• a wall sit
• a pushup plank

Right click & save as to download the PDF.

After sucking down butter and whole eggs for a great deal of my adult life, I posted some basic blood work in early 2012, with some additional commentary/insight here from a Reddit user.

Last week I discovered that WellnessFX would test my blood for free. No credit card required, no bs. It appeared that Tim Ferriss and Dave Asprey had something to do with the organization, and coupled with a LabCorp facility ~60 seconds from my house -- literally within walking distance -- I figured why not retest?

It was a no brainer, and damn, was there a quick turn around time. From watching blood get sucked out of my arm to seeing the results up, live, on WellnessFx, took less than 36 hours -- on the weekend.

I was stunned at how fast the turn around was. (Disclaimer : I have no idea if that is normal for...]]>

Right click & save as to download the PDF.

After sucking down butter and whole eggs for a great deal of my adult life, I posted some basic blood work in early 2012, with some additional commentary/insight here from a Reddit user.

Last week I discovered that WellnessFX would test my blood for free. No credit card required, no bs. It appeared that Tim Ferriss and Dave Asprey had something to do with the organization, and coupled with a LabCorp facility ~60 seconds from my house — literally within walking distance — I figured why not retest?

It was a no brainer, and damn, was there a quick turn around time. From watching blood get sucked out of my arm to seeing the results up, live, on WellnessFx, took less than 36 hours — on the weekend.

I was stunned at how fast the turn around was. (Disclaimer : I have no idea if that is normal for them or not).

So, what were the results? You can see for yourself in a PDF here. And if you download it, I think the little “quote bubbles” will actually work. What they say is

• 1) LDL in Feb 2012 was originally reported by LabCorp as 164. I believe this is inaccurate so when I posted my previous test results into WellnessFx, I entered in what I believed was the accurate assessment : 144.
• 2) Similarly, I believe 139 is also inaccurate, and that 119 is the accurate count.

The real LDL change then being 144 –> 119.

A 25 point drop any way you slice it.

I have also emailed WellnessFX to verify that 139 is a calculation, not a direct measurement, with the testing I got.

Edit : got a response from WFX. Here is is.

###

    Hi Anthony,

Thanks for your question. I inquired with our Medical Director on this one, and here was his response,

“Great question! Yes, the lab measures the LDL using the Friedewald equation as this is still currently the standard and usually accurate, and direct LDL measurements costs over 20 times the entire lipid panel. it is true that in certain cases the Friedewald equation might be inaccurate, fortunately the LDL is likely accurate here. The Friedewald equation tends to mis-estimate LDL when the Triglycerides are very high (>400mg/dl) and/or the LDL is very low (<70mg/dl), neither of which are the case with this profile, so based on the research this calculation of LDL is likely very accurate.

Hope this helps, Murdoc

Murdoc Khaleghi MD FACEP FAAEM
Medical Director, WellnessFX”

I hope this information helps. If you have any additional questions, please let us know.

Thank you,

WellnessFX Care Team  

So it’s clear, I believe the “direct” language on the WellnessFX dashboard is semantics with the free test I had done. They are simply reporting what LabCorp is giving them, and I do not think it is an actual measurement of my LDL — it’s a calculation based on everything else.

You can read more about the number crunching here.

Now, why would the LDL drop so sharply? Well assuming that the drop was primarily, if not entirely a decrease in the “bad LDL”, which I’m guessing it is, I suspect it is due to three factors that were not present last year.

• Enormous drop in chronic stress (no 2013 conferences)
• Iodine supplementation
• More sleep

Diet has not changed much; more grass fed butter and grass fed whey, if anything in the past year. Exercise habits are almost identical as well.

The real changes are those three : dramatically less chronic stress, more iodine (from kelp), and more sleep; perhaps an extra hour per night, on average — my sleep may also be of higher quality, now that I’m not bleeding cortisol 24/7.

I’ve added some other supplements and extracts into the mix as well : krill oil, Vitamin C, rose hips, curcumin, magnesium, etc. But my hunch is, if any “pill” had a significant effect, it was the iodine/kelp.

My only sources before the kelp were raw egg yolks, and “iodized sea salt”. Now that my girlfriend does most of the cooking, I only average a few raw yolks per week, at best, and I’m not convinced the sea salt is a great source of iodine.

(During my single life I would regularly eat 12-30 eggs a week in various combinations, because you know, that’s about all I knew how to cook haha).

What Does it All Mean?

Probably nothing. I’m not pulling my hair out of my head this year, 19 hours a day, 8 days a week, so my “numbers” improved even further. As far as everything else in the report, no comment from me, other than that it all looks pretty being 100% green.

In the future I’d like to do more advanced testing with WellnessFX, if for nothing else than to get a gauge on my real Vitamin D levels. If you want to help make that happen sign up using the link in this post (I get credit with them for future tests when you do).

Going Forward

I started taking 1-2 tbsp a day of Bulletproof MCT Oil about 10 days ago, either straight, or in my BulletProof Coffee. If and when I ever get my HDL tested again, I suspect it will be even higher than it is here. Dave Asprey reported his HDL at a sky high 89 if I remember correctly. It’d be fun to beat him =D.

(click to play)

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• If you watch the gauge closely you can observe the force read out during the entire exercise, including before movement even beings. (I build up effort before movement).
• If you hit the 720pHD option the gauge should be easier to observe.
• You can go further in the range of motion if so desired. I don't believe there is any benefit to doing so in this semi-low position (and perhaps any position, for that matter).
• What does matter is using and contracting the intended musculature. Not going through a nifty sounding "full range of motion".
• I went shirtless during a workout on 4/20/13 for the...]]>

  (click to play)

  This is a video of a (semi-low) row I performed yesterday during a big five. I thought this would be useful to post because I’ve filmed and posted plenty of static contraction videos as of late on the OMNI, and no dynamic movements in quite some time.

  The machine is perfect at performing both static and dynamic protocols.

  Notes :

  • If you watch the gauge closely you can observe the force read out during the entire exercise, including before movement even beings. (I build up effort before movement).
  • If you hit the 720pHD option the gauge should be easier to observe.
  • You can go further in the range of motion if so desired. I don’t believe there is any benefit to doing so in this semi-low position (and perhaps any position, for that matter).
  • What does matter is using and contracting the intended musculature. Not going through a nifty sounding “full range of motion”.
  • I went shirtless during a workout on 4/20/13 for the first time. The improvement in heat dissipation was significant, on top of keeping the air at a cool 66 degrees Fahrenheit, and having 3 different fans going at the same time (two on the sides, one on the ceiling).
  • Obviously going shirtless is not an option in public gyms, but at home, it is the new norm for me, and I would recommend it if possible.
  • The towel is not necessary … just put it there to prevent any sweat from getting on the machine, of which there is almost none in the first place (which is the goal in the context of the environment I setup).
  • If anyone is uncomfortable with my boxers showing during the workout … deal with it. I’m in my home, and it is difficult enough filming my own workout, training myself, controlling the environment, and logging my workout all at the same time.
  • I am continually trying to improve the video quality and lighting so the monitor is easier to see. I think I’ll get it locked down eventually.
  • I am in the process of building a larger “big-five demonstration” video on the Omni. This video will be part of it, along with the other four exercises.
  ]]> http://www.thedreamlounge.net/do-you-even-row-bro/feed/ 4 http://www.thedreamlounge.net/salute-to-socrates/ http://www.thedreamlounge.net/salute-to-socrates/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 19:56:37 +0000 Anthony Dream Johnson http://www.thedreamlounge.net/?p=7730
  The Relationship Talk Your Father Never Gave You was published today. Its publication brings to mind a number of things. One of which is the realization that Socrates has so much to say, even in the context of all the other incredible speakers at The 21 Convention, that I am literally at a loss of what to do with him as a speaker. This is an amusing problem to have; one that brings a grin to my face. I suppose because I've simply never run into it before, and I never suspected I would. I'm thinking in the future I'll have to figure out a way to double Sock's speaking time, or have him present at multiple events, or SOMETHING. Maybe encourage him to write a book? Perhaps that's the only medium that will have the capacity to capture the depth, scope, and complexity of his ideas in one epic sprint to glory. In any case, the real point of this post is to explicitly...]]>

  The Relationship Talk Your Father Never Gave You was published today. Its publication brings to mind a number of things. One of which is the realization that Socrates has so much to say, even in the context of all the other incredible speakers at The 21 Convention, that I am literally at a loss of what to do with him as a speaker.

  This is an amusing problem to have; one that brings a grin to my face. I suppose because I’ve simply never run into it before, and I never suspected I would. I’m thinking in the future I’ll have to figure out a way to double Sock’s speaking time, or have him present at multiple events, or SOMETHING. Maybe encourage him to write a book? Perhaps that’s the only medium that will have the capacity to capture the depth, scope, and complexity of his ideas in one epic sprint to glory.

  In any case, the real point of this post is to explicitly and publicly thank Socrates for his ideas (and the indescribable quality of life improvement that has resulted from applying said ideas, and sense of life). I did this in person when we filmed Socrates The Documentary, and yet, a full year later, it feels more appropriate than ever to thank him once again.

  I say “sense of life” because it is this aspect of Socrates in this context that may have had the biggest effect of all on me. And when I say “sense of life” in this context, I mean everything about Socrates as it relates to what he speaks about. The seriousness with which he approaches the topic, the courage to live it himself, the deep passion behind the presentation and communication of the ideas, his uncompromising and unyielding choice of words … everything all at once, at the same time.

  Sock isn’t just a living expression of integrity, the speech(es) itself is, to the point they it nearly “overflows” with a commitment to and respect of, reality.

  And so how has Socrates contributed to my quality of life? Simple : the only people living more responsible for the intimate relationship I am currently in, that has absolutely skyrocketed my quality of life and the joy I experience within it, are me, and my girlfriend.

  No other third party on the planet is more responsible than Socrates for that relationship, and the joy it has brought us both.

  

  As much as this says at face value, I think it speaks even greater volumes than it does at first glance. Greater because I have surrounded myself with some of the most intelligent men on the planet, on this domain of life, as well as others. I even had the opportunity to meet Nathaniel Branden, author of one of my all time favorite books, The Psychology of Romantic Love.

  And yet, the efforts Socrates has made, as I’ve absorbed them, and applied them to my own life, rise above. They have been that important and crucial to my development, and the continued success of the relationship itself.

  Indeed, Sock’s ideas are the relationship talk no one ever gave me.

  #####

  Interesting side note, you can see my girlfriend interview me here about my speech in Australia, An Introduction to the Psychology of Romantic Love (the book as well as the subject). The interview came as a surprise — I did not expect her to interview me post presentation, due to the nature of the speech and how close it was to both of us. Boy was I wrong, and surprised : she insisted, was even determined to do the interview.

  As the comments and video indicate, I look, and felt like hell. This is typical for me during and after The 21 Convention in spite of all the diet, training, and recovery in the world. T21C is owner-operated, and this is never more apparent than in the total biological stress toll on me; which is nothing short of *immense* leading up to, during, and post event.

  I was an even bigger wreck post Austin. I think I experienced the first migraine in my life the day after the event, or whatever you call a 12 hour head ache from hell.

  ]]> http://www.thedreamlounge.net/salute-to-socrates/feed/ 6