June 10, 2021
I spend a lot of time talking to other people on my podcast…
…but I'm not going to do that today.
Instead, today is going to be just me talking to you—a special episode that I affectionately call a solosode.
Anyways, I spend most mornings sipping my morning beverage (whether that's coffee or tea or Lion's Mane), reviewing the latest research on topics such as longevity, caffeine, and exercise. This is because while I've written about nearly every health-related subject matter in the past, what we know is constantly evolving. Today is my chance to share a few of the latest goodies with you.
So without further adieu, let's delve right in!
In this special solosode, you'll discover…
-What we can learn from supercentenarians…07:55
- Jeanne Calment, supercentenarian (a person who is 110+ years of age)
- Jeanne's secret to a joyful and long life? She enjoyed a glass of port, a cigarette, and chocolate, nearly every day
- Also known for her optimism, good humor, and wit
- 2016 Study from Nature concluded that the highest reported age at death is 115 years
- Science journal stated that longevity is intended to increase over time and that a limit has not been reached yet
- Jay Olshansky: risk of death at age 109-115 is so high
- Steve Austad at the University of Alabama said in Scientific American that the first 150-year-old human is probably alive today
- Based on all the data, it seems the current limit on human lifespan is about 110-115 years old
-The Knights Templar diet for longevity…13:40
- Order of knights in the 1300s with compulsory diet rules (silent meals, a buddy system, and wine “in moderation”) associated with longevity
- Balance between fasting and cyclic eating
- Ate meat 3 times per week
- On Sundays, everyone ate meat together
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, they ate vegetables, bread, potage, fruit
- On Fridays, they fasted (dried salted fish or dairy substitutes after fasting hours)
- Everyone drank wine but in moderation
- Fast—feast—fast cyclic diet
- Ben's dietary habits:
- Rotate heavier eating days, lighter days, and fasts a few times per month
- Occasionally trains in a calorie-restricted state
-How to time caffeine intake for optimal oxidation and aerobic capacity…18:25
- Microdose of caffeine in the afternoon (100-200mg caffeine) seems to enhance fat burning more than when taken in the morning
- We have a natural cortisol response in the morning to jump-start metabolism, so save your caffeine for later in the day
- Drinking coffee before a workout is not as effective as chewing on something with caffeine in it, like Peak Gum
- BGF podcasts with Dr. Craig Koniver
- Peak Gum ingredients: 25mg NAD + 25mg caffeine + 10mg CBD
- Four Sigmatic Mushroom Elixirs
- Kion Decaf coffee
- MiCacao
-Omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy for bigger babies and children…22:30
- EPA and DHA supplementation in women who are expecting resulted in heavier offspring birthweight, healthier babies, and heavier weight in childhood
- Weston A. Price Diet: diet rich in fatty acids (fish oil), ghee, coconut oil, fish, and organ meats; good for hormonal support, weight maintenance, muscle mass, etc.
- Serenity Kids baby foods
- Why You Shouldn’t Let Modern Baby Food Anywhere Near Your Baby (& What To Use Instead To Make Your Baby Stronger & Smarter), with Joe and Serenity Carr.
-Why HIIT is not the way to train…28:40
- BGF Podcasts with Dr. Steven Hussey
- The Most Mind-Blowing Information On Heart Disease You’ll Ever Hear: Understanding The Heart (Uncommon Insights Into Our Most Commonly Diseased Organ) – Part 1 With Dr. Stephen Hussey.
- The Most Mind-Blowing Information On Heart Disease You’ll Ever Hear: Understanding The Heart (Uncommon Insights Into Our Most Commonly Diseased Organ) – Part 2 With Stephen Hussey.
- Why a doctor wanted to cut out Ben's colon and put him on anti-depressants
- Careful, masochists: Excessive HIIT training causes the heart to shift into a state of glucose utilization
- Reduction in mitochondrial function, impairment, and disturbance in glucose tolerance
- Exercising harder does not make you healthier
- High-Intensity Repeat Training (HIRT) and lifting weights every once in a while, taking long walks in the sunshine is far more healthy for heart health and lifespan, glucose tolerance and insulin management, and mitochondrial function
-The relationship between exercise and having a purpose statement…33:10
- Genome Medicine journal
- Study shows a distinct link between exercise and sense of purpose in life
- The importance of having a purpose statement
- Refer to Ben's website for information about finding your life's purpose
- Forward motion can decrease your stress
-Ben's morning journaling practice…35:35
- Sabbath Ramblings: What My Morning Journaling Practice Looks Like (& How I Combine Breathwork, Visualization, Tapping, Prayer, Gratitude, Service, Self-Examination & Purpose).
- Insight Timer app: set for a 7-minute morning meditation
- Ben's favorite background music: Angel Choir
- Set the timer to ding at the beginning, 2 minutes, then 4 minutes, then 6 minutes
- Read inspirational quotes in Ben's Spiritual Disciplines Journal
- Breathwork: 6 count in, 6 count out for first 2 minutes
- Through the nose, connect with our bodies, connect with God, meditate
- 2-minute ding: Begin gratitude practice (think about something that we are grateful for), and visualization (induces the same physiological and psychological response as when that gratitude sensation originally happened)
- Breathe the gratitude into your heart (based on research by the HeartMath Institute)
- Write down what we are grateful for
- 4-minute ding: Begin service practice—think of one person that you can help, pray for, or serve that day (write down that person's name on the journal)
- BGF podcasts on programming your subconscious:
- Reprogramming Your Brain To Deal With Trauma, Getting Rid Of Cell Danger Response, Why Drugs Don’t Work, “Emotional Concussions” & Much More With Dr. Don Wood.
- Why The Way You Think About Time Might Be Wrong, Hacking Your Subconscious, The Perfect Morning Energy Routine & More: Reality Revolution With Brian Scott
- The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy
- 6-minute ding: Reach for your heart or somewhere you want to set an anchor; when in that place of peace, tap 15 to 20 times (Ben likes to tap his heart center)
- Bliss Brain by Dawson Church
- Finish with a prayer; my family usually says The Lord's Prayer
-Ben's evening journaling practice…44:00
- 2-4 minute practice
- Don't need Insight Timer
- Use Spiritual Disciplines Journal
- Breathwork: 4 count in through the nose, 8 count out
- Replay your day as a movie, go through your whole day, look at self in 3rd person
- Write down 3 questions in the journal:
- What good have I done this day?
- What could I have done better this day?
- At what point in the day was I most connected to my life's purpose?
- One final breath in through nose, out through mouth
- Ben's morning and evening journal meditation routine on YouTube
-Where to see Ben LIVE…48:05
- Follow Ben's speaking engagements at bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar
- Ben will be speaking at the Ancestral Health Summit in L.A. on August 12-14, 2021.
-And much more…
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
– Follow Ben's speaking engagements at bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar
- Ben will be speaking at the Ancestral Health Summit in L.A. on August 12-14, 2021.
– Podcasts And Articles:
- How To Get Your Own Vitamin and NAD IVs, The Truth About Umbilical Stem Cells, Peptide Injections & Much More With Dr. Craig Koniver.
- Cortisol Decoded: The Myths & Truths About A Hormone Crucial To Your Health & Survival.
- Why You Shouldn’t Let Modern Baby Food Anywhere Near Your Baby (& What To Use Instead To Make Your Baby Stronger & Smarter), with Joe and Serenity Carr.
- The Most Mind-Blowing Information On Heart Disease You’ll Ever Hear: Understanding The Heart (Uncommon Insights Into Our Most Commonly Diseased Organ) – Part 2 With Stephen Hussey.
- The Most Mind-Blowing Information On Heart Disease You’ll Ever Hear: Understanding The Heart (Uncommon Insights Into Our Most Commonly Diseased Organ) – Part 1 With Dr. Stephen Hussey.
- Q&A 426: Does Being Overweight Help You Live Longer?, The Dark Side Of Fasting, The Latest On Caffeine & Exercise Performance, Boosting Nitric Oxide & Much More!
- The Man Who Is Curing Blindness And Alzheimers, Growing New Brain Cells & Elegantly Fabricating Some Of The Most Powerful Nootropics Known To Humankind, with Dr. Andrew Huberman.
- Reprogramming Your Brain To Deal With Trauma, Getting Rid Of Cell Danger Response, Why Drugs Don’t Work, “Emotional Concussions” & Much More With Dr. Don Wood.
- Why The Way You Think About Time Might Be Wrong, Hacking Your Subconscious, The Perfect Morning Energy Routine & More: Reality Revolution With Brian Scott
- What Is The Perfect Human Diet? Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Meal Plans From Ben Greenfield That Tell You Exactly How To Eat For Your Unique Body.
- Sabbath Ramblings: How To Find Your Purpose In Life.
– Books:
- Spiritual Disciplines Journal
- The Power Of The Subconscious Mind By Joseph Murphy
- Bliss Brain By Dawson Church
– Food And Supplements:
- US Wellness Meats (use code BEN to save 15%)
- Dry Farm Wines
- Kion Coffee
- Peak Gum (use code PEAK10 to save 10%)
- Four Sigmatic Mushroom Elixirs
- Kion Decaf Coffee
- MiCacao
- Omega Fish Oil
- Ghee (use code BEN10 to save 10%)
- Coconut Oil
- Farmer's Cart (use code BEN10 to save 10%)
– Other Resources:
- Ben's Morning And Evening Journal Meditation Routine On Youtube
- Jeanne Calment
- Jay Olshansky
- There’s No Limit To Longevity, Says Study That Revives Human Lifespan Debate
- Evidence For A Limit To Human Lifespan
- The Plateau Of Human Mortality: Demography Of Longevity Pioneers
- Scientists Up Stakes In Bet On Whether Humans Will Live To 150
- How A Special Diet Kept The Knights Templar Fighting Fit
- Caffeine Increases Maximal Fat Oxidation During A Graded Exercise Test: Is There A Diurnal Variation?
- Systematic Literature Review And Meta-Analysis Of The Relationship Between Polyunsaturated And Trans Fatty Acids During Pregnancy And Offspring Weight Development
- Weston A. Price Foundation Dietary Guidelines
- Excessive Exercise Training Causes Mitochondrial Functional Impairment And Decreases Glucose Tolerance In Healthy Volunteers
- High-Intensity Interval Resistance Training (HIRT) Influences Resting Energy Expenditure And Respiratory Ratio In Non-Dieting Individuals
- Genome Medicine Journal
- Researchers Find Link Between Exercise And Sense Of Purpose In Life
- Insight Timer App
- Angel Choir Background Music
- HeartMath Institute Quick Coherence Technique
- HeartMath Institute
Episode sponsors:
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Hey Ben, thanks for another amazing podcast. I’m glad you mentioned your journaling practice. I have a bit silly question :) I’m doing journaling myself for over a year and I wonder what you do with the journal you filled in. I mean I have a journal diary which is for around 100 days, so in a year time I’ve collected 3 full journal diaries. Storing them is rather unconvinced, so what to do with them? Bin it? Burn it?…
Thank you!
Well, although saving them is laudable, I tend to often lose mine once they're full!
Nice episode, but a little nitpick about the show notes.
Instead of “without further adieu” (translates as bye), please write / say “without further ado”
Feel free to zap this comment without further ado after memorizing ;-)
This diet looks interesting, what do you think about the keto diet, check out this custom keto diet
https://bit.ly/35hbwza
Ben – just wanted to give you kudos for your self reflection and acknowledging The feedback from listeners about interrupting guests. I thought you showed good humility the way you acknowledged it, reflected on your interview style, and talked about what you could do better. Keep being awesome!
I am very thrilled to hear you publically address the interrupting thing; I was going to mention how I saw you putting that feedback to use during last week’s Q&A, when you went out of your way to allow your fellow Q&A host to speak, but link wasn’t working from Spotify.
So thank you Ben, for always providing us a ton of technical information and helpful tips on how to live a more joyful, fulfilling, and adventurous life. You’ve been the guiding light in my journey through fitness, wellness, and nutrition. I’ve yet to find a better source of easily digestible information. Can’t wait for your cookbook!
Hi Ben, great podcast. That was super interesting, especially about longevity and the Knights Templar. My question is, what did you do when the doctor treated you poorly and wanted to remove your colon? Can you name two or three steps you took to get back on track? I am a teacher, with ulcerative colitis. This past year has been difficult staying healthy with the pandemic and virtual learning; it was a lot of sitting. Additionally, I caught covid so that made my situation worse.
Anything you can add would be much appreciated
Great discussion!
Regarding corn –
Corn as we know it didn’t arrive in the old world until after Columbus. The Knights Templar‘s are generally thought to be 12th-century. In common English parlance of the era any kind of grain was called a corn. Wheat produced wheat corns, barley produced barley corns, etc. People being lazy call whatever local grain they produced corn for short.
The 7-day Knights Templar diet loosely resembles Joel Greene’s brilliant 2-day Core Protocol in the larger 7 Day Protocol.
In terms of HIRT training, have you changed your view on VO2 max training (4 minutes as hard as you can sustain, 4 minutes off) and whether it is still necessary or advised for a well-rounded program a la the Boundless workout program?
Hello Ben, I’m just knew to your website and saw about Jeanne Calment (which means “calming” in french). You say about her “a person who is 110+ years of age”. Jeanne is dead now, and died a long time ago (1997) at 122 years and 164 days… She is a figure for my generation as every year, for her birthday, all the media would interview her about how she fells and life was for her. We would saw her in all the chanels! So I saw her basically 15 years, each year for her birthday ! And each time they would filmed her with her Cognac, her cigarette and her chocolate, and she would laugh like a child…..
Marie Pommier (which means “Apple tree” in french… 😉)
Thank you for this podcast. I am a long time listener and at times I wonder if you think that you’re repeating information ad nauseum. But it takes repetition and differing approaches just like a good teacher….. Today, some things finally clicked. Thank you!
Enjoy your podcast. At 65 I enjoy HIIT. From listening to your show, I may need to rethink. Most info does not look at exercise programs for this age group. We are automatically assigned silver sneakers. Do you have any suggestions for exercise programs?
Yep, my book Boundless is mostly built around anti-aging based exercise programs in exercise section.
what’s with turning off fast forward?
Here’s what my tech guy tells me: “The fast-forward feature should be working. Try doing a hard refresh. Hold down Ctrl and then press F5 (Windows) or hold down Cmd and Shift and then press R (Mac) ”