Optimal Performance

Latest Episodes:

OPP175- The Paleo Chef Returns! Jun 05, 2018

Show notes

Today's episode of the OPP marks the return of Mary Shenouda, AKA The Paleo Chef! Mary is an OPP OG and was our guest for OPP 112 titled Making S*** Happen. This podcast is more of a natural free flowing conversation, which allowed us to catch up with our old friend. We discuss what in the world she's been up to since we last spoke, her views on modern living, and just what is next for The Paleo Chef. Enjoy!

OPP 174 - Using Real Magic to Improve Performance May 30, 2018

Show notes

We've got a bit of a different podcast today for you Guys & Gals, but it's still a goodie, and jam packed with exciting information. The Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, Dr. Dean Radin, joins us to discuss his expertise on real magic and how can it optimize performance for everyone. Dr. Radin is the author of many books, but his newest, titled Real Magic, delves into the worlds of telepathy and psychokinesis; which he explains may not solely be powers of the imagination. Enjoy!

OPP 173 - Reversing Cognitive Decline with Dr. Dale Bredesen May 23, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Dale Bredesen is the Founding President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging at UCLA, and today we have him on the OPP. He is the author of the New York Times Best Selling book The End of Alzheimer's and an expert on Cognition and Neurodegenerative Diseases. His research has provided new discoveries in the world of Brain Performance and has shown the demand for more education on numerous Neurodegenerative Diseases.

In this episode, Dr. Bredesen educates us on the prevention of Alzheimer's, his very own ReCODE protocol, and just what exactly is a cognoscopy?

OPP 172 - How To Fix A Broken Brain: Recovering From Traumatic Brain Injuries Through Food May 15, 2018

Show notes

Today on the Optimal Performance Podcast, we have Cavin Balaster, who shares with us his knowledge on brain injuries. Seven years ago Cavin fell off of a water tower scaffolding and suffered a major brain injury that pinned the odds against him, but he went on to beat those odds and he is here to educate us. He informs us on certain types of nutrients that should be consumed by someone that has experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Tune in and listen to his stories ranging from his advice to clients, to him eating marijuana…? Enjoy.

P.S. First time purchasers from Natural Stacks can get 15% off their order by using the code MAC15 at checkout. Check out our Mood Stack if you agree that feeling good means keeping your body healthy and your mind at peace.

Episode Outline

Intro [1:16]
Cavin's Stack [6:30]
Pre-TBI Mentality [9:25]
Nutrition for Brain Recovery [15:32]
What does your body prefer? [19:20]
The Brain-Gut Connection [22:36]
What do you take for inflammation? [28:22]
Cavin's Clients [30:12]
Nutrients through feeding tube diet [34:57]
Improving Eye Function [39:24]
Meditation techniques [46:04]
Where do you stand on cannabis and CBD? [58:36]
What's next for Cavin? [62:24]
Outro [69:46]

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171: The Big Fat Surprise and Debunking the Traditional Diet May 08, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of the Optimal Performance Podcast, we digging with Nina Teicholz called The Big Fat Surprise. This book took 10 years to write because Nina got into so many different studies about how saturated fats were bad for you.

Her book tells the story of why it is the way that it is now, why the food pyramid is set up the way it is and it's a fascinating conversation overall.

A lot of us already know why butter, meat and cheese belong in a healthy diet. That's not that off the wall for most of you listeners. But Nina gets into the politics and policy surrounding around our nations health guidelines.

We've included 2 of the studies that Nina Teicholz mentions including the Paddon-Jones review (first laid out the meal distribution argument) and the PROT-AGE study group (the paper that "protein folks" always use to begin our arguments that the RDA is not adequate for older adults).

It's a really cool converation, it moves moves quickly and I think you're all gonna enjoy.

Episode Outline

Intro [1:30]
Nina Teicholz's Stack [3:00]
Debunking Dietary Myths and The Big Fat Surprise [6:00]
Undoing the Traditional Diet and Today's Issues [10:15]
Are our people being kept sick? [14:30]
What is it going to take to reprogram our diets? [18:15]
What are you faced with since writing your book? [23:30]
What are some examples of good rigerous science? [28:40]
What drew you to this line of work? [31:20]
Finding Your Own True Dietary Bliss [35:00]
Who is getting nutrition right? [39:00]
The difference in changes between men and women. [41:45]
What's up next for Nina Teicholz? [45:15]
Outro [48:00]

Links & Resources

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170: Sleeping Like A Pro with The Sleep Doctor May 01, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of the Optimal Performance Podcast, we talk with Dr. Michael Bruce. Dr. Bruce is THE guys for sleep. He's been on Dr. Oz, has worked with many high profile wellness professionals, doctors and researchers.

He has come up with these sleep chronotypes are (I happen to be a bear meaning I go to sleep at a standard time like 10pm and wake up at 6am). This conversation dives deep into sleep quality, melatonin, CBDs and what effect they have on sleep improvement and we also talk about how sleep effects our performance. Common knowledge like the 8 hour of sleep rule? A MYTH!

Once become aware of how you like to sleep, you can do things like get ready to sleep like blue blocking glasses, drinking water as soon as you wake up to feel more refreshed, and other life hacks to make your sleep the most revitalizing experience possible.

I think you're going to get a LOT out of this episode.

Outline

Intro [2:00]
Dr. Breus's Stack [4:30]
Did you always know sleep was your thing? [7:45]
Explaining the chronotypes [11:00]
When's the best time for sex? [16:00]
Where are most people getting their sleep wrong? [18:00]
What can you do if you can't start your day with the sun? [21:15]
Eye health [25:30]
8 hours of sleep myth, sleep stages, and lucid dreaming [27:30]
Supplementaiton, GABA, banana tea and nightly routines [32:30]
Dr Breus's Banana Tea [35:30]
CBD Is Not Weed and Cannabanoid Sleep [38:30]
How to buy Melatonin [48:00]
What's your nightly routine? [51:00]
There's nothing wrong with falling asleep with the TV on [54:30]
The Chili Pad, Grounding Pads, Binaural Beats, Mattress Types, Sleep Trackers [60:30]
Outro [67:00]

Links & Resources

Connect With Us Follow Sean McCormick

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169: Speeding Recovery with the NanoVi Apr 24, 2018

Show notes

On this podcast we sit down the cofounder of Eng3, Rowena Gates, which is a biotech company that sells and creates the NanoVi. The NanoVi is a pretty incredibly technical and scientific little device that uses structured water to speed recovery.

This incredible piece of biotech runs water through a tube that structures the water in such a way that when the vapor is inhaled, it is immediately absorbed into your body. This helps with protein folding, which an essential part of our recovery and vitality. The NanoVi helps people who are recovering from disease or radiation and it can be found in various clinics across the country.

Our convo ranges form how to use the NanoVi, who it could help, and what the possible potential is when using the NanoVi with regularity. We also talk about oxidative stress and how the NanoVi helps it as well as complementary services and methods that you can use alongside the NanoVi to live a more optimal life.

As the masters and tinkerers of our own body who are always looking for the next breakthrough in performance tech and the NanoVi is that. I've tried it a couple of times and I definitely received a bit of an energy boost (which is never a problem for me!)

Outline

Intro [3:30]
Rowena Gates' Stack [7:15]
What is oxidative stress and how do we supplement against it? [9:00]
What determines risk to oxidative stress? [12:30]
What is protein folding and why is it important? [14:30]
How did you get involved with longeivity devices? [18:30]
Can you describe how NanoVI works? [21:30]
What are some experiences that athletes have with NanoVi? [26:30]
What are some experiences that athletes have with NanoVi? [34:00]
How is data measured for longeivity? [39:00]
Difference between oxidation therapy and hyperbaric chambers? [41:00]
What do critics say about NanoVi? [44:00]
Sean's NanoVi Experience [46:00]
Examples of NanoVi at work for nonathletes? [52:00]
How do you buy a NanoVi? [55:00]
How can you measure the impact of the NanoVi? [61:00]
Is the NanoVi used in the healthcare system? [63:30]
What's coming up next? [65:00]
Outro [67:00]

Links & Resources

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168: The Cure for Alzheimers - A World Without Aging Apr 17, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of the OPP I talk with Dr. Michael Fossel. We have an amazing conversation about longevity, a possible cure for Alzheimers and other cognitive degenerative diseases. Dr. Fossel is the author of The Telomorase Revolution and is the founder and former Editor in Chief of Rejuvenation Research.

He's best known best for his views on telomerase therapy as a possible treatment for cellular senescence in human age related disease. Our conversation moves really quickly, and I get to ask how we include our longevity, his stack, personal work, and the potential for human trials into the reversal of Alzheimers.

Alzheimers is brutal and this is pretty big stuff.

Outline

Intro [2:30]
How does aging happen? [05:40]
What is telomerase? [8:00]
What are you working on now? [9:45]
What would a treatment reversing Alzheimers look like? [12:00]
What are we looking at in terms of increased lifespan? [15:45]
Are there any diseases that can't be reversed through therapy? [18:30]
Length vs Relative Length of Telomeres [21:15]
Telomere testing and efficacy [25:00]
Supplements helping with brain efficiency [31:00]
Stem cell and gene therapy [36:30]
What drew you into this line of work? [41:00]
Longevity goals [45:15]
How does cannabis fit into longevity? [53:00]
The future of telomerase [55:30]
Outro [57:15]

Links & Resources

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167: Maximizing Your Prep Like a US Olympian Apr 10, 2018

Show notes

For this week's episode of the Optimal Performance Podcast, we have Brett Kelly, the strength and conditioning coach for the US Ski & Snowboarding team. They just got back from winning a couple of gold medals over at the Olympics and Bretty works with free ski half pipe, free ski slope style and ariels.

We get into some of the finer details about strength and conditioning and for athletes like this that are doing such unique movements on skis, (ariels is a crazy flipping inverted sport that looks like this), Brett really knows his stuff.

We talk about how to maximize for snow sports, how to gain as much possible strength in the core, exercises involved in that strengthening of the core, and more. If you like to ski or snow board or just love to dork out on world class strength and conditioning, this is the episode for you.

Get an insider look at what happens inside the Olympics. How do people get there? What does an Olympic schedule look like? Find out this and more on this's weeks episode of the Optimal Performance Podcast!

P.S. You can now take CILTEP to go! Get CILTEP in a SINGLE SERVING TEARAWAY PACK to keep in your desk, put in your workout bag, etc. Use the code CILTEP4ALL and you'll get $10 off!

Outline

Intro [2:30]
Olympic Skiing and Life Post Olympics [05:45]
Brett Kelly's Stack [14:30]
What's it like working with US Ski & Snowboarding? - [20:00]
What physical/mental traits makes someone exceptional? [24:00]
How strong are your strongest athletes? [30:15]
How does life change after the Olympics? [36:00]
Mental training and sports psychology [39:30]
How can weekend warriors improve their skiing? [42:00]
A US Olympic Skiing diet. [50:30]
What's it like to be in the Olympics? [52:30]
What's it like working with professional baseball players? [55:00]
Legs or Core? [59:30]
What tech are you using? [61:00]
Future plans [67:00]
Outro [70:00]

Links & Resources

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166: Microdosing Psychedelics with Paul Austin Apr 03, 2018

Show notes

We're really going there this week...

Our conversation with Paul Austin takes us down the rabbit hole of microdosing: using sub-perceptual doses of psychedelics to perform at a higher level.

Our specific and narrow look explores which psychedelics and at what doses to experience different effects. We discuss the different application of microdosing psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA, to perform at a higher level, think creatively, and reduce depression and anxiety.

For those of you pushing the boundaries of your brain and performance, this is a must hear discussion.

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Shop Natural Stacks

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