Optimal Performance

Get ready to give yourself permission to act outside the status quo and seek adventure as our guest Joe Di helps us cultivate a Spartan lifestyle on this week's OPP. Joe DiStefano is the articulate and inspiring head of Spartan Sport and Spartan coaching. He also owns his own adventure travel company and in this episode of the OPP, we cover the rising popularity of obstacle course racing, tips for athletes, kettlebells, his digital detox retreats with industry leaders and much more. Show Notes for OPP #149 with Joe Di Stefano Joe's take on the growth of Spartan Racing and "suffer fests" Giving yourself permission to act outside of the norm How your life perspective changes when you seek adventure and opportunity Joe's top tips for first-time Spartan racers Tips for advanced Spartan racers Joe's amazing "Adventure Travel Company" Go Runga - featuring former OPP guests Ben Greenfield, Scott Dolly, Aaron Alexander and Eric Remensperger How do you get 3,000 pounds of ice, Dragon Door kettlebells, and Dry Farm Wines to the middle of nowhere in Panama The one exercise everybody needs to be able to do well... and some tips to make yours better ("shoulders are ear poison" and "line up Orion's Belt") The Prague Institute and DNS, aka Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization and developmental kinesiology Why we should lie on our back like a baby and blow up ballons Joe's Top 3 Tips to #LiveOptimal

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 people he grew up watching on TV 2 Books Andy thinks we should read and why How Andy uses perspective, gratitude and visualization to stay grounded, positive, and moving forward in his pursuit of the Optimal Life Use the code OPTIMAL save 20% at Alitura Naturals (dot) com

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. My Big 3 Takeaways Don't confuse comfort for happiness. Expose yourself to adversity as often as possible - even daily as Rick does. Take time to reflect. Many of us are committed to life-long growth and evolution, but it is the stillness between experiences that allows us to identify our gaps or blind spots that we need to strengthen in order to continue growing. I hope you enjoy this show as much as I enjoyed recording it.

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, the mechanism, then we can intervene in ways to optimize those mechanisms - Being comfortable with stillness - Translating theoretical work into practice - How far can we push the window and when we hit the wall how do we use that information to define or redefine us - Why Dr. Porges say our nervous system is waiting for Johnny Mathis - Dr. Porges's Top 3 Tips to Live Optimal

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's situation." 7 million die a year from effects of air pollution; 2 people every minute Environment matters City wide pollution It's not just urban areas - forest fires, earthquakes, and volcanoes affect air quality Spending one day on New Delhi same as smoking 2 packs of cigarettes When does Sophie wear protection herself in certain cities, and how does she decide? Correlation of exposure to pollution to cancer? Resprana next fashion accessory, while decreasing exposure to pollution Serve the need of the larger populations and increasing distribution through strategic partnerships with the corporate and hotel industries Using 3D printers to better the distribution Phase 2: Customizing and enhancing product as piece of jewelry - something users are proud to wear Get Sophie's Top 3 Tips to #LiveOptimal

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.