Optimal Performance Podcast

We’re pleased to welcome Alitura Naturals founder Andy Hnilo back to the OPP this week. Recorded in-person during the Bulletproof Conference in Pasadena, California last month we talk about Andy’s latest projects - at Alitura, on TV, and more - as well as his world-famous habits that are part of his quest for optimization. On this episode of the OPP: Find out what Andy has been working on for his natural skin care line Alitura Andy’s no compromise ethos on ingredient quality, the benefits of Manuka Honey, Hyaluronic Acid (from sweet potatoes), plant derived stem cells and the #1 anti-aging ingredient - all part of the Alitura lineup Why Derma Rollers matter for skin health and how to use them Andy reveals potential new products: deodorant and sunscreen Andy’s latest tips for optimizing health: activated charcoal to whiten teeth, methylene blue and aloe vera plants How Andy uses HIIT workouts to stay sharp physically and mentally What it’s like to act along side Mark Paul Gosselaar, aka Zack Morris and other

NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is found in every living cell and many researchers are excited by it's potential for recovery, longevity, DNA protection, energy, and cellular health. On this week's OPP, we're talking with Tom Ingoglia from the NAD Treatment Center on NAD in San Diego, CA about: My experience with NAD injections Tom's recovery story and how NAD treatments helped him "miraculously heal" when nothing else worked The latest research on NAD for: circadian rhythms cellular energy DNA protection Anti-aging & longevity The underground history of NAD and why these treatments are not more well known (yet) The future of NAD Therapy and potential applications for this powerful treatment How we can naturally boost NAD levels through sleep, diet, exercise, and supplements  

Photobiomodulation is the scientific term for light hacking. PBM for short, photobiomodulation extends beyond avoid blue light after dark. Volumes of scientific literature show that red and infrared light therapy improve cellular health, leading to a long list of health benefits - including wound healing, tissue repair, muscle recovery, skin clarification and more. I caught up with Scott Nelson and Justin Strahan of Joovv at the Bulletproof Conference to explore the science behind these benefits of red and near infrared light therapy, along with everything else we need to know about red light and PBM. In this episode of the OPP, we cover: Science of how light improves cellular function Specific wavelengths to use (and to avoid) The importance of intensity and irradiation when choosing a red light device Why saunas and red light are not the same thing And much more... If you're interested in, or currently using red lights, this is must listen episode of the OPP.

Paul Reddick is a coach, mentor and friend. A former professional baseball player, baseball scout, and Yogi Berra Museum, he’s helped big names in fitness like Joe Defranco and Mark Divine. He also helped me and dozens of other gym owners grow as humans and coaches so we could help thousands of others- a fact that reflects his "bumble bee" strategy. Paul changes the way people think, which allows them to change their lives. This episode of the OPP will give you glimpse of what Paul can do for you. We talk about: Defining your values Living by standards What you can learn from the Leaning Tower of Pisa Why you should BE THE BUMBLE BEE Lessons from Yogi Berra Can you handle the repetitions and more…    

Multiple experts and industry leaders answering rapid fire questions in one episode of the Optimal Performance Podcast can only mean one thing - it's Hot Seat time. A fan-favorite format, the 2017 Bulletproof Conference edition of the OPP "Hot Seat" features:    Brain expert Jim Kwik Nutrition pioneer Jonny Bowden Natural medicine big-wig Dr. Joseph Mercola PaleoChef & Phat Fudge Creator Mary Shenonuda Fat-burning expert Dr. Anthony Gustin, Film-maker, Writer, And Speaker Max Lugavere Mushroom Master Skye Chilton Pay close attention in the Skye Chilton section for a Natural Stacks coupon code and check out Jim Kwik's challenge for a chance win a special prize. Tag @jimkwik and @naturalstacks with your biggest AH-HA moment from this episode – Best answer will get free gift from Jim.

Author of Burn Your Couch, Rick Alexander is human movement advocate, military veteran, and ultra endurance athlete. We talk about his book, why you seek adversity daily, choice architecture, mindset, and intentional lifestyle design. If you refuse to settle for the status quo, then this episode of the OPP has your name all over it. Rick is a human movement advocate, US Military Veteran, entrepreneur who owns 2 businesses, podcaster, author of the upcoming book Burn Your Couch and an ultra-endurance athlete, who recently finished the Tahoe 200, where he ran 205 miles in 76 hours. Rick, like many of us, is intensely curious about the limits of our potential - both physical and mental. He's constantly pushing his own boundaries, documenting them through his podcast, articles, and now his book (and an upcoming project we discuss on the podcast) so that he can help others do the same in their lives. This is fantastic glimpse into the mind and habits of one of the strongest-minded individuals you will ever meet

Dr. Stephen Porges is the man who discovered Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in the 1960's and created the Polyvagal Theory - a model to explain how we function and operate. Thanks to Dr. Porges, this episode of the OPP is full of wisdom to help us understand our neurophysiology, how the Vagus Nerve impacts heart rate, HRV, emotional resiliency and how we can use that knowledge to optimize mental and physical performance. We cover: - How Dr. Porges discovered Hear Rate Variability (HRV) - Breathing does change parameters of HRV - Focus on tasks with metrics of success - The good scientist knows to learn from others - The only way the science moves ahead is through the feedback - What is the best way for us to measure HRV? - The Pocket Guide to Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe - Why the saying "scared shitless" is a real thing - Neuroception vs. Perception - Addressing the relevance of Polyvagal Theory in mammals - The vagus Nerve, trauma and mobilization - Once we identify the system,

Resprana CEO Sophie Frank on how they're revolutionizing personal air filtration and changing the way the world breathes with a new approach to fighting air pollution.  With their innovative design on wearable air filters (WAF), Resprana seeks to offer all the protection of a mask (if not more) - without the mask. Air pollution kills 7 million people every year - including 2 people every minute in India alone. When the Air Quality Index (AQI) was created, the scale was 0-500. Cities like Beijing, China and Delhi, India routinely measure AQI's at 700 to 1,000 - well above the top end of that scale. As I write this, the current AQI in Mexico City is 868 and the prevalence of yellow (moderate), orange (unhealthy) and red (hazardous) AQI's around the world is alarming. (Find a link to this real-time AQI map on the blog post.) As you'll hear from Resprana CEO Sophie Frank, air pollution is something we should all pay more attention to. "We're not opting into this behavior, it's presented to us because of the world

Low Carb/Keto/Paleo Nutritionist Amy Berger on how much protein, fat, and salt we really need, insulin as the real cause of hypertension and Alzheimer's as an energy crisis in the brain, aka "diabetes of the brain". Hear how: - Insulin, not sodium, is the #1 cause of high blood pressure - Learn about the body's natural "cutoff points" for salt and protein - but not for carbohydrates - Find out how much salt, protein and fat we really need each day - Alzheimer's = an energy crisis in the brain, cause by glucose intolerance, leading to "diabetes of the brain" Tune in for all this and so much more from Amy.

Episode #139 of the OPP gives you a front row seat to the amazing speakers at the Success Live Conference run by Success Magazine.  The event featured some of the world’s leading speakers, writers, scientists and innovators - Peter Diamandis, Dr. Daniel Amen, Jocko Willinck, Brendon Burchard, Keith Ferrazi, Mel Robbins, Tom Bilyeu Les Brown, and John Gray, just to name a few... This episode of the OPP is the edited and distilled version of my notes - given you all of the major bullet points, quotes, and takeaways from every speaker. From start to finish, this episode is packed with 63 gems along with the 5-6 themes that seemed to permeate the weekend, regardless of who was speaking. #LiveOptimal

Today’s episode of the OPP features straight-shooting Texas-based holistic doctor, Stephen Lewis who specializes in chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid issues and heavy metal detoxification.   On this episode, we talk about why US chicken farmers won’t eat their own chickens (you shouldn’t either), how heavy metal get into our bodies, disrupt hormonal function and health and what you can do about, as well as other strategies to detoxify our bodies and help optimize our health and energy levels.   Dr. lewis shares some of his favorite vitamins, minerals, and herbs for detoxification, hormone optimization, cancer-fighting, and energy metabolism.   We cover: Differences in US vs European health and obesity levels Why chicken farmers won’t eat their own chickens Heavy metal detoxification - arsenic, lead, mercury… Why grumpy polar bears are indicative of global toxic loads Cadmium and men’s prostate health "Detoxify or Die" Why 6-week detoxes suck and what you need to do to turn on your natural detoxification path

Find out why the world's top neuroscientists believe this "groundbreaking" device can reduce body fat and change our set points without any changes to diet or exercise. Neurovalens CEO Dr. Jason McKeown (trained under V.S. Ramachandran) has created a groundbreaking technology that uses vestibular stimulation to "biohack" the hypothalamus, the portion of our brain that serves as the control center for the hormones that regulate weight, appetite and body composition.  On the show we talk about: Discover how the hypothalamus controls body fat levels and appetite Learn how neurovestibular stimulation works Why our bodies are prepared to store fat than to burn fat (HINT: our ancestors were more likely to starve to death than overeat on a regular basis Can MODIUS really help us lower this "set point"? And do it without changing our diet or exercise? If it’s real, then it can withstand criticism and if it crumbles to criticism it wasn’t real Do they see benefit other than the superficial body fat reduction? And wha

This episode of the OPP is for everyone who was ever told they were too short, too slow, or not good enough. Told he was too short for years, Govert Viergever ignored the doubters, honed his craft, created an opportunity for himself and capitalized, earning himself a spot on the Dutch Olympic team for the 2016 Rio Games. After a 5th place finish, he and teammates have their sights set on gold in 2020 and today, Govert is on the OPP explaining how biohacking and functional medicine have fueled his success. Focused and determined to succeed, Govert explains how he's using neurofeedback, cold and hot thermogenesis, keto dieting in his training program and he shares the secrets to behind his training, recovery, mindset and more: Chasing your dreams despite the doubters and obstacles How Govert plans his training to develop both aerobic (power) and anaerobic (endurance) capacities  Find out how he cycles his carbs and use the ketogenic diet to support these training goals The difference between having a conditio

Our guest this week is leading digestive health expert, Dr. Michael Murray. Dr. Murray has authored more than 30 books on natural approaches to health and optimization. On today's episode we explore digestive health and dispel common misconceptions regarding heartburn medications, enzymes, probiotics and the public's perception of the term "natural". A few of the common digestive health questions we address: Digestive Enzymes vs. Probiotics (When and Why to use each) Why you should avoid the class of heartburn medications known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (like Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, etc) Discover the natural alternatives to these drugs  Why the public links "natural" with "not scientific" Learn why Ginger and Licorice should be staples in your pantry Why the "therapeutic dose" matters in the food vs. supplement debate How certain drugs get on the market before researchers fully understand their impact and what it takes to eventually pull them once we know they're harmful If you enjoy this episode, you c

"Success leaves footprints" is one of the rules I live by. It's one of the most powerful truths I know of, and it's extremely applicable to today's episode of the OPP featuring 2-time Olympian Peter Shmock. Peter is in the Oregon University Track Hall Of Fame. He was on the same track team as Steve Prefontaine (the Steve McQueen of running), was mentored and coached by the legendary Bill Bowerman - the same Bill Bowerman who invented the waffle outsole running shoe and helped Phil Knight found a little running shoe company called...NIKE! Aside from his Olympic, Oregon, and Nike connections, Peter has coached a wide range of elite performers, from professional baseball players (Seattle Mariners for 11 years) to professional dancers in the Pacific Northwest Ballet. To say he knows a thing or two about excellence and longevity is an understatement. His new book, The Way of The Life Athlete lays it all out, but I take you inside his brain for an inside look at the common traits shared by some of the world's most

Increasing strength and boosting brain power with Dr. Birk. From physical movement to mental performance, the Central Nervous System governs everything we do. On today’s episode of the OPP, Dr. Ruminder Birk explains how we can optimize physical, mental, and emotional performance by “biohacking” our nervous system. Owner of Atlantis Chiropractic, Dr. Birk has an intimate knowledge of the nervous system and he brings his holistic, wellness based approach to the show as we discuss: How the Central Nervous System is first to develop Neural pathways controls movement and cognition The Windsor Autopsy Studies - failed attempts to dispel chiropractic claims that spine health impacts organ function What the research says about chiropractic adjustments increasing physical performance (6-16% boost from single adjustment) Old school Strongman secrets to increase neural drive for increased strength How low-level laser therapy, vibration plates, inversion and other biohacks can help us  optimize nervous system function

Beyond Blue Light: Why Technology is Killing Our Eyes Daniel Georgiev is a Bulgarian programmer who created Iris, special software designed to protect our eyes from the harmful effects of increased screen time. If you're an OPP listener, you're no stranger to blue light and it's impact on our hormones and sleep. But our increased screen time is killing our eyes for more reasons than blue light. In fact, Daniel says blue light is the least of concerns when it comes to overall eye health. We cover: the problem with blue blocking glasses and screens pulse waves from LED screens (flicker rate) optimal brightness why Kindle screens are "healthier" color inversion why glossy screens cause "double images" eye-friendly fonts blink detection and eye movement how taking more breaks with the 20-20-20 rule can help mitigate eye strain Daniel's technology to help color blind people experience more color Screen usage may be required, but there are ways to minimize it's harmful effects and Daniel shares numerous helpful t

East meets West in this week's OPP featuring Scott Dolly, owner of Evolution Human Performance and Rehabilitation. With an education that spans Physics, Biology, Qi Gong, Yoga, Mediation and more, Scott marries the best of Eastern and Western philosophies into his practice which he focuses on the the Neural Patterns in the Biomechanics of Movement, Scraping & Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and Alignment. After he assessed, analyzed, scraped, poked and prodded on me for several hours, Scott and I sat down in his Winchester, VA facility to talk about :  Why normal and average are misused terms Tuning a human like a guitar: energy, vibrations resonance frequencies and the musical notes that correspond to each of the 7 chakras Proper motor sequencing in the biomechanics of movement: from cerebellum to motor cortex to the muscles that fire Why foam rolling is a good "warmup" for IASTM & soft tissue mobilization What the heck is scraping? Self-diagnosing your anterior pelvic (if you don't know what it is

"Few observers have truly internalized the implications of the fact that the rate of change itself is accelerating." - Ray Kurzweil, founder at Singularity U  The future is coming faster than we think. Don’t be a passive passenger. Think for yourself, think ahead and ask questions - don’t follow blindly. Today's guest on the OPP is Hannes Sjob, the Chief Disruption Officer at Epicenter Stockholm and a faculty member at Singularity University. Hannes takes us on a fascinating glimpse into the future of wearable - and implantable - technologies, Artificial Intelligence and the intersection of BioTech with biohacking, health and Big Data. What’s coming? What does it mean? What can we do with it? On the positive side, we could see the democratization of medicine - a revolutionary shift in the way we proactively protect our health with real-time biofeedback from heart rates (already happening) to hormone levels along with suggestions for course corrections. Are we really 2-5 years away from grain-of-rice-sized im

Andy Murphy is a leading high pressure performance coach for 7 and 8-figure entrepreneurs. He is not your typical mindset guru or NLP mental performance coach - and this is not your typical “design your dream life" podcast episode. Andy explains how our neural networks shape our view of ourselves and how we move through the world - laying out the exact steps we can take daily to upgrade our minds for optimal performance. We examine how our belief systems limit our thinking (and our possibilities), how the prefrontal cortex (PFC), neurotransmitters (like dopamine) and how our mirror neurons (read: social circles) influence our choices. We also cover: Creating your alter-ego and moving through the world as that avatar The importance of a crystal clear vision for where you want to go Why you need to be on “auto-pilot” to attain peak performance What is “Connor McGregor thinking”? (And why you should be using it!) The problem with morning routines - and how to fix them The law of 33% How “mirror neurons” shape o