During our discussion, you'll discover:

-Who is Shawn Stevenson?…05:56 

• Shawn was Ben’s guest 8 years ago in the episode “Sleep, Light, Alarms, Caffeine, Night Shifts, Naps, Sleeping Positions & More With Shawn Stevenson.”
• Healed his back problems using nutrition
• Eat Smarter: Use the Power of Food to Reboot Your Metabolism, Upgrade Your Brain, and Transform Your Life by Shawn Stevenson
• Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success by Shawn Stevenson
• The Model Health Show podcast
• Eat Smarter Family Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes to Transform Your Health, Happiness, and Connection by Shawn Stevenson

-Why is it important to eat meals together as a family?…07:35 

• Researchers at Harvard gathered data on family eating behaviors for years
  • “The Benefit of Family Mealtime”
  • “7 Science-Based Benefits of Eating Together as a Family”
  • “The Power of a Family Meal”
• Families who eat together consistently consume significantly higher amounts of real food
  • Also consume significantly fewer ultra-processed foods, namely chips and soda
• Studies published by JAMA Network and Pediatrics
  • “Exploring the Role of Family Functioning in the Association Between Frequency of Family Dinners and Dietary Intake Among Adolescents and Young Adults”
  • Kids eating with at least one parent 3 meals a week led to significantly less development of obesity
• A protective mechanism happens when people are eating together with their kids
  • Eating without watching TV
• Shawn’s experience in Hawaii
• Another study looked at IBM workers
  • Their work stress was handled better when they were able to get home for family dinners

-How are meals with friends and family beneficial to your health?…15:35 

• Cortisol is involved in regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, supporting the immune system, and aiding in the body's response to stress
• When it is out of balance, it can be problematic
• Rest and digest parasympathetic state
• Your ability to assimilate nutrients is better when you're with friends and family
• Oxytocin is produced when you are with people you care about
  • Oxytocin appears to neutralize the activity of cortisol
  • Your chemistry changes when you are near the people you love
• Kelly Starrett
• You're not hard-wired to deal with thousands of friends on social media
• Comparing yourself with others gives a feeling of being inadequate
• A family meal allows real face time with children

-What are the different inputs of reward when eating?…22:22 

• The best time to eat bad food is when you are happy
• Eating lunch while looking at emails
  • The problem of staring at small screens
• Putting your nervous system in a place that is not advantageous to interacting with food
• Ben’s family gaming nights during dinner
• Creating different levels or different inputs of reward apart from food
• You tend to eat better when you're with family and friends
• When you purposefully implement cultural pieces around that meal, it makes it even more desirable

-What do family meals in Shawn's house look like?…30:15 

• Making coffee and breakfast for his wife while playing music, singing, and dancing
• His wife prepares dinner while watching TV and doesn’t like to be bothered
• On certain days, they cook with children
• While his wife is cooking, he hangs around with his sons
• When they get together, they share 3 different things they are grateful for
• Ben's regular daily routine with his family
  • Ben’s sons are usually at home in the evening
  • They have different duties in the morning
  • They meet in the kitchen at 7, talk about a book they read, play guitar
  • Kids thrive on an element of predictability
• Routines and circadian rhythm
• Shawn’s family sings and dances after dinner
• Shawn on Sway's Universe 

-How do you handle divisive devices?…45:49 

• Just having your cell phone in your sight creates distraction in your brain
• Shawn’s family doesn’t bring phones to the table
• Screens must not replace face-to-face time
• Seeing differences in the personalities of his sons
• His son Braden wants people to be happy and included

-How do you deal with ultra-processed foods?…53:04 

• “New Evidence Links Ultra-Processed Foods With A Range Of Health Risks” — The BMJ published an analysis looking at adult Americans’ eating habits
  • About 60% of the average American adult diet is made of ultra-processed foods
• Newly invented synthetic additives, preservatives, and chemical food dyes
• Carcinogens and obesogens
• Glyphosate is a carcinogen
  • 80% to 90% of grain products in the US contain glyphosate
• A 20-year study — “Trends in Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Among US Youths Aged 2-19 Years, 1999-2018″
  • Almost 70% of children in the US eat ultra-processed foods
• You need to prepare kids and teach them what real foods are
• Experience of his sons attending parties during a holiday in Mexico
• Alternatives for bad stuff you can find in Shawn’s Eat Smarter Family Cookbook

-And much more…

Upcoming Events:

• Unlock Longevity: February 24, 2024

Join me in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, February 24, 2024, for the Unlock Longevity event where I'll be presenting on “The 5 Elements in Your Environment That Will Make or Break Your Health.” Check out more by going to bengreenfieldlife.com/unlock-longevity (use code Greenfield10 for $10 off your ticket).

• Keep up on Ben's LIVE appearances by following bengreenfieldfitness.com/calendar!

Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.

Resources from this episode:

– Shawn Stevenson:

• The Model Health Show
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Sleep, Light, Alarms, Caffeine, Night Shifts, Naps, Sleeping Positions & More With Shawn Stevenson.
• Books:
  • Eat Smarter Family Cookbook: 100 Delicious Recipes to Transform Your Health, Happiness, and Connection
  • Eat Smarter: Use the Power of Food to Reboot Your Metabolism, Upgrade Your Brain, and Transform Your Life
  • Sleep Smarter: 21 Essential Strategies to Sleep Your Way to A Better Body, Better Health, and Bigger Success
• Shawn's interview on Sway's Universe

– Podcast:

• “The Official Greenfield Family Q&A Podcast: Parenting, Cooking, Traditions, Legacy-Building, Family Game Nights & More!”

– Other Resources:

• “7 Science-Based Benefits of Eating Together As A Family”
• “The Benefit of Family Mealtime”
• “The Power of a Family Meal”
• “Is Frequency of Shared Family Meals Related to the Nutritional Health of Children and Adolescents?”
• “Exploring the Role of Family Functioning in the Association Between Frequency of Family Dinners and Dietary Intake Among Adolescents and Young Adults”
• “Systematic Review of the Effects of Family Meal Frequency on Psychosocial Outcomes in Youth”
• “Study Shows Family Mealtime Helps Parents Too”
• “Study: Family Dinnertime Feeds the Company’s Bottom Line”
• “New Evidence Links Ultra-Processed Foods With A Range Of Health Risks”
• “Trends in Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods Among US Youths Aged 2-19 Years, 1999-2018”

Episode Sponsors:

C60: If you’d like to experience more energy, improve your mental clarity, and kick brain fog to the curb this year, visit shopc60.com/ben-greenfield. Use the coupon code “GREENFIELD15” for 15% OFF your first order, and start taking back control over your cellular health today!

KetoMed: KetoMed is the first (and quite possibly the only) OTC direct-to-consumer ketogenic/antifungal complete nutraceutical drink on the market that is scientifically/biochemically modeled and designed to align with a clean ketogenic diet. To order a full one-month supply (30 servings) of KetoMed, visit ketomed.com/ben and use the code Ben40 to receive $40.00 off the top, plus free shipping and handling and no tax. 

Quantum Upgrade: Recent research has revealed that the Quantum Upgrade was able to increase ATP production by a jaw-dropping 20–25% in human cells. Unlock a 15-day free trial with the code “BEN15” at quantumupgrade.io.

Manukora: You haven’t tasted or seen honey like this before — so indulge and try some honey with superpowers from Manukora. If you head to manukora.com/ben or use code BEN, you’ll automatically get a free pack of honey sticks with your order — a $15 value.

CAROL Bike: The science is clear — CAROL Bike is your ticket to a healthier, more vibrant life. And for a limited time, you can get $250 off yours with the code BEN. Don't wait any longer, join over 25,000 riders and visit carolbike.com/ben today. 

Do you have questions, thoughts, or feedback for Shawn Stevenson or me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!