Her body ravaged by secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, Dr. Terry Wahls spent nearly four years in a wheelchair.  Now, thanks to the intensive, directed nutrition and neuromuscular electrical stimulation protocols she developed, Dr. Wahls rides her bicycle to work.  She has brought together a team to conduct clinical trials using intensive, directed nutrition and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to combat advanced Parkinson’s disease and secondary and primary progressive multiple sclerosis.  She is the author of Minding My Mitochondria, and is working on a new book, Up From The Chair.  Dr. Wahls comes on Upgraded Self Radio to talk about how you can prevent M.S., help loved ones recover, optimize your health, and become as resilient as possible with nutrition and technology.

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Click here for a free transcript of this episode (coming soon).

What We Cover

1. How did you get interested in the relationship between nutrition and health?
2. When did you first realize there was something wrong with your health?
3. Were you healthy as young adult?  Or did you always have health problems?
4. What is M.S. – how does it work?
5. Do people with M.S. usually recover?
6. What were the first steps you took in changing your diet?
7. What did you remove, and what did you add in terms of food?
8. Do you think the current health recommendations such as consuming grains contributes to the development of M.S?
9. How does the diet you’ve designed support mitochondrial function, and why is that so important?
10. How can diet influence brain function, and what should people be eating to improve brain function?
11. Is it possible that many people are sick from not eating enough?
12. What is your opinion on supplements?  Are they a good idea if you’re already doing everything you can in terms of diet?
13. Could The Wahls diet improve symptoms of other diseases?
14. How did electrostimulation help you heal?
15. How does e-stim work?
16. Could e-stim be effective for people who want to increase muscle growth who are otherwise healthy?
17. For people who don’t have M.S., why should they care about minding their mitochondria?
18. It it true that on the way to a check-up after starting your own treatment program, you pushed you wheelchair up a hill after it died?

Links From The Show

Featured

Minding My Mitochondria by Dr. Terry Wahls, MD

TerryWahls.com

Food & Supplements

Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans

Upgraded Whey Protein

Kerry Gold Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-Fed Meat

Organic Buckwheat Groats

Rice flour

Vitamin D3

Gear

Zeo Sleep Monitor

WellnessFX

Books

The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

Minding My Mitochondria by Dr. Terry Wahls, MD

Mentions

“3 Steps to Finding the Highest Performance Coffee in Your City” by Dave Asprey

Listener Q & A Summary

1. Is buckwheat Bulletproof?
2. Do you need to eat carbs post-workout to build muscle?
3. What do you do about a dry mouth on the Bulletproof Fasting Protocol?
4. Is hemp protein Bulletproof?

Biohacker Report

“Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among healthy infants and toddlers.”

“Protein pulse feeding improves protein retention in elderly women.”

“tDCS-Induced Analgesia and Electrical Fields in Pain-Related Neural Networks in ChronicMigraine.”

Questions for the podcast?

Leave your questions and responses in comments section below.

You can also ask your questions via…

The Bulletproof Forum

Twitter

Facebook

Listener Questions

Heather

Is buckwheat is an acceptable food? I would also like a list of acceptable coffees.

Dave says:

It can be.  If your gut is healthy, most people can tolerate some buckwheat.  If your gut is damaged – no buckwheat.  

Buckwheat isn’t high in nutrients, so there isn’t any real benefit from eating it.

2-3 times per week is probably fine.

We’re working on putting together a list of coffees that are as low in toxins as possible, but the only one we can guarantee is Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans.

Kent

What’s your take on post workout carbs?  Most ‘muscle building’ material I’ve seen indicates that insulin release is a necessary component of getting nutrients to muscle cells (as well as fat cells).  If you are looking to gain muscle is it important to eat carbohydrates after lifting?

Armi says:

There are several parts to this question:

You should eat more carbs if you’re trying to build muscle, but when you eat them isn’t as important.

How many carbs you eat depends on your training volume, personal preference, and current health.

More active people need more carbs.  People who are more insulin sensitive generally do better with more carbs.

When you eat carbs doesn’t matter as much for most people.

If you’re eating carbs to spike insulin after a workout – you’re wasting your time.  In fact, less insulin is needed if you eat after a workout.

Insulin maximizes protein synthesis at only 30 milliunits per liter, which is easily obtained from a standard meal.  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18577697

A standard mixed meal elevates insulin levels 100% over basal values for five hours afterwards.  If you’ve eaten a moderate sized meal at least 5 hours before your workout, you don’t need to eat afterwards.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10331398

One study showed that a high carb meal after a glycogen depleting training session enhanced the action of insulin.  This is due to an increase in GLUT-4 receptors on cells and increased blood flow, both of which improve the absorption of nutrients.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18059588

Muscle cells are more receptive to nutrients after training. 

Two studies have shown that after fairly intense endurance exercise, there was zero fat storage after consuming 300-400 grams of carbohydrate after the workout.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11430771

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12947429

Similar results have been found with resistance training.

However, longer term studies on nutrient timing have generally failed to find a difference in muscle gain.

In your case, I recommend consuming some carbs after workouts, but mainly focusing on getting in the total amount of carbs at the end of the day.  

Insulin is used to help nutrients into cells, but you can still store fat without the presence of insulin.  Fat can be stores via acylation stimulation protein (ASP).  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12948164

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15032452

It can also be stored via Fat Specific Protein 27 (FSP27).  Trying to keep insulin low isn’t necessary for fat loss.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17884815

I’ve included references in the show notes because some this is controversial. 

Andy

I’ve been doing my best to follow the diet, coffee, and intermittent fasting regimen for a little over six weeks now with some very nice results. I’ve dropped some weight and often feel quite good. (I’m still trying to figure out what does and doesn’t work for me)

But one thing has been happening that’s VERY puzzling to me…

I VERY often wake up in the middle of the night with my mouth INCREDIBLY dry.  In the past I would sleep through the night without an issue. But now, even if I begin pounding water before heading to bed, I wake up having to use the bathroom to both urinate and have some water.

Dave says:

It could be a side effect of a supplement or medication you’re taking.

It could be a symptom of infection or disease like “ diabetes, anemia, cystic fibrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and mumps.”

Even just breathing through your mouth a lot can do this. 

Alex

What do you think of hemp protein as a supplement?

Dave says:

If you’re eating the hemp seeds, you’re consuming far too much omega-6.  They’re over 45% polyunsaturated fat.  

Hemp protein isn’t very high in nutrients or growth factors, and it doesn’t boost glutathione like undenatured whey protein.

It’s expensive, and it doesn’t even taste very good.

It’s usually used for animal feed, and there’s absolutely no benefit from consuming it.

Hemp is a waste of money.

Don’t forget to leave a ranking in iTunes.  It helps more people find our show.

If you’ve been following the Bulletproof Diet, optimizing your micronutrient status, keeping your stress levels low, and boosting your sleep fitness – you probably don’t get sick very often.  Maybe you get a cold when you run out of vitamin D, but nothing that requires medical care.  Minor issues can usually be dealt with at home, but what about when something serious happens?  Let’s say you get chest pain one morning and it persists throughout the day.  What if you black out and don’t know why?

These are scary situations, and could be a sign of something life threatening.  You think about going to the doctor, but you already have an idea of how the conversation will go:

You: “Doc, I woke up this morning and my chest really hurt.  I have no idea what caused it.”

The doctor takes your vitals, listens to your breathing, and asks you some questions.  Then it happens:

Doc: “Tell me about your diet?”

You: “Well, I have been eating a lot of butter and steak recently…”

Doc: “How much?”

You: Half a stick of butter and 2 pounds of grass-fed steak.”

Then your doctor has a heart attack.

This is obviously an exaggerated situation, but the point is when you have a serious medical condition, you want a doctor who has some understanding of evolutionary biology and modern research.

Modern medicine can produce miracles, and it’s important to remember its value.

While it may seem impossible to find a doctor who doesn’t think saturated fat is bad for your heart – they do exist.  Here are some of the most Bulletproof medical doctors available.

Dr. Rakesh Patel, MD

http://twitter.com/#!/drrcpatel

http://www.azprevention.com/

Gilbert, Arizona

(408) 222-6061

Rakesh.patel@medleyhealth.com

Dr. Philip Lee Miller, MD

http://antiaging.com/philipleemillermd.html

Los Gatos, California, USA
(408) 358-8855

help@rejuvenating.com

Dr. Lynne R. Mielke, M.D.

http://www.developmentalspectrums.com/

Pleasanton, CA

(925) 846-6300

info@spectrumsclinics.com

Dr. Jack Kruse, MD

http://twitter.com/#!/digisurg

http://www.neurosurgical.net/

Hermitage, TN

(615) 871-4100

jack@neurosurgical.net

Dr. William Davis, MD

https://twitter.com/#!/williamdavismd

http://www.trackyourplaque.com/

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

(414) 456-1123

Dr. Emily Deans, MD

https://twitter.com/#!/evolutionarypsy

http://evolutionarypsychiatry.blogspot.com/

Norwood, MA

(781) 769-8700

emily.deans@wellcarepg.com

Dr. Timothy Hyatt, ND

http://www.drhyattonline.com/

Sherwood Oregon

(971) 832-9064

drhyattnd@yahoo.com

There are several great resources for paleo/primal doctors available.  One is called the Paleo Physician’s Network, and the other is Primal Docs.

Paleo Physicians Network

“The purpose of the Paleo Physicians Network (PPN) is to provide a simple interface between health conscious consumers and the medical professionals who practice Darwinian/Evolutionary Medicine.”

The Paleo Physicians Network was started by Dr. Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf to allow easy access to paleo minded doctors across the world. It already has a wide selection of doctors, and the list is growing.

Primal Docs

Primal Docs has less of a selection of doctors, but more resources overall.  Chris Armstrong, a long time advocate of grain/gluten free living, started it in 2011.   After realizing how hard is was to find an evolutionary minded doctor, Chris founded Primal Docs to serve as a resource for anyone interested in complete health.  In addition to medical doctors, Primal Docs also allows you to find nutritionists, dietitians, naturopaths, chiropractors, and Crossfit gyms.

Prevention is always a great first step, but bad things happen.  When they do, it’s sometimes necessary to seek medical help.  If you find yourself in this situation, try to find a doctor who will take a holistic approach to your treatment.  The doctors listed above, the Paleo Physicians Network, and Primal Docs all provide you with the ability to seek treatment in full confidence you will be taken care of.

Do you know a Bulletproof Doctor?  If so, please mention them in the comments section of this post.  We’ve also started a Forum thread on the same topic here.

The winner, Jay Bost, a vegetarian returned to meat-eating, wrote a great essay which you can check out here.

Below you’ll find the Bulletproof version I submitted to the New York Times for consideration.

The ethics of eating meat have been on my mind for a long time, during which I’ve tested everything from raw vegan diets to vegetarian to Paleo.

Along the way, I stayed at a Buddhist monastery in Nepal eating vegan “no death” food and learned about the ethical precepts behind “no killing.” It made sense.

But as I continued my explorations deeper into Tibet, I came across a stunning high altitude monastery halfway between Lhasa and Mt. Kailash. On its central prayer pole hung a giant yak skin. Being a curious American, I found the crimson-robed Lama who ran the monastery and asked him, point blank, “Isn’t that a yak skin? What happened to the whole “no killing” thing?”

He smiled and his eyes twinkled as he said very simply, “One death feeds many. We need meat and fat to survive.” Given his faith, I trust that this man would have gladly avoided that one death if he did not actually need meat and fat to survive in the harsh environment his monastery sat in. It was a laughably simple argument for ethically eating beef while avoiding chicken.

There is another more personal glaring ethical implication of not eating meat. It is rooted in the new science of epigenetics, which studies how our environment – and food – affect our children and even change our grandchildren’s genes. My wife Lana, a Karolinska-trained physician, and I authored “The Better Baby Book,” which will be released by Wiley & Sons in December. Our book describes everything we know about how to use epigenetics to have a smarter, healthier baby and is based on 1300 science references.

Our research found overwhelming evidence that a vegan diet in both parents leads to negative epigenetic changes in the health of our children and grandchildren, and it shrinks their intelligence too. We used our knowledge – and meat – to have two healthy children after age 40 with no fertility assistance. Native cultures knew this too; there are extensive records that the fattiest animal products – liver and fish eggs – were preferentially provided to pregnant women to ensure the healthiest babies.

There is an overwhelming ethical argument to doing whatever it takes to keep our children’s minds – and genetic inheritance – as strong as we can. To do otherwise is monstrous, both to the children harmed by their parents’ well-meaning but poorly researched vegan diets, and to our evolution as a species.

It turns out that the Tibetan monk’s simple wisdom may very well have saved me from sabotaging my already damaged health with more vegetarian diet experiments, but I still believe it is unethical to eat chicken because it causes more suffering than necessary. If you eat a pound of grass-fed beef every day for a year, you are responsible for precisely 0.7 deaths.

I smile with satisfaction when I think of my shockingly healthy 2.5 year old son happily gnawing on a rib bone from a lamb I’ve butchered myself, knowing I’ve done what is possible to support his neurological growth in a way that minimized suffering of all beings. It doesn’t get any more ethical than that.

The purpose of the event is to bring together some amazing people in the ancestral health community providing a accessible information from a cross-pollination of disciplines ranging from exercise physiology, nutrition, to healthcare all from an evolutionary perspective. I’m so pleased that they are releasing the DVDs, as I plan to watch some of the talks I missed.

Don’t miss out on the solid, accessible information brought you by the Paleo f(x) team! Get a DVD now!

Disclosure: I receive a small % of DVD sales that help to support our site.

Doug McGuff, MD, is an author, personal trainer, and practicing medical professional.  In an effort to prevent, and not just treat disease, Dr. McGuff has developed a unique system of weight training that promises results in as little as 12 minutes a week.  Along with John Little, a renowned strength and conditioning coach, Dr McGuff wrote Body By Science, one of the best books on strength, health, and fitness you’re likely to find.  Dr. McGuff comes on the show to talk about how you can enhance your performance, health, and longevity with an exercise program that takes only 12 minutes a week.

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Click here to read the free transcript of this episode (coming soon).

Did you know you can get a free PDF download of every transcript of every episode of Upgraded Self Radio by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this page?  You also get a free copy of the Bulletproof Diet, the Bulletproof Shopping Guide, and much more.

What We Cover

1. How did you get interested in health and fitness?
2. Can you share your definition of health, fitness, and exercise so we are all on the same page?
3. Would you talk about how to balance the relationship between anabolism and catabolism to improve health and performance?
4. What are the criteria for something to count as exercise?
5. Can you talk about how exercise is a drug?
6. Do you think running marathons or doing Ironmans counts as exercise?  Or should it be considered it’s own entity?
7. What do you think of what most people refer to as “cardio.” Do you need to do “aerobic” exercise to keep your heart and lungs healthy?
8. What role does nutrition play in improving body composition?
9. What do you think are some of the flaws of barbell training?
10. Do you think Crossfit is a good way to build strength?
11. What do you think of explosive plyometric/olympic type lifting?  Will it really help the average lifter?
12. Is stretching and mobility type work necessary?
13. Is balance training like bosu balls and standing on one foot necessary to improve balance or proprioception?
14. If someone is training for a specific sport, do these principles still apply?
15. What is the best way to fatigue a muscle and produce growth?
16. Can you talk about the specifics of your “Big 5” workout?
17. If progress stalls, should you do more exercise or less?
18. Does this mean you can’t train more than once a week?  What about other activities, do those have to be limited as well?
19. Is this kind of training safe or useful for the elderly or people who lack experience?

Links From The Show

Featured

Body By Science by Dr. Doug McGuff & John Little

BodyByScience.net

UltimateExercise.com

Consulting Requests for Dr. Doug McGuff (call 864-886-0200)

Food & Supplements

Lipoceutical Glutathione

Vitamin D3

Vitamin C

Coconut Colostrum (Paleo Pemmican Powder)

Serrapeptase

Upgraded Whey Protein

Flaxseed Lignin Extract

Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend

Kerry Gold Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-Fed Meat

Books

The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

Body By Science by Dr. Doug McGuff & John Little

The Cholesterol Myths by Uffe Ravnskov

The Better Baby Book by Dave Asprey

Mentions

Link to BBC article on sleep.

Wellnessfx Post (with a $100 discount!)

Dr. Ray Kurzweil

Listener Q & A Summary

1. What supplements can you take to boost immune function?
2. Should you sleep twice a day instead of once?
3. Are flax seeds safe?

Biohacker Report

“Orbital prefrontal cortex volume predicts social network size: an imaging study of individual differences in humans.”

“Quality control, accuracy, and prediction capacity of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry variables and data acquisition.”

“Exposure to soy-based formula in infancy and endocrinological and reproductive outcomes in young adulthood.”

Questions for the podcast?

Leave your questions and responses in comments section below.

You can also ask your questions via…

The Bulletproof Forum

Twitter

Facebook

Listener Questions

Michael

In addition to eating a healthy diet, what supplements do you suggest to boost the immune system?

Michael

What are your thoughts on this interesting piece of research about sleep [link].

Walter

I know flax seeds suck as an omega 3 source as they are exclusively ALA. For omega 3s I take cod liver oil every now and then but mainly just eat grass fed meats/fish and reduce my omega 6 intake. However, is there anything wrong with ground flax seeds to add some crunch to meals?  I heard they have many of the same problems as soy in terms of phytoestrogens. What do you think of ground flax seeds (not flaxseed oil)?

Don’t forget to leave a ranking in iTunes.  It helps more people find our show.

Recently, people have been asking about getting downloadable PDF’s of the transcripts so they can search the entire document.  In response, we’re proud to announce that a full PDF transcript of each episode is now available as part of the Bulletproof Toolbox.

The Bulletproof Toolbox is a collection of guides, printouts, videos, and special information that is for subscribers only.  It includes a free PDF of the Bulletproof Diet, The Bulletproof Shopping Guide, and much more.  Something new is added to the Bulletproof Toolbox every few weeks, so you have an ever-increasing resource of information.  For this update, you’re getting PDF transcripts of every podcast we’ve done.   You can access the Bulletproof Toolbox by entering your email in the form below.  You’ll find a complete list of the transcripts for each episode waiting to be downloaded.

William Davis, MD, is a preventive cardiologist whose unique approach to diet allows him to advocate reversal, not just prevention, of heart disease. He is the founder of the Track Your Plaque program and the author of Wheat Belly, Lose the wheat, lose the weight.  After trying to find a way to help his patients avoid heart disease, Dr. Davis decided to make some unique nutritional interventions that defy conventional wisdom.  He comes on Upgraded Self Radio to talk about those interventions, and how you can avoid heart disease by changing your diet.

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Click here to read the free transcript of this episode (coming soon).

Did you know you can get a free PDF download of every transcript of every episode of Upgraded Self Radio by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this page?  You also get a free copy of the Bulletproof Diet, the Bulletproof Shopping Guide, and much more.

What We Cover

1. You’re a doctor, aren’t you supposed to be telling us to avoid saturated fat and cholesterol?
2. How do your nutritional recommendations differ from most doctors?
3. Is it possible to treat most diseases without at least some nutritional changes?
4. How did you break from conventional wisdom in your nutritional practices?
5. What makes wheat so bad for us in particular?
6. What are some of the ways wheat can wreck your health?
7. How does wheat contribute to heart disease?
8. Is the modern wheat plant the same as that of several hundred, or thousand years ago?
9. Are other grains bad for your health too?
10. How do grains, and wheat dysregulate your appetite?
11. Do you ever consume wheat, of any kind?
12. Do you think legumes or polyunsaturated fats can also be detrimental?
13. What is HeartScan, and how did you think of it?
14. How does Track Your Plaque enable people to prevent heart disease?
15. How does plaque form, and how does a heart attack actually occur?
16. Is arterial plaque reversible, or is it permanent?
17. When trying to avoid heart disease, are drugs better than dietary changes?
18. How does a high refined carb diet contribute to heart disease?
19. Are all carbs created equal?  Do sweet potatoes contribute to heart disease the same way as toast?
20. What are the most important variables in tracking your risk of heart disease?

Links From The Show

Featured

Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis, MD

Track Your Plaque by Dr. William Davis, MD

What Does My Heart Scan Show? by Dr. William Davis, MD

Wheat Belly Blog

The Heart Scan Blog

Food & Supplements

Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans

Upgraded Whey Protein

Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil

Hydrolyzed Collagen Protein

Lipoceutical Glutathione

Folate

Vitamin D3

B Vitamin Complex

Sodium

Taurine

Niacin

Citicoline

Caffeine Anhydrous Powder

L-Phenylalanine

N-Acetyl Tyrosine

Malic Acid

Kerry Gold Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-Fed Meat

Vitamin K2

Vitamin D3

Butyrate

Assault Pre-Workout Creatine Supplement

Gear

Earthing Mat

HeartMath emWave 2

HeartMath emWave Desktop

Books

Ending Aging by Aubrey De Grey

Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis, MD

Track Your Plaque by Dr. William Davis, MD

What Does My Heart Scan Show? by Dr. William Davis, MD

Listener Q & A Summary

1. Is there anything wrong with sautéing butter?
2. Is L-glutathione as effective as reduced glutathione?
3. What do you think of 5-hour energy drinks?
4. Does caffeine in energy drinks have toxins?
5. Is there any research behind grounding?
6. How do you convince your spouse butter isn’t deadly?

Biohacker Report

“Positive psychological well-being and mortality: a quantitative review of prospective observational studies.”

“Ingesting a pre-workout supplement containing caffeine, B-vitamins, amino acids, creatine, and beta-alanine before exercise delays fatigue while improving reaction time and muscular endurance”

“Enhancement of butyrate-induced differentiation of HT-29 human colon carcinoma cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.”

Questions for the podcast?

Leave your questions and responses in comments section below.

You can also ask your questions via…

The Bulletproof Forum

Twitter

Facebook

Listener Questions

Zingbo

Is there any downside to sautéing veggies in butter instead of melting the butter on them?

Steve

I find “reduced” glutathione at my local health food store. One type is called L-glutathione. Is that close enough? And what’s the recommended dosage?

Ron

Can the caffeine in energy drinks contain toxins and if so is it high? Also, they say the ingredients in the 5-hour energy drink are safe. Would love to know your insight on it.

Brian P

How does coffee affect Vivance (for ADD) users? I am hoping to get off of Vivance completely but it is helping quite a bit at work.

Andy

Do you know of any validated study data to support grounding?

Aren’t we grounding ourselves every time we touch something that’s earthed? Like a metal post on the street while waiting for a bus.

I’m open to walking around my local park bare foot but don’t know how to rule out placebo effect without some equipment to measure charge.

Also, I did my regular 1 hour high performance cycle class at the gym today but was fueled by MCT oil. I I had more and longer lasting energy.  I got a stitch though we almost never happens for me. I need more data so will keep testing this.

PS: My wife banned me from putting chunks of butter in my coffee. Help me convince her it’s safe.

Don’t forget to leave a ranking in iTunes.  It helps more people find our show.

Made from the finest, minimally processed, whey protein concentrate made from raw grass-fed cow’s milk concentrate, Upgraded Whey is the perfect blend of nutritionally complete all natural protein.  Power packed with the complete spectrum of amino acids, this is designed to help your body be more resilient and make a faster recovery.  Upgraded Whey also contains coconut MCT powder to boost energy levels and keep you going strong.  Upgraded Whey is fortified to contain a higher level of immune supporting, muscle building bioactive compounds than any other whey.

As you’ll soon learn, Upgraded Whey is also more effective at boosting glutathione levels than any other whey protein powder.

Best of all, it has a very mild flavor and mixes easily with water.

The Bulletproof Executive is a labor of love, put together to share my own massive transformative experiences. We sell a few products – ones formulated by me personally for my own use because I could not buy them elsewhere – and to defray the cost of the site. (It’s surprisingly expensive to run one of the top 25,000 websites in the US!).

Click here to learn more about Upgraded Whey Protein Powder. It’s the best I know how to make.

Abel James runs a website called Fat Burning Man (kind of self-explanatory).  He uses paleo nutrition and health advice to help people lose weight and feel great.

After Armi and I spent some quality time with him at PaleoFX, we did an interview on his #2-ranked podcast.  Not only does he have one of the best voices in podcasting, he actually has a degree in brain sciences (biohacker alert!).

Click here to listen to the interview.

In the show, we cover the following (this is from Abel’s website):

• How one of Dave’s clients lost 75 pounds in 75 days
• Why exercise can damage you (especially if you don’t get plenty of sleep)
• How to not to burn yourself during Dr. Jack Kruse’s Cold Thermogenesis Protocol
• How mycotoxins are probably making you fat
• The benefits of coffee as a performance enhancing drug

And tons more…

Abel also made an abridged YouTube slideshow from part of the interview:

Here are some of his latest posts:

“How to Lose 25 Pounds in a Month with One Simple Trick”

“Dieting Makes You Fat… And CNN Screws Up the Proof “

“Paleo Diet Tips: How to Eat Paleo at the Airport “

Abel is a great guy who produces excellent content.  Click the link to his site, listen to the interview, and subscribe to his email list.  You’ll be smarter, healthier, and happier for doing so.

Julien Smith is a New York Times bestselling author, consultant, and speaker who has been involved in online communities for over 15 years – from early BBSes and flashmobs to the social web as we know it today.

Along with being the co-author of Trust Agents, one of the social web’s most recognized books, he is a contributor to GQ, Sirius Satellite Radio, Cosmopolitan, the CBC, and more.

Julien blogs on his website, inoveryourhead.net, and joins us today to talk about his new book, “Flinch”, and how you can, as he says, become “fucking awesome.”

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Did you know you can get a free PDF download of every transcript of every episode of Upgraded Self Radio by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this page?  You also get a free copy of the Bulletproof Diet, the Bulletproof Shopping Guide, and much more.

What We Cover

1. What is “the flinch.”
2. How will facing the flinch improve someone’s life?
3. Is there anyone the “flinch” does not apply to?
4. What were some of your biggest fears, or “flinches?”
5. How did you overcome them?
6. What are the most common things that hold people back from achieving their goals?
7. When working with a client who’s trying to succeed in business, but he’s not – where do you start?  What are the first things someone should do when trying to conquer the flinch?
8. Why should people not wait to “start tomorrow?”  Why is it important for people to take action immediately?
9. What are three things people can do to push past mental blocks?
10. What is the “edge”, and why should people embrace it?
11. Why should someone quit the internet, at least for a little while?
12. How do you recognize an idiot?
13. How do you read a book every week for a whole year?
14. What is the short and sweet guide to becoming fucking awesome?
15. What tricks do you use on a daily basis to stay productive?

Links From The Show

InOverYourHead.net

The Flinch by Julien Smith

Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

Food & Supplements

Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans

Upgraded Whey Protein

Calcium-D-Glucarate

Erythritol

Xylitol

Fish Oil

Krill Oil

Kerry Gold Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-Fed Meat

Gear

HeartMath emWave 2

HeartMath emWave Desktop

Books

The Flinch by Julien Smith

Trust Agents by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

Mentions

Leangains.com

Listener Q & A Summary

1. How should you store coffee?
2. Should you take calcium supplements to block iron absorption?
3. Why are some spices on the right of the Bulletproof Diet?
4. Are sugar alcohol’s safe?

Biohacker Report

“A diet based on multiple functional concepts improves cardiometabolic risk parameters in healthy subjects.”

“Impact of Physician BMI on Obesity Care and Beliefs”

“Positive emotional style predicts resistance to illness after experimental exposure to rhinovirus or influenza a virus.”

Questions for the podcast?

Leave your questions and responses in comments section below.

You can also ask your questions via…

The Bulletproof Forum

Twitter

Facebook

Listener Questions

James

What is the best way to store coffee beans?

Also how can you store pre-ground beans without reducing the nutrient content of the beans.

Kira

I eat meat most days of the week, and my last blood test showed slightly elevated levels of Ferritin, and instead of dialing down on it, I decided to try and hack it by taking a calcium supplement with the meat meal: according to some sources, the calcium supplement would partially inhibit iron absorption.

anklefootmd

Onion, Garlic, Pepper and cinnamon are way too far to the right on the bulletproof Diet.

Putting the sugar alcohols on the left is also incorrect. These substances act 2/3 the same as sugar and are poorly absorbed, travel to the lower intestine, increase abnormal gut flora and gas.

Don’t forget to leave a ranking in iTunes.  It helps more people find our show.

 “Really, it’s that easy?”

That’s what Zach said when he heard about the Rapid Fat Loss version of Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting.

You’ve already learned about the basic protocol for Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting, and the Rapid Fat Loss Protocol.

The Rapid Fat Loss Protocol is a cyclical ketogenic diet with Bulletproof Coffee.  To avoid the negative effects of calorie cutting, it uses a large number supplements.

This protocol was created for clients who want to lose the maximum amount of fat possible in the shortest time span – without feeling like a zombie.  Besides the fact that I enjoy helping people and sharing my secrets (as evidenced by this blog), I like to use clients as guinea pigs.

Yes, I experiment on people, but only if the idea has worked for me.  Good science is repeatable, which is why I like it when other people are able to lose fat and feel awesome – like me.  Zach provided the perfect opportunity to test one of these techniques.  As with everything good in life, it started with Bulletproof Coffee.

Bulletproof Coffee improves brain function, increases fat loss, and keeps you full.  You never feel hungry, get low energy, and as evidenced by our conversation with Chris Masterjohn, the saturated fat is good for you.

Many executives (or anyone for that matter) would kill to have sustained energy while never feeling hungry.  One such person is my Bulletproof financial trader friend from Las Vegas named Zach.  Zach has struggled with his weight for years, but I convinced him to give the Bulletproof Fasting Fat Loss Protocol a chance.

Zach’s job requires great mental capacity and doesn’t allow for much movement during the day.  As many business men do, he depended on sugar for energy – and got fat.

In order to provide a simple, effective, and easy fat loss plan for Zach, we decided to implement The Fat Loss Protocol.

Zach was hesitant at first, as many people are.  Drinking nothing but Bulletproof Coffee and water for almost a week seems tough on the surface, but as with anyone who gives it an honest effort, it was easy.   He decided to give it a try, and here are the results.

After following The Fat Loss Protocol, Zach lost 1 pound a day – for 75 days.  That’s 75 pounds of total weight loss in 10 weeks.  The best part?  He did it without (usually) feeling hungry.

Not only did he lose fat, his focus improved, he was more alert, and he never felt deprived.  He became Bulletproof.

Zach’s supplement regime was incredibly basic for the results he achieved.  He didn’t use steroids, clenbuterol, or dangerous thermogenics.  He stuck to the supplement recommendations from the protocol and got amazing results.

The way most people do it, intermittent fasting is effective only if you remove all calories from the fasting window.  However, Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting is able allow rapid fat loss without depriving yourself.

If you’re like Zach, and trying to lose fat, gain muscle, and stay focused without hunger and lethargy – try The Fat Loss Protocol.  We’re looking for people to give this a shot and tell us how it works.  Click here to learn how.

If you enjoy either of the Bulletproof Fasting Protocols, please leave a comment on this article or on the Bulletproof Forum.

My first experience with cold thermogenesis coincided with my exposure to yak butter tea, which led to the creation of Bulletproof Coffee.  On a high altitude trekking trip in the Himalayas near Mt. Kailash, the temperature was -10 F and there were 20 mph winds. It was so cold my insulated water bladder drinking system froze to slush.

I was traveling with a porter, a young guy about half my size. He wore a thin leather jacket, a t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Nothing else.

While showing off for a cute Australian girl, the porter stepped through ice into freezing water up to his groin. We were miles from a road and there were only maybe 10 people within a day’s walking distance. I was worried about him getting hypothermia, so I handed him an extra down jacket I’d brought.

This uberman took the jacket I thought might save his life and stuffed it into his pack, thinking I was asking him to carry it for me. All I could think was, “WTF?” so I gestured to him to put it on. He smiled and said, “It’s not very cold.”

I watched other guys like him who were half my weight but could carry twice what I could, and do it all day long. I watched the porter survive on nothing more than yak butter tea and a little roasted barley flour.

I figured I was dealing with a race of Bulletproof genetic freaks, the Sherpas. But the reality is that I had no appreciation for how the human body responds to cold.  At the time, all I could think of was getting warm by drinking some yak butter tea, but little did I know cold exposure might turn out to be a biohack in the future.

You can read the full story of how Bulletproof Coffee got started here, but the rest of this post is about how to make yourself Bulletproof with cold thermogenesis (and how not to do it).

After reading Jack Kruse’s articles on cold thermogenesis, talking on the phone with him the night before the epic biohack he spoke of at TEDx Nashville, and hanging out with him at PaleoFX, I decided to give Jack’s cold thermogenesis protocol a try.

Dr. Jack Kruse & I hanging out at PaleoFX.

My previous attempts at cold exposure were not fruitful. Tim Ferriss’s neck ice packs were useless. Cold showers tended to be so shocking that I felt awful after them for hours. One time it even induced a double heart beat, which is uncomfortable but not dangerous. (It helps to have an ER doctor for a wife though…).

If you don’t know what cold thermogenesis is, Jack’s articles are listed below for you to read.  Follow Jack’s protocols! You should also listen to our interview with exercise scientist Dr. Tim Noakes where we talk about adaptive thermogenesis to cold.

In essence, Dr. Kruse’s cold thermogenesis protocol involves gradually increasing exposure to cold over time so that you can overcome your dive reflex.  You start with putting your face in cold water, then using ice packs, then sitting in an ice bath for almost an hour. Read on to see what happened when I skipped steps.

Dr. Kruse’s Cold Thermogenesis Articles

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 1

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 2

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 3

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 4

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 5

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 6

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 7

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 8

Cold Thermogenesis, Part 9

Here is our interview with Dr. Tim Noakes.  In the interview, Dr. Noakes talks about working with a swimmer who was training to swim in the Arctic Ocean.  Dr. Noakes had the athlete spending large amounts of time in an ice-cold water tank to prepare for the swim.  After several weeks of training, the athlete would start sweating half an hour before entering the water.  His body was adapting to the cold by massively increasing heat production (thermogenesis).  However, you don’t have to be a world-class swimmer to benefit from cold thermogenesis.

There is some interesting research behind cold exposure that suggests it can improve thyroid function, cause fat loss, and increase overall resilience.

A study in rats found that cold exposure revamped thyroid function and increased BAT oxygen consumption by 450%.

One study in humans found that cold exposure can increase energy expenditure, and may assist in fat loss.

Another study found that adult humans have more brown adipose tissue (BAT) than previously thought.  BAT can significantly increase energy expenditure in response to cold.

Dr. Kruse has been using cold exposure with his patients to increase leptin sensitivity, boost strength, speed wound healing, and cause fat loss.  Sounds good to me.

I did the thermogenesis protocol for 2 weeks without a problem.  I started by plunging my face into ice water for about 5-10 minutes at a time.  You’re supposed to do this for about 30 days to teach your body not to over-react to ice exposure. I felt noticeably better sleep (sadly, not monitored with my Zeo) and more energy.

The next step, one I was supposed to start after 2 more weeks of face freezing, is to pack ice around my body while wearing a compression shirt for 30-45 minutes each session. The shirt is there to prevent blood from rushing in and causing bruising after the ice is removed.

Unfortunately, I was staying in a nice hotel in NYC for a Cloud Computing conference.  It was so nice; they decided not to install sinks or tubs.  Instead, they had one of those shallow stainless steel hand sinks and a walk in shower.  Don’t get me wrong, it was a nice hotel, but it was a little fancier than the traditional cold thermogenesis protocol would allow for.  I also hadn’t brought a compression shirt since I wasn’t ready to use one with cold thermogenesis.

Being a biohacker, I decided to carry on with the protocol no matter what.  The hotel didn’t have an ice machine, so I called the front desk and had several buckets of ice delivered to the room.  Then I did the following:

1. Packed the ice into plastic ziplock bags.
2. Laid down on the bed.
3. Placed the ice across my chest, abs, and shoulders.
4. Relaxed and tried not think about the cold.

After 5 minutes, I felt great. No shivering at all. But it was late at night and I dozed off. About 45 minutes later, I woke up and removed the ice, then went to bed.

When I woke up, something was wrong.  I was in pain.  About 15% of my body felt like it had been beaten with heavy sticks.

The following day, every spot of my body covered by an ice pack was red and puffy.  It looked like I’d been beaten with sticks.   I had left the ice packs on my body far too long – to the point where I had (according to my ER doctor wife) first degree burns over 15% of my body.

Ouch.

Oops.

This is a real life situation where biohacking went wrong.  It’s taken me weeks to recover and my last round of blood tests still show higher inflammation (C reactive protein or CRP) as a result. I also had to sleep 15% more to recover my energy. This is a major injury. It happened for several reasons:

• I didn’t bring a thermometer to measure my skin temperature.
• I didn’t have a compression shirt.
• I didn’t have a tub.
•  I dozed a little with the ice packs still on me.

Basically, I didn’t follow the protocol I meant to follow.

Biohacking may seem like a risk free endeavor (besides getting blood drawn and spending hours on Bulletproof Mindware), but things can and do go wrong in ways you would never guess.  When doing something with any kind of risk, you need to be prepared.  Gather the right tools, prepare mentally, and be flexible.

As my emergency room doctor wife said when I returned home,

“Only you would go to NYC to present at a Cloud Computing conference and come back with frostbite.”

Don’t let it happen to you.

In 2006, Ari was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Ari’s case was severe, and required over a dozen daily medications and several hospital visits. After reaching a personal low point in hospital, Ari decided he would do everything in his power to strengthen his, by then, weak body. Through a combination of yoga, nutrition, natural supplements and rigorous exercise (Triathon and Crossfit) he was able to fight back the symptoms of Crohns until he was finally able to suspend his medication. Eventually Ari was declared free of all traces of the ‘incurable’ disease, and competed in Ironman France in June of 2011. Ari has since spoken at seminars and at a regional TED Talk about his struggle against a seemingly insurmountable opponent. Through the process of data collection, self tracking, and analysis, Ari helped develop Less Doing. This was a way of dealing with the daily stresses of life by optimizing, automating, and outsourcing all of his tasks in life and business. Now he focuses on Achievement Architecture, helping individuals be more effective at everything.  Ari joins us on Upgraded Self Radio to talk about how you can do the same.

Click here to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes.

Did you know you can get a free PDF download of every transcript of every episode of Upgraded Self Radio by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this page?  You also get a free copy of the Bulletproof Diet, the Bulletproof Shopping Guide, and much more.

What We Cover

1. How did you get interested in what you call achievement architecture?
2. How did you apply your problem solving skills to curing your Crohn’s  disease?
3. What is Crohn’s disease, for people who don’t know?
4. What enabled you to cure an incurable disease?
5. How did Yoga improve your symptoms?
6. What supplements did you find most effective?
7. How did sports help you recover?
8. Are the steps you took to cure Crohn’s disease applicable to other diseases, or problems in general?
9. What are your top three tips for productivity?
10. What are the most common things holding people back from getting things done?
11. Do you think your experience in architecture and systems thinking helped you “build” your body back from where it was?
12. If so, how?
13. How do you use outsourcing to improve your life?
14. How do you start outsourcing, and at what point should you consider it?
15. If you had to lay down 5 steps or less for people to drastically improve their health and performance – what would they be?
16. Where can people learn more about you?

Links From The Show

Featured

arimeisel.com

Food & Supplements

Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans

Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Kerry Gold Grass-Fed Butter

Grass-Fed Meat

Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil

Organic Macadamia Oil

Gear

HeartMath emWave 2

Mentions

The Immortality Institute

SVHI

PaleoHacks.com

Jack Kruse

Chris Kresser

Chris Masterjohn

Alan Aragon

James Kreiger

Martin Berkhan

Robb Wolf

Stephan Guyenet

Mat Lalonde

Listener Q & A Summary

1. Are seeds, beans, and oats healthy?
2. How do you cure a candida infection?
3. What are some good training tips for marathons?
4. What are the best resources for health and wellness information?
5. Does ursolic acid help heal cuts?

Biohacker Report (latest studies & research)

“Influence of mental workload on muscle endurance, fatigue, and recovery during intermittent static work.”

“Cyclists Improve Pedaling Efficacy and Performance After Heavy Strength Training.”

“DHA-rich oil modulates the cerebral haemodynamic response to cognitive tasks in healthy young adults: a near IR spectroscopy pilot study.”

Questions for the podcast?

Leave your questions and responses in comments section below.

You can also ask your questions via…

The Bulletproof Forum

Twitter

Facebook

Listener Questions

Alex

Do you know where I can buy grass fed butter in Canada?

What is your take on omega 3 eggs vs normal eggs (factory raised).

Coconut oil is very cheap online in large quantities such as Nutiva.

However, it comes in a plastic bottle. Plastic, especially with fat seems to be a constant problem as you mentioned.  So I was wondering your take on this?

I would like your opinion on macadamia oil for flavor and health benefits.

Gren

Do you have guidelines relating to seeds, predominantly pumpkin, sunflower, watermelon, flax and sesame seeds? I think these are great for healthy fats and proteins. Do you agree? Why are dried legumes to be avoided. I thought they would be a good source of protein and have some excellent nutrients. I take it rolled oats are to be left out also?

Nancy

Hi Dave and Armi,

I am a big fan of the show and Thanks for all the research that you do.

I have suffered with GI issues all my life which resulted in 7 surgeries, even losing my gall bladder at the age 16 because doctors didn’t know what was wrong with me. I have always eaten healthy and cut out gluten over two years ago as I found I was allergic. I started the Paleo diet a month ago but I still catch everything where I am always sick (Just got over Bronchitis and the flu at the same time) and I am still always tired. I am currently training for my first marathon and it is hard staying with my training with me being sick. What is the best way to make sure Candida is out of your body for sure? Also any great tips on training are welcome.

Charles

1. Outside of this blog(obviously) and some of the people who you interviewed, what sites, blogs, resources do you check out for life hacking/health/exercise info?
2. Also, my next experiment will be adding ursolic acid for a cut. It is found in apple peels. Lots of really interesting studies of late(check out the Iowa study). Are you familiar or have any experience with the stuff?

Armi says:

• Chris Kresser
• Chris Masterjohn
• Alan Aragon
• James Kreiger
• Martin Berkhan
• Robb Wolf
• Stephan Guyenet
• Mat Lalonde

Don’t forget to leave a ranking in iTunes.  It helps more people find our show.

If you don’t know him, Anthony Dream Johnson is the CEO, founder, and chief architect of The 21 Convention.  It’s an annual conference about all kinds of personal improvements from fitness to dating.

We got to meet Anthony at PaleoFX in Austin, and he was kind enough to try Bulletproof Upgraded Coffee Beans.  Like everyone else who’s tried Bulletproof Coffee – he loved it.

He loved it enough to make a great video of how he makes Bulletproof Coffee – with a few modifications that make it sweeter, but less healthy than the original Bulletproof Coffee.  In the video, he shares his method for making coffee: “The Dream Way.”

Anthony adds cinnamon, organic chocolate syrup, and raw whole milk and cream.  He also replaces MCT oil with coconut oil.

That makes for a nice sweet taste, but it does add sugar, so this recipe won’t result in all the fat burning you’ll get with a sugarless recipe. Substituting coconut oil for MCT means only 1/6 as much of the vital C8 & C10 types of MCT. And adding raw cream and milk means added casein (protein) and lactose (sugar), both of which will change the metabolic effects of the recipe. But it sure will taste good!

Here is “The Dream Way” version:

1-2 tsp organic Saigon cinnamon.

1-2 tbs organic virgin coconut oil.

1 tbs grass-fed raw whole milk.

1 tbs grass-fed raw cream.

1 tbs organic raw butter (you can also use Kerrygold, which is easier to find).

500-600 ml of brewed Upgraded coffee beans.

Proctor Silex coffee grinder (or any other kind).

Organic chocolate syrup.

MCT oil.

GE Rocket Blender.

As Anthony mentions in the video, the normal recipe for Bulletproof Coffee is to use MCT oil and grass-fed butter with nothing else, but as we’ve covered on the site, it’s great with high quality cinnamon or cocoa powder too.  You just have to be sure to use non-moldy, uncontaminated brands.

If you’re using raw milk, cream, and/or butter, you have to let the coffee cool before adding it.  Otherwise, it’s not raw anymore.

Let us know in the comments or on the Forum if you try Bulletproof Coffee “The Dream Way.”

The main topic this month is why the Bulletproof Diet works.  You’re going to hear more detail than ever before about the mechanisms and pathways that produce the state of high performance.  If you’re one of those people who is fascinated by the effects of the Bulletproof Diet and wants to know how it works, this event for you.

It’s also an awesome way to spend time with me in a small audience of less than 100 people. By comparison, if you saw me at SXSW, there were 1,000 people in the room so it was hard to get my attention.

When you attend, you’re free to ask questions of the entire audience, and I will answer questions throughout my talk. If you won’t be there in person, you can login to the SVHI live video stream and see the presentation in real time  – for free.

SVHI.com events are free for first timers, $10 for people who are returning, or $60 for an entire year. This small fee covers the cost of the basic room and facilities and not much else. Please help out by following @thesvhi on Twitter or signing up for the SVHI newsletter list.

To get a brief primer on Thursday’s talk, click here to download the April SVHI newsletter.  It has a summary of what the presentation covers, and you can use it to start making questions. The presentation will be turned into an entire blog series that goes into even greater detail.  As always, it will be published here on the Bulletproof Executive Blog.

Presentation Details

Date & Time:

Thursday, April 19, 2012

7:00 PM PST

Location:

Cubberley Community Center, Room H1

4000 Middlefield Road

Palo Alto, CA.

Driving Directions:

Click here to get driving directions.

Newsletter:

Click here to download.

Live Video Stream:

Click here to access.

Hope to see you there!