Zwift to understand how fast and hard you are riding.

3) Sensors: Be sure to have a rear wheel speed sensor that is Bluetooth or ANT+. It is best if you also have a cadence sensor that does the same. A power meter and/or a heart rate monitor that has Bluetooth / ANT+ are great extras / alternatives, but not necessary for a basic setup.

4) Zwift Companion App: Download this one to your phone. YES, Zwift uses TWO Apps to work! It helps you to find races and rides, and has many other functions you can use while you are riding.

Bike Fitting has always seemed like a high art. There is definitely something to it, and a few bike fitters seem to have it but most don’t for some reason. It must be hard to know how to put an asymmetrical body built for walking and running upon a perfectly symmetrical bicycle which requires perfect circles of power deployed in a bent-over, aerodynamic position without compromising the ability to breathe. And that would be the easy scenario with a perfect body that has no dysfunctional neuromuscular patterns, no muscle imbalances, no adaptations to an old, bad bike fit, unresolved injuries, or compensated weaknesses. Well, it’s the rare cyclist or triathlete who feels a perfect connection to the bike. If you are like me, you’ve been tinkering with your setup for years, and reluctantly sought out experts once in a while only to continue tinkering.

Surely there is a better way. Recently, I’ve been hearing about the existence of bike fitters who are experts in the human body first, and then experts in fitting a bike to a body. When I discovered that a friend of mine, Brian Heber, was getting a bike fit from a doctor of physical therapy, I just had to tag along. Listen in as Brian and I talk to the physical therapist bike fitter, Natalie Collins, PT, DPT, COMT, Cert. FDN, BikePT, owner of PedalFit in Denver, Colorado. Natalie and Brian talk about their experience working together to resolve Brian’s pain and increase his power via a combination of targeted exercises for Brian and a few small but important changes to his position on his bike. Brian was even able to keep his aggressive handlebar position!

I think you’ll be amazed at how much improvement is possible by making a few, perfect changes.

Natalie Collins, PT, DPT, COMT, Cert. FDN, BikePT

https://www.pedalfitpt.com/

(720) 460-1106

NATALIE@PEDALFITPT.COM

Back when I was a mountaineer and rock climber, and looking for funny but true sayings to help guide me in moments of need…moments of high risk…moments of trying to explain to other people why the hell was I doing these crazy death defying acts of adventure, I came up with a list of rules and laws…principles that I found helpful. Some of these are I think helpful just in general, and once in a while I’ll share one here on the Wise Athletes podcast.

The first one is this:

Rule of Adventure: being ‘too smart’ to take a chance is no excuse for missing out on ‘life’; it is only impossible until it isn’t. “Opportunities multiply as they are seized” — Sun Tzu

A-Fib in Endurance Athletes…part 2

Hello and welcome. You are listening to the Wise Athletes podcast, where we invite you to join our journey to understand how older athletes can achieve high performance AND longevity in athletics…… I am Joe Lavelle with Dr Glen Winkel, and this is episode 11 of our podcast.

If you are like me, you know a disconcerting and growing number of older endurance athletes who have A-Fib, which stands for atrial fibrillation. Perhaps you already have it, like our own Dr. Glen Winkel. In any case, if you have been paying attention, you have legitimite questions about the possibility of too much exercise or too much high intensity exercise injuring your health. After all, the last thing any of us want is to cause our own heart health problems through our efforts to remain strong and active.

Today we will hear from Dr Glen Winkel in part 2 of a two-part podcast about his personal journey with A-Fib. When Glen discovered he had A-Fib in 2004, he went deep into the science to uncover solutions that have worked for him to retain his ability to be an endurance athlete well into his 6th decade, and he’s not done yet.

Listen in as Glen describes his experience starting with confusion and disbelief. At first he ignored the strange feeling he had in his body, and the impact it had on his athletic performance. Glen expected, and later merely hoped the symptoms would go away. But as the symptoms became worse, Glen eventually accepted that he needed help. Glen describes his symptoms and the medical treatments he eventually received: some were helpful and others were not. Glen describes the techniques he developed for himself and the supplements he found to manage and reduce the symptoms of A-Fib.

The potential for A-Fib to cause strokes is a scary outcome for anyone but especially for the endurance athlete who works so hard to stay healthy, and for whom being strong and active is such an important part of life. We present this information so all wise athletes can watch for symptoms and make good decisions in balancing risk and reward.

In part 1 we covered (https://www.wiseathletes.com/podcast/dr-glen-winkels-personal-journey-with-a-fib/):

What is atrial fibrillation? Why ignoring AFib is a bad strategy.
What may have caused and worsen Glen’s AFib as an endurance athletes?
Some potential triggers for Glen’s A-Fib episodes

In part 2 we cover:

Supplements that have helped Glen reduce the occurrence and severity of A-Fib episodes
More potential triggers of Glen’s A-Fib episodes
Glen’s symptoms of A-Fib: in exercise and during rest
What Glen would have done differently if he could get a do-over
Glen’s medical treatments: some that helped, some that didn’t

This information is not offered as medical advice as we are not medical practitioners.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

A-Fib in Endurance Athletes…part 1

Hello and welcome. You are listening to the Wise Athletes podcast, where we invite you to join our journey to understand how older athletes can achieve high performance AND longevity in athletics…… I am Joe Lavelle with Dr Glen Winkel, and this is episode 10 of our podcast.

If you are like me, you know a disconcerting and growing number of older endurance athletes who have A-Fib, which stands for atrial fibrillation. Perhaps you already have it, like our own Dr. Glen Winkel. In any case, if you have been paying attention, you have legitimite questions about the possibility of too much exercise or too much high intensity exercise injuring your health. After all, the last thing any of us want is to cause our own heart health problems through our efforts to remain strong and active.

Today we will hear from Dr Glen Winkel in part 1 of a two-part podcast about his personal journey with A-Fib. When Glen discovered he had A-Fib in 2004, he went deep into the science to uncover solutions that have worked for him to retain his ability to be an endurance athlete well into his 6th decade, and he’s not done yet.

Listen in as Glen describes his experience starting with confusion and disbelief. At first he ignored the strange feeling he had in his body, and the impact it had on his athletic performance. Glen expected, and later merely hoped the symptoms would go away. But as the symptoms became worse, Glen eventually accepted that he needed help. Glen describes his symptoms and the medical treatments he eventually received: some were helpful and others were not. Glen describes the techniques he developed for himself and the supplements he found to manage and reduce the symptoms of A-Fib.

The potential for A-Fib to cause strokes is a scary outcome for anyone but especially for the endurance athlete who works so hard to stay healthy, and for whom being strong and active is such an important part of life. We present this information so all wise athletes can watch for symptoms and make good decisions in balancing risk and reward.

In part 1 we cover:

What is atrial fibrillation? Why ignoring AFib is a bad strategy.
What may have caused and worsen Glen’s AFib as an endurance athletes?
Some potential triggers for Glen’s A-Fib episodes

In part 2 we cover:

Supplements that have helped Glen reduce the occurrence and severity of A-Fib episodes
More potential triggers of Glen’s A-Fib episodes
Glen’s symptoms of A-Fib: in exercise and during rest
What Glen would have done differently if he could get a do-over
Glen’s medical treatments: some that helped, some that didn’t

This information is not offered as medical advice as we are not medical practitioners.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

Today we will hear from our own Dr Glen Winkel about an innovative pedaling technique he developed from his experience with speed skating. Glen says the key is glute recruitment, and the ability to use glutes in addition to quads and other leg muscles to apply power to the pedals for as much of the pedal stroke as possible.

Glen says he was seeking a way to use more of his muscle mass to save his quads for his finishing sprint, and he learned about using his glutes in speed skating. He thought he would try to find a way to make it work on a bike to increase power while reducing the stress on any single muscle group.

On our podcast today, hear Glen tell his story and describe his technique for becoming more efficient and powerful in pedaling a bike.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

Today we will hear from Sarah Fader, owner and coach at Speed Logic, which provides provides Olympic Caliber Cycling coaching, specializing in Speed, Power, and Strength.

A few of the topics discussed:

FTP is a poor metric for prescribing training plans, especially for the sub-hour event athlete. "Increasing FTP" is not a useful goal for most cyclists
Not enough time is NOT a problem for the older athlete: if experienced, focus on weaknesses; if new, gains will come easily
Fun = motivation. There are many ways to achieve targeted adaptation...it's the coaches job to keep the fun in cycling while working toward goals
Health = Performance = Health. Training / eating / sleeping for performance is the same as for health
Recovery is key, and is incorporated into workout design via measured stress, leveraging one energy system to recover the next, and engineered cool-downs

Sarah has been an Olympic Development Program Coach for USA Cycling, she Managed and Directed a UCI professional Women's team, and she was a Professional Cyclist for 11 years.

Her accomplishments as an athlete and as a coach are certainly impressive, but what brings her to Wise Athletes is her work with Masters Athletes. Sarah somehow squeezes in a lucky few older athletes into her practice. I personally know two of her masters athletes who rave about the results they’ve had.

We asked Sarah to join us on Wise Athletes to share her wisdom about cycling training for the masters athletes, and in particular her thoughts about FTP as a singular metric and guide to training. Sarah is not a fan of FTP, and she explains her thinking about what she doesn't like about FTP as a basis for training programming.

Sarah has a mature perspective on the masters athlete, and she knows how to help the masters athlete reach their goals while staying motivated and healthy. She says data is important but it isn’t enough. Listen in as we hear Sarah’s background and benefit from her experience and wisdom.

You can find Sarah at these links:

Email- sarahfader@speedlogicperformance.com

Website- speedlogicperformance.com

Instagram - speed_logic_performance

Today we will hear from Brian Hannon, the owner / mechanic at Boulder Bicycle Works, which just happens to be my favorite bike maintenance and repair shop. I’ve been a customer of Brian’s for several years now; I have learned to respect his deep knowledge of bikes and come to lean on him more and more. Of course Brian is a very knowledgeable and capable bike guy, but it turns out his cycling roots go back a long way and cover big chunks of the globe. I shouldn’t have been so surprised but I was, and I bet you’ll be amazed as well.

We asked Brian to join us on Wise Athletes to share his wisdom about bike maintenance. I have often found the watch-like nature of today’s high-end bikes to be frustrating when I wasn’t just simply amazed at how awesome these machines can be. Brian reveals the low hanging fruit / the stuff that even I can manage to do to keep my bike working well and safely without spending a lot of money. Listen in as we hear Brian’s story and benefit from his wisdom.

As always, Glen and I hope you find this information helpful in your quest to become a wise athlete.

Brian's recommended products:

(1) Rohloff Caliber 2 chain wear indicator. This tool will last a lifetime, is quick and easy to use and instantly shows how much wear you have on your chain. (2) Park Tool ATD-1.2 adjustable Torque Driver. This is great for home use. Will do the common toque specs for stem/bar fasteners and includes all the common bits. (3) Squirt Lube (wax based dry lube). For petroleum based dry lubes I like Rock-N-Roll Absolute Dry.

Contact info:

www.boulderbicycleworks.com

2886 Bluff St.Boulder, CO 80301

720.287.2884

https://www.facebook.com/boulderbicycleworksbikeshop https://www.instagram.com/boulderbicycleworks/

Join Dr. Glen Winkel and Joe Lavelle on Wise Athletes as we hear from John Ooyen (@OoyenJohn), a Nederland, Colorado resident and 78 year old Wise Athlete about the real value of athletics in living a long, healthy, and meaningful life. Glen and I have known John for several years. We asked John to join us on Wise Athletes to share with us his secrets to athletic longevity. I was hoping for secret elixirs and lost recovery techniques, but John surprised me. John’s pearls and rubies on the value of remaining athletic throughout life are far more meaningful and central to the philosophy of Wise Athletes than the rough garnets I hoped to find.

Listen in as we hear John’s tale and benefit from his wisdom about the value of camaraderie and social connection, and in the rich opportunities to make and help athletic friends...and how that makes all the difference in achieving and enjoying a long, healthy and meaningful life.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

On episode 5 of the Wise Athletes podcast, Dr. Glen Winkel and I are joined by Erin Carson, Owner of ECFIT and RallySport to discuss strength training for the older endurance athlete. Erin is a highly respected strength coach serving masters athletes as well as elite and professional athletes. She joins us on episode 5 to talk about the importance of strength training for the older athlete who wants to be faster / stronger / better AND look better in the mirror. We'll hear about how strength gains can come from simple body adjustments as well as safe weight lifting practices.

Erin can be found at ECFITstrength.com and on social media as ECFIT. Erin's fitness app is ECFITondemand, which can be found on iTunes and the Google Playstore. Use code WISEATHLETE for a 25% savings on the price of a subscription to ECFITondemand.

Listen in to hear Dr Glen Winkel describe his journey to use a ketogenic diet to improve his health and his cycling racing results.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

How to need less recovery? How to make your body better at recovery? What to do after exercise to accelerate recovery? All of that and more on episode 3 of the Wise Athletes podcast with Dr. Glen Winkel and Joe Lavelle.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

What is recovery? Why do we need to recover from exercise? Why is recovery especially important for older athletes? Listen in as Dr. Glen Winkel and I discuss this critical topic for older athletes.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

When you log in please use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

Join Dr. Glen Winkel and I as we perform our first recording, and attempt to explain why we are doing Wise Athlete.

Health, Redefined. by Thorne

Use link https://www.thorne.com/u/moxiemoms and create an account. You will receive 20% off all products except bundles (buy items separately to receive the discount) and tests (small margins on incredible tests so they are unable to offer discounts).

A brief description of the Wise Athletes podcast. I recommend you listen for 2 minutes to find out if Wise Athletes promises to share the information you are looking for. If you are an older athlete, like me, I predict you will be interested.