The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Latest Episodes:

Face Aging with the Science of Beauty – Rachel Varga : 668 Feb 13, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, the topic of skin gets to shine. Caring for your largest organ can take many forms. What’s right for you could range from skincare to rejuvenation procedures to lasers or light therapies. It’s all about your individual aging goals.

In this judgment-free show, I talk with skin rejuvenation and anti-aging expert Rachel Varga, BScN, RN, CANS. She’s been a Board Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist since 2011. She’s an international clinical trainer, speaker, podcaster, and academically published award-winning author in the field of plastic and aesthetic nursing.

Through education on skin care, rejuvenation procedures, non-surgical solutions, and healing lifestyle practices, Rachel helps inspire others with her unique toolkit. “It's all about the science of beauty, and it's half art, half science,” she says. She helps people optimize aging through aesthetic medicine.

Understanding the biological happenings and the underlying science of again can help you decide what to do about it—if anything. “Three facets—the changes in the skin, the bone, and the fat—are really some of the key players that result in facial sagging and everything kind of going downwards,” Rachel says.

Listen on to learn practical tips about product safety, treatments to avoid, and how you can choose the skin rejuvenation options that match how you want to age.

Enjoy the show!

*Special Bonus*

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Thriving Under Pressure with NBA Star Blake Griffin : 667 Feb 11, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is Blake Griffin, a power forward for the NBA's Detroit Pistons and a six-time NBA All-Star.

To stay at the top of his game, he’s dedicated to high-performance training and a healthy lifestyle. “I just naturally enjoy healthy things,” Blake says. “And I think some people don't believe that that's a possibility. But I actually do, and I've always had this interest in it.” He keeps upping his athleticism, redefining health and wellness, and expanding his repertoire of skills.

Off the court, Blake has cultivated a reputation for business acumen—appearing on the cover of the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30.

And in a surprisingly non-athletic turn, he’s gained respect in the world of comedy with his impressive comedic timing. He’s appeared on The Tonight Show in advance of his annual comedy. by blake fundraiser, which he hosted at the world-renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal.

Listen on to learn about Blake’s training and travel biohacks and how delegating opened up his time to follow new pursuits.

Enjoy the show!

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Grinding it Out, Finding Center and Heading Toward a Neon Future – Steve Aoki : 666 Feb 06, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, I sat down (and jumped and bounced) with a global trendsetter, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

Steve Aoki is a two-time Grammy-nominated record producer, electronic musician, music executive, DJ, and filmmaker. He’s one of today’s most successful American cross-genre artists, collectively counting 1.5 billion music streams on Spotify, with an additional 2 billion music streams on YouTube.

He’s also the founder of a record label, events/lifestyle company, and apparel line called Dim Mak. Since 1996, he’s helped launch the careers of global acts like The Chainsmokers and The Kills, among many others.

His success has come through a work ethic for which he is well known. “I wouldn't call myself a creative genius,” Steve says. “I'm a grinder. So, I grind it out. I'll work three times as hard.”

“I look at life like that where I can achieve anything as long as I work hard,” he says. “Finding that center, I can be able to approach all these different things that I do. And whether they're successful to other people is not what's important to me. Whether it means something to me is what's important.”

Another important part of Steve’s life is the Aoki Foundation that supports brain science and research with a specific focus on regenerative medicine and brain preservation.

We touch on his new a memoir titled “Blue: The Color of Noise,” and talk about the ways he maintains his health and energy amid his own force-of-nature life.

Enjoy the show!

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The Birth Control Episode: The Pill Isn’t Bulletproof – Sarah Hill, Ph.D. : 665 Feb 04, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, I talk with Sarah E. Hill, Ph.D., who leads research in the rapidly expanding field of evolutionary psychology. She’s currently a professor and research psychologist at Texas Christian University studying the effects of hormonal birth control on women.

She’s also the author of the book: “This is Your Brain on Birth Control: The Surprising Science of Women, Hormones, and the Law of Unintended Consequences.” It’s an enlightening read that verifies what millions of women have always suspected, but no one confirmed for them until now: The pill changes women.

“Is the best way to prevent pregnancy to totally rewrite everything that creates the experience of being a who a woman is?” Sarah asks.

With more than 50 scientific publications and multiple prestigious research grants to her credit, Sarah has become an authority on the application of evolutionary ideas to human behavior and psychology. She’s been quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Scientific American and The Economist.

“Our sex hormones are part of the signaling architecture that our brain using to create the experience of being the person that we are,” Sarah says. “When we change women's sex hormones—which is what we do with the birth control pill—it’s going to change all sorts of activities in terms of psychological functioning.”

In our interview, Dr. Hill shares her incredible research findings that has uncovered the many ways that the pill changes women’s brains, bodies and lives.

Enjoy the show!

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Flip the Switch Up or Down on Autophagy – James Clement : 664 Jan 30, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, I’m hosting a return guest because he’s doing some truly innovative work in the area of human health span and lifespan.

James Clement is a lawyer and entrepreneur turned research scientist who has devoted the last two decades to understanding the science of life extension.

His new book, “The Switch: Ignite Your Metabolism with Intermittent Fasting, Protein Cycling, and Keto,” is the result of years of scientific investigation that started with a curiosity of the human body’s mTOR/autophagy switch. Autophagy is a natural process that recycles and renews damaged cell parts and removes pathogens to keep us healthy. Like a dimmer “switch,” mTOR can turn autophagy up or down. A switch, James says, that’s at the center of nearly every anti-aging drug, nutraceutical, diet, and health choice that we make.

“The purpose of the book is really to go into this molecular biology mechanism inside the cell, which is about as basic as you can get,” James says. “If you're not working these mechanisms properly, then it doesn't matter what your good intentions are, or the practices that you think you're following.”

In our interview James gives practical tips on how we can activate autophagy through different regimens, such as calorie restriction, intermittent fasting, very-low-carb diets, exercise, or supplements. When it’s switched up, autophagy restores our natural metabolism, slows the aging process, and helps fend off diseases from diabetes, to cancer, to heart disease.

James also is known for his Supercentenarian Research Study, which he started in 2010 and received international attention. Through worldwide scientific collaborations and in his own laboratory, his work focuses on advancing biomedical discoveries.

Enjoy the show!

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A Lesson in Adventure Hacking: Step Toward Your Fear – Jill Heinerth : 663 Jan 28, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest explores the underwater world as one of the greatest cave divers on the planet. She is considered this generation’s Jacques Cousteau. Canadian Jill Heinerth has gone into places in the world where no one had gone before.

“The adventure seeker, the novelty seeker, the sensation seeker isn't necessarily risky in that foolish sort of way,” Jill says. “We're not adrenaline seekers necessarily. It doesn't mean we're dangerous. It doesn't mean were death-wish kind of thing. It just means we're out and interested in stimulation, learning, curiosity, and new things.”

She’s dived deeper into caves than any woman in history and set a women's world record for deep cave penetration. She became the first person to dive the ice caves of Antarctica, going further into an underwater cave system than any woman ever.

“When I do choose to take risks, I'm very, very careful about assessing risks, trying to prevent as many things that could go wrong, pre-visualizing what could happen underwater, and then ensuring that I have the right training, the right personnel, the right equipment, and redundancy with me, so that I can handle that worst case possible scenario,” Jill says.

She’s completed more than 7,500 dives in her career so far and says, “We are capable of so much more than we could possibly imagine.”

Considered a legend in the diving community, she's spent more than three decades in submerged caves around the world partnering with National Geographic, NOAA, and various educational institutions and television networks worldwide. She’s also a writer and award-winning photographer and filmmaker who takes a keen interest in the health of our Earth’s oceans.

In recognition of her lifetime achievement, Jill was awarded the inaugural Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration. Established by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2013, the medal recognizes singular achievements and the pursuit of excellence by an outstanding Canadian explorer. She also is the first Explorer in Residence for the society.

Jill says cave diving is “one of the most dangerous, yet exhilarating, pursuits in the world.” In our conversation, we talk about her adventures underwater and how her survival depends on how she balances risk, fear and the right amount of breathing.

“I'm scared all the time,” Jill says, “because I think being scared means that I care about the outcome.”

Enjoy the show!

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The Simplicity of Tiny Habits Will Change Your Life – BJ Fogg, Ph.D. : 662 Jan 23, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is someone who has cracked the code on a fundamental part of how human behavior works when it comes to forming new habits.

Behavior scientist BJ Fogg, Ph.D., founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University and is considered the leading scientific authority on habits.

“It really is surprising to people how quickly you can form habits,” BJ says, “and there are certain habits that have this transformative impact on you.” There's one habit in particular, called the Maui habit, that he suggests for absolutely everyone. Keep listening to find out how to do it!

His behavior model is easy to learn and easy to apply to everyday life… and doesn’t include willpower. “The thing that wires a habit in is not repetition,” BJ says, “it's the emotion you feel when you do the behavior.” He explains that behavior happens when three elements come together at the same moment: motivation, ability, and a prompt.

This is going to be the episode that sets you on the path to creating habits that last. Why? Because BJ will introduce you to the science behind forming “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything ” and give you the tools you need to hack your own behavior.

“The book does two things at once,” BJ says. “It defines what behavior design is and gives the models and methods of behavior design. Then more specifically, it walks people through step-by-step tiny habits so people can create habits quickly and easily.”

Enjoy the show!

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Just Give a Fork: Eat the Freakin' Pasta – Mareya Ibrahim : 661 Jan 21, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest is a TV chef, holistic nutritionist, and award-winning entrepreneur and inventor with more than 25 years of experience in the food industry. Mareya Ibrahim hosts the popular Facebook Live show “The Real Dish” and the "Recipes for Your Best Life” podcast. She also founded Grow Green Industries and co-invented the patented eatCleaner line of products.

She believes in food flexibility while still focusing on a core system that works, “where you're exercising your metabolism, you're flexing your taste buds, you're exploring a variety of different macronutrients and having fun with food,” she says.

Mareya and I talk about her new book, "Eat Like You Give a Fork: The Real Dish on Eating to Thrive," the nuances of clean eating, and why grains aren’t always the enemy.

“At the end of the day, I think what's really important is that we focus on the quality of the food that we're getting and that we eat with intention,” Mareya says.

Enjoy the show!

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Stronger at 68: 7 Marathons in 7 Days – Robert Hamilton Owens : 660 Jan 16, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest defies aging by pushing the limits of his own endurance as an athlete and adventurer well into his sixth decade. After a 20-year hiatus from competitive fitness, Robert Hamilton Owens took it up again at age 50. By age 65, he felt ready to take on five of the world’s toughest endurance events. IN. ONE. YEAR.

He competed in an 8-day race over 200 miles across Greece; a combination run/ocean swim event lasting more than nine hours; an Ironman Triathlon; seven marathons in seven days on seven continents; and a 50-hour challenge modeled after a Navy SEAL-style Hell Week.

Yet, Robert says; “I'm an average guy. And what I learned in this process was that if an average person will continue to do the right things and persevere, they'll do far more than they think they can ever do.”

In our conversation, we talk training styles, grit, toughness, and what it takes to find your “why” and keep going. That includes being vulnerable and asking for help.

“Most people will hit a natural mental ceiling,” Robert says. “Your mind is geared to protect you. You think thoughts to protect you, you don't want to be hurt. And yet to get to the places you want to go, you're going to have to go through pain; mental pain, emotional pain, relational pain, financial pain, situational pain. And you don't want pain. None of us do. But the only way to grow is to embrace that pain.”

Enjoy the show!

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It’s Time to Break Up With Sugar – Michele Promaulayko : 659 Jan 14, 2020

Show notes

In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, my guest tackles a topic in her newest book that has far-reaching implications for just about every aspect of human health—sugar. And she talks about it a way that's really useful because sugar is an emotional, psychological, and physical and biochemical thing all at once. Not quite heroin but not that far away.

“Sugar has the tightest grip on us, right?” Michele Promaulayko says. “Even the "healthiest" people I know have a problem with sugar. As I was developing “Sugar Free 3,” every single person I spoke to said, "I need that." And they all do need it because we're a nation of sugar addicted people.”

We discuss the insidious ways added sugar shows up in our food supply and how we’re unintentionally consuming it because it’s hiding in so many foods. “The frenemy,” says Michele in “Sugar Free 3: The Simple 3-Week Plan for More Energy, Better Sleep, and Surprisingly Easy Weight Loss!”. “And that’s exactly what sugar is. … Sure, it acts life your most supportive BFF, there for you at all hours, especially the late nights when you think you need it most. But when you stop to really thing about it, sugar takes way more than it gives.”

In our conversation, Michele suggests genius ways to use aromatherapy to curb cravings, gives practical tips on how to reset your palette, and recommends ways to loosen sugar’s grip. You can find even more tips in the book or on the new video series platform Sugar Free 3 on Openfit.

Michele is an award-winning print and digital editor, journalist and author. As the former editor-in-chief of Comopolitan magazine, Yahoo Health, and Women’s Health magazine, she has been an influential voice for health, wellness, and women’s issues for two decades. She’s now editorial-director-at-large for THE WELL—a new health ecosystem—where she continues to be a leader in the modern wellness conversation.

Enjoy the show!

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