August 20, 2021
Welcome to Ben Greenfield's Weekly Roundup and Cool New Discoveries!
Ben Greenfield's discoveries, from the latest news on the fronts of fitness, nutrition, health, wellness, biohacking, and anti-aging research. I also recap my upcoming events and special announcements so you can keep up with giveaways, discounts, and more!
New Discoveries Of The Week: Cool New Things I'm Trying, Books I'm Reading, And More!
My Main Mane Products
Back in April, I kicked off my hair growth project, which has included a two-part article series, podcast episodes, and plenty of Instagram updates.
But what I haven't really covered yet is how I care for this (ever-thickening) mane of mine…
…which is a kind of important detail, considering that if you still have hair on your head, you are likely washing it.
But the fact is that most commercial personal care products—from shampoo to soap to toothpaste—are loaded with chemicals and toxins, and are barely regulated by the FDA.
In fact, safety laws surrounding your everyday care products haven’t been updated since the 1930s, making it almost impossible for the FDA to stop toxic ingredients from going to market.
And as you know, what goes on your body will make its way into your body.
That’s why I don't pick up my shampoo and conditioner when I'm out grocery shopping anymore. Wellnesse is a new brand that was created by my friend Katie Wells, who is a creator, wife, mom of six, and the mastermind behind hundreds of non-toxic, DIY recipes from her blog Wellness Mama. Together with experts in product formulation, Katie has managed to make toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizing hand sanitizer that are always GMO-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, and highly effective.
Katie spent over a decade perfecting these formulas, and the hair care line ingredients include nettle leaf extract—which supports growth and prevents breakage—and keratin and quinoa (yes, quinoa) to smooth and condition. If you've tried other “natural” shampoos and conditioners in the past, you may be wary, as many may have safe ingredients but fail to leave your hair in any sort of healthy-looking condition, leaving you to reach again for the Pantene. But trust me, Wellnesse got it right with their formulas, and Katie even set up a free return policy if you're not 100% in love with the products.
The Bone Broth I've Been Waiting For
As you probably know by now, I'm a big fan of bone broth. I have a cup of bone broth literally every day with lunch, 365 days a year, I often use bone broth as the base for my morning smoothie, and it's also the primary stock for any soups or stews I make.
Bone broth is a daily staple of mine because it's a nutritional powerhouse packed with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium in a highly absorbable form. Other amino acids, proteins, and compounds in bone broth support digestion, muscle repair, muscle growth, the nervous system, the immune system, inflammation, and deep sleep. (Check out this article for more detail on the health benefits of bone broth.)
Kettle & Fire bone broth has been a pantry staple of mine for years because it's made from the bones of organic, grass-fed meat, without preservatives, chemicals, unnatural flavorings, or flavor enhancers. So when my friend Justin Mares—the founder of Kettle & Fire—told me that they were releasing a regenerative bone broth, I told him to let me know as soon as it was ready to try. Now, you may be wondering what “regenerative bone broth” even means and how it differs from Kettle & Fire's original formula, which is a good (and important) question.
The chicken and beef bones used in the new broths are from animals raised on farms committed to regenerative agriculture—farms can restore biodiversity by preserving the land (improving soil health and preventing erosion via no-till farming, cover cropping, and diverse crop planting), by prioritizing natural processes (using no synthetic fertilizers or harmful chemicals), and increasing below-ground plant matter and organisms to sequester carbon (instead of releasing it into the atmosphere). As Justin says, “You can taste it in the quality of produce, meat, and eggs produced in a regenerative system. Most importantly, you can feel good about supporting a food system that’s good for you and good for the planet.”
Podcasts I Recorded This Week:
This episode was brought to you by JOOVV (code BEN), Kion Aminos (code BEN10), Thrive Market (Receive a gift card worth up to $20 when you begin a new membership), and Butcher Box.
This episode was brought to you by Seed Daily Synbiotic (code BEN15), Organifi Red Juice (code BENG20), Kion Clean Energy Bars (code BEN10), and Paleo Valley Beef Sticks (Get a 15% discount on your order when you go to paleovalley.com/ben).
Ben Greenfield's VIP Text Club: To receive exclusive texts from Ben Greenfield, text the word “FITNESS” to 411247 (within the U.S. only).
Articles I Published This Week:
My full article feed and all past archives of my articles are here if you want to check out past articles.
Special Announcements:
::: Get Your Grill On With Traeger :::
Can you believe it's mid-August?
It's about that time to start planning your end-of-summer party.
An unexpected upside of the Covid pandemic for me is that I've spent more time than ever at home this past year, which has resulted in my family feeling strongly centered in the community. We have had near-constant company, and I've found that I'm yet to host a social gathering without firing up my Traeger wood-fired grill.
The Traeger Grill is the world’s number one selling wood-fired grill for good reason. In addition to some other pretty impressive features, the grill's double side-wall insulation improves temperature consistency and pellet efficiency.
Yes, now you can smoke, bake, roast, braise, bbq, and of course, grill whatever your little carnivore heart desires with pure, hardwood flavor, not just during the summer months but year-round.
Until you've eaten a steak, brat, or chicken thigh cooked over a hardwood flame, you won't know what you're missing out on by cooking with charcoal or gas. Not only do Traegers produce the tastiest grilled delicacies your mouth will ever have the pleasure of tasting, but they're also super simple to use.
Click here to learn more about Traeger grills and order yours in time for that Labor Day barbeque.
Upcoming Events:
Las Vegas Keto Expo (October 15-16, 2021)
I'll be speaking at the Las Vegas Keto Expo along with 13 other keto experts. The first 300 guests to register here will get a free drink chip for the poolside party and a free t-shirt.
Keep up on all of my LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!
I Want To Know What You've Got Cooking
I'm so stoked about the positive feedback I've been getting about my new Boundless Cookbook. The cookbook was a labor of love, but I'm really proud of the end result (especially considering I'm definitely not a trained chef).
Now that the Boundless Cookbook is available on Amazon, I have a favor to ask…
If you have the cookbook and you love it, can you hop on over to Amazon and leave a review? Amazon reviews—as I bet you know—are super important. I want your honest feedback and I'll be reading them to hear what you think.
You can leave your review on Amazon right here (and if you don't have a cookbook yet, and you're an Amazon Prime member, you could have your copy at your doorstep as early as tomorrow).
Featured Product: Kion Colostrum
Jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes, colostrum has been shown to support your immune system, enhance athletic performance and recovery, make your gut impenetrable, enhance the efficacy of your probiotics, increase muscle gain, and much more.
But, because it is sourced from animals, your colostrum supplement is only as healthy as the animal it came from.
To be sure you're getting the highest quality colostrum out there, look for a supplement that is sourced from grass-fed milk, minimally processed, and comes in a bioactive form.
Kion Colostrum checks all three of these boxes:
- Sourced from grass-fed cows that feed on single-origin natural pastures (also GMO-free, hormone-treatment-free, antibiotic-free, and BSE-free).
- Minimally processed and non-denatured to preserve the active nutrients and maintain the full range of beneficial proteins and peptides.
- Comes in a bioactive powder form. It’s believed that colostrum may be best absorbed through the oral mucosal surface in the mouth. Kion Colostrum is not encapsulated, allowing you to receive the full range of bioactive nutrients.
You can take Kion Colostrum with water, add it to smoothies, or simply dump the powder directly into your mouth and allow it to circulate a few minutes before swallowing. (As an added bonus, Kion Colostrum tastes like rich and creamy mac ‘n cheese!) Speaking of cheese, colostrum is naturally very low in lactose, so I (and others with lactose intolerance) tolerate it just fine.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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Leave your comments and any news or discoveries that you think I missed below!
Cheers,
Ben
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