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2 years ago, I decided I was fed up with supplements. Just freakin' tired of all the tablets, capsules, pills, powders and oils. And bottles. Lots and lots of plastic bottles scattered everywhere. I distinctly remember the day I finally decided something needed to change. It was when I swung open the door of my refrigerator to dive into my daily regimen of vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients, micronutrients, fish oils... ...and I realized it was getting overwhelming. Sure, it was better living through science, but it was anything but simple. I'm sure you've experienced the same thing. You open what seems like nearly a dozen different bottles to launch into your morning supplement regimen.... ...or you pack your suitcase to travel and struggle to prioritize which bottles to shove into your limited suitcase space... ...or you spend an inordinate amount of your precious time tracking, ordering and restocking your vitamin D or your fish oil, or your greens, or your multi-vitamin or your minerals or your antioxidants or your amino acids... You get the idea. Supplement clutter, supplement confusion and utter lack of supplement simplicity. ------------------------------------ 9 Reasons You May Not Want To Throw Out All Your Supplements Now don't get me wrong. I don't think supplements are an inconvenient and unnecessary curse that should simply all be tossed out. There is certainly evidence that consuming nutrients from a healthy diet can be more beneficial than relying strictly upon supplements, but even if you're eating a “healthy” diet, studies have shown that it is nearly impossible in our modern era to get all our nutrients, vitamins and minerals only from food. For example, a recent paper by scientists from the Council for Responsible Nutrition in Washington reports: "Large portions of the population had total usual intakes below the estimated average requirement for vitamins A (35%), C (31%), D (74%), and E (67%) as well as calcium (39%) and magnesium (46%). Only 0%, 8%, and 33% of the population had total usual intakes of potassium, choline, and vitamin K above the adequate intake when food and multivitamin use was considered. The percentage of the population with total intakes greater than the tolerable upper intake level (UL) was very low for all nutrients..." "...Conclusions: In large proportions of the population, micronutrient sufficiency is currently not being achieved through food solutions for several essential vitamins and minerals. Use of age- and gender-specific multivitamin supplements may serve as a practical means to increase the micronutrient status in subpopulations of Americans while not increasing intakes above the upper intake level." So how on earth could this be? Is the planet broken or something? There's actually nine reasons for the failure of modern diets to supply our bodies with all the nutrients we need. First, modern commercial farming practices strip our precious soil of nutrients. When plants are repeatedly grown on the same land for year-after-year (a relatively new phenomenon in agriculture that beats up our land but gives us lots and lots of calories), the overused soil loses it's nutrients faster than they can be replaced.  Over time, the plants have fewer nutrients to grow, so the farmers are forced to fertilize.  Fertilizer does indeed contain enough nutrition for a plant to survive until harvesting, but not enough nutrients to support your body's nutrient needs. As discussed in the excellent book "Not On The Label: What Really Goes Into The Food On Your Plate", this results in plants that up to 75% fewer micronutrients. This problem is compounded by the fact that most plants are not harvested fresh, and the nutrients degrade as they often sit on airplanes, trucks, shelves, and counters for weeks before they arrive on your plate. Second, most modern fruits and vegetables are grown for maximum sugar calories, and not maximum nutrients, and because of this much of your fresh produce that us humans would have historically relied upon for nutrients are instead artificially high in calories, fructose and other sugars while being low in nutrients.  And of course, this is all passed on to the animals (including you!) that are eating the plants. For example, one study in the Journal of Nutrition and Health found copper levels have dropped by 90% in dairy, 55% in meat, and 76% in vegetables! Third, pesticides are making this problem even worse.  Because polyphenols are produced as a defense against bugs and pathogens, plants exposed to pesticides will be lower in precious polyphenols compared to organic ones. To make matters even more frustrating, even if you buy organic plants, this is no guarantee that they haven't been exposed to pesticides! So unless you're going out of your way to grow your own fresh fruits and vegetables in a pristine backyard garden which contains soil that you've treated with added minerals, you are at a huge risk for malnourishment and nutrient deficiency that adversely affects your performance, fat loss, recovery, digestion, brain, sleep, and hormone balance. Fourth, it's not just nutrient-poor plants that are affecting the nutrient status of the actual animals we rely upon for food, but it's also what many of those animals are being fed - especially grains. Compared to grass-fed meat, grain-fed meat is lower in antioxidants, micronutrients, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins, but unfortunately, eating high-quality, organic grass-fed (and grass-finished) meat, pastured pork and naturally raised poultry is simply not a reality for many people living in urban environments or frequently traveling. Fifth, the nutrients in your food aren't the only things that are disappearing - your liquids are being affected too. Unless you're drinking from your own well, or relying upon fancy mineralized water such as Pellegrino, Perrier and Gerolsteiner, your bottled water, filter water and tap water is also often stripped of precious minerals - and if does indeed contain adequate minerals, these are typically accompanied by enormous levels of flouride and chlorine. So this means that unless you want to spend lots and lots of money on fancy water, you are stuck in a situation where you must filter your water to get rid of the dangerous stuff, then figure out other methods, such as supplementation, to get the minerals you'd normally be getting from the water. Unfortunately, milk is not much better than water. The majority of nutrients in milk are found in the fat, so while organic raw, unpasteurized, full-fat dairy is high in nutrients, most of us simply don't have ready access to it, especially at the typical grocery store.  In addition, pasteurization can destroy many of the nutrients in both skim and full fat milk.  Modern, conventional milk and other dairy products from grain-fed cattle can also be higher in aflatoxin and other mycotoxins, which increases your nutrient needs even more, creating a vicious cycle. So whether it's due to nutrient-poor plants, nutrient-poor animals, nutrient-poor milk, or nutrient-poor water, most diets are now so micronutrient deficient that they require on average 27,575 calories to supply all the essential nutrients that you need. In other words, in our modern era, you would need to be stuffing your face all day long to actually get what your body needs, and this does not into account the fact that if you are trying to lose weight by restricting calories or if you are a physically active person like a triathlete, marathoner, Crossfitter, weightlifter, or other exercise enthusiast, then your risk of nutrient deficiency is going to be even higher!  In other words, if you are A) trying to lose weight by not stuffing your body full of excessive calories or B) an athlete  or physically active person, then you're pretty much guaranteed to be at a constantly malnourished nutrient deficit (unless you figure out a way to somehow squeeze in all those added nutrients). The older you get, the fewer nutrients you absorb, so as you age, the worse things become. And that's reasons six (weight loss), seven (exercise) and eight (age) that you may need a little help over and above what you'd get from food. So let's say you dig a well, grow your own produce, milk your own goats, eat strictly grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish, you're relatively young and you avoid excessive physical activity or calorie restriction for weight loss. Then you're safe, right? No added nutrients necessary, right? The unfortunate ninth fact is that unless you live on a pristine mountaintop in the Himalayas, you're exposed every day to airborne pollutants, xenoestrogens from plastics and BPA, environmental toxins, mold, industrial solvents, electromagnetic fields, heavy metals, fluorescent lighting, constant stress, sleep disruption and a host of other modern-day assailants upon your biology. Your body simply wasn't mean to deal with these physiological stressors - all of which vastly increase your need for nutrients to help you fight the daily battle. So for the nine reasons above - depleted soil, nutrient-poor produce, pesticides, conventional meat, subpar water and milk, weight loss, physical activity, age, and our modern post-industrial living environment, you definitely shouldn't throw out all your supplements. --------------------------------------- Is It Possible For Supplements To Be Simpler? So this was the conundrum I found myself in two years ago as I stood in front of my refrigerator door and sighed in frustration at the dizzying array of supplements and bottles. I knew that because of my extremely active lifestyle and the other reasons I just listed that I couldn't and shouldn't just throw out all my supplements. I knew that I needed to keep my precious nutrients topped off for better performance, faster recovery, optimized fat burning, clean digestion, superior mental focus, better sleep and hormone balance... ...but I also knew that I was sick and tired of having to lug around a bunch of bottles, painstakingly use a weekly pill box to keep track of my supplements like an old man tracks his medication, and constantly be headed over to Amazon or some other website to re-order something I was running low in.  And then there was that gnawing worry at the back of my mind that any of these supplements I was ingesting could be laced with something like chemicals, toxins, metals or illegal-performance enhancing drugs that could potentially damage my body, put pie in my face and get me banned from competing in a sanctioned sport like triathlon. I wanted better living through science. But I also desperately needed more simplicity. And I knew that somewhere, somehow, there must be a way to have both: the ultimate combination of science and simplicity. --------------------------------------- Seven Criteria a Multivitamin Must Have At that point, I embarked upon my quest to discover the greatest multivitamin on the face of the planet - something that could cover all my bases from a nutrient standpoint without requiring a dizzying, inconvenient and exhausting array of pills, bottles and packets. After all, that's kind of the definition of a multivitamin, right? It supposed to cover multiple needs. As a nutritionist, personal trainer, exercise physiologist and strength and conditioning coach with strict standards about what I find acceptable for myself or my clients to ingest, I also had a very distinct set of criteria that I knew a multivitamin must have - seven criteria to be precise... --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #1: Capsules, Not Tablets Before completely shoving tablets under the bus, I'll acknowledge the two benefits tablets possess. First, because tablets are pressed together so hard, more nutrients can fill the same amount of space than you can put into a capsule. Second, it’s cheaper to make tablets than capsules. There are several drawbacks, however, to using tablets. First, tablets are much harder to digest. Because tablets are packed together so tightly and need far more binders and diluents to keep them together, it takes much longer for them to break down in the digestive system. A capsule, on the other hand, breaks down within just minutes of hitting your digestive tract. This is important because of the little known fact that most of the nutrients in a multivitamin actually need to be absorbed in your stomach. When a tablet takes too long to break down in the stomach, and passes on to your intestinal tract, its content will be far less broken down and absorbed. And that means expensive pee. Tablets also need lots of extra nasty ingredients, such as binders, lubricants, coatings, disintegrants, and other excipients. These ingredients must be added to make the tablet stay together, to make the tablet shiny, and to make the tablet break apart. Tablet press machines compact the powdered nutrients together (that have already been mixed with binders and lubricants) with a tremendous amount of force. Then, to make the tablets shiny and easier to swallow, the tablets are often sprayed with coatings such as shellac (just like the shellac found on furniture but instead labeled “pharmaceutical glaze”) or coated with “vegetable protein,” (most often a protein derived from GMO corn). Yuk. I'll take a capsule, please. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #2: One Morning Dose & One Evening Dose Your body needs nutrients throughout the course of the day, not just one huge shotgun dose when you get out of bed in the morning or before you go to bed at night. So I needed to find a multivitamin designed in such a way that it delivered important nutrients for daily metabolism and activity in the morning dose, and important nutrients for recovery, rest, and sleep in the evening dose, but without a dizzying array of capsules. I'll admit that it does take slightly more discipline to take a multivitamin twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening – but it’s a much better way to deliver the optimal nutrients at the optimal times throughout the day. After all, you'd rarely eat only breakfast or only dinner, right? I figure if I can handle at least two meals, I can handle two supplement doses - as long it's not a dozen different bottles of stuff. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #3: Low Number of Capsules One extremely inconvenient factor in most multivitamin formulas out there is the number of capsules necessary for daily use if you truly are going to be able to get all the nutrients that you need from a single formula. I think that taking three capsules in the morning and three capsules in the evening is practical and doable for me. Anything less than the six capsules per day can significantly reduce the efficacy of a multivitamin formula, but once you get over six capsules, it becomes a pain to manage, difficult to swallow, and a hassle to travel with. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #4: Vegan & Vegetarian Friendly Capsules Most capsule-based multivitamins use capsules made from bovine gelatin - that's cow. And although I do not personally eat a plant-based diet, I have many clients who are either vegan or vegetarian. So I wanted the actual capsule material to be made from the best alternative to cattle-based bovine gelatin. The ideal answer would be a capsule made of cellulose, which is a natural, vegetable-based material, and is pure plant fiber (usually from pine trees). In other words, I know it's important to many of my clients and friends that no animals be harmed in the formulation of a good multivitamin. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #5: No Magnesium Stearate or Other Nasty Fillers Magnesium stearate is probably the most common flowing agent that you will find in the “Other Ingredients” section on the Supplement Facts box on any multivitamin label. Magnesium stearate is a lubricant that is used to manufacture nutritional supplements to help powders flow through manufacturing equipment faster. It allows more tablets to be manufactured per hour and is therefore a cost-savings choice for a manufacturer. However, studies have shown that magnesium stearate can reduce the absorption rate of some nutrients. It literally wraps around nutrients and keeps them from being absorbed in the digestive tract. So although magnesium stearate is not necessarily harmful, it can vastly reduce the effectiveness of the nutritional supplements that you are taking. Instead, I'd rather see a multivitamin use something like calcium laurate, which helps powders flow through the manufacturing equipment, but is a completely naturally-occurring material that does not inhibit absorption. Calcium laurate is not as effective of a flowing agent as magnesium stearate is, so products can’t be manufactured as fast, but it can certainly get the job done without the need to use magnesium stearate. When it is necessary to fill the capsule with something in addition to a nutrient or botanical, I'd rather see a multivitamin manufacturer use magnesium citrate, a the pure element reacted with pure citric acid; cellulose, a pure plant fiber, magnesium citrate-laurate, a pure element reacted with citric acid and lauric acid (a small fat molecule that does not inhibit absorption), silica, a pure element found in sand, and the amino acid leucine. Any of these fillers are completely natural and allow you to take a multivitamin without worrying about unnatural or harmful ingredients you might be ingesting. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #6: No GMO's For  personal health and longevity reasons, and for consideration of the earth's environment, I avoid like the plague any product that contains Genetically Modified Organisms (known as GMOs). Unfortunately, most multivitamins contain GMO-laden ingredients - as well as corn, gluten, and some of the other nasty fillers mentioned earlier. This requires that any multivitamin I would ever use would need to closely analyzed by the manufacturer and guaranteed to be absolutely certain that none of ingredients are derived from GMO sources nor that they utilize GMOs in their production. --------------------------------------- My Multivitamin Criteria #7: Certified to Have No Banned Ingredients As I mentioned, it's very important to me that any supplement I take is not only CGMP certified (manufactured in a certified good manufacturing practices facility to ensure purity), but is also free of any ingredients that would get me banned from competing in triathlons, or taint my body with unnatural steroids or hormones. For years, I've been under the impression that something called an "NSF For Sport" certification was the strictest, third-party verification standard by which to judge whether a supplement contains these potentially illegal or banned ingredients. Turns out, I was wrong.   There's something even more strict than NSF. And that is Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the pharmaceutical regulatory agency of Australia. Considered the toughest regulatory agency in the world, the TGA inspection and certification is conducted at a pharmaceutical level standard. Yes, that means the supplements certified by the TGA are verified to be as pure as an actual pharmaceutical drug. For me to hold a multivitamin to as strict a standard as a TGA certification would be tough. Only a handful of U.S. companies are able to achieve the status of holding a TGA certification and there is really only one dietary supplement company in the U.S. that ever has completed all three strict levels of a TGA certification, since the certification requires not only a review of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) every two years, but also on-site inspection of every aspect of a multivitamin's quality control, laboratory procedures, pharmaceutical good manufacturing practices, and standard operating procedures. But that's not all. I'd also prefer for a multivitamin to be certified by Informed Choice. Informed Choice requires five samples from three different production runs of product to be tested, which would further guarantee, because of extremely rigid raw material and finished product testing and production procedures, absolutely no ingredient banned by any amateur or professional organization. In other words, I want rock-solid, bulletproof confidence that I can hand any multivitamin that I endorse or personally use to the best athlete on the face of the planet with zero reservations about whether or not the multivitamin is pure or might get them banned. --------------------------------------- Notoriously Neglected Ingredients That A Multivitamin Must Have I also know that there are notoriously neglected ingredients in most multivitamin complexes that make them barely scratch the surface of your true nutrient needs, especially if you're a hard charging athlete, exercise enthusiast, an aging person, a busy professional living a CEO-esque lifestyle, or anyone else with advanced nutrient needs. Take Vitamin D, for example. The 200-400IU of Vitamin D found in most popular multivitamins is basically enough to keep a child from getting rickets. This is not even close enough to support optimal hormonal balance and physical or mental performance. Problem is, the multivitamins that actually do indeed have the 2000+IU per day of Vitamin D that I like to see do not include optimal amounts of Vitamin A or Vitamin K to allow for ideal absorption and utilization of Vitamin D, or reduced risk of Vitamin D toxicity. Or take Vitamin K - a crucial fat soluble vitamin usually found in complete zero amounts in a multivitamin. The body actually needs nearly 400mcg per day of Vitamin K to support bone health, calcium and magnesium balance, and vitamin D absorption, among a host of other metabolic and immune-boosting functions. Yet strangely enough, it's not included at all in most multivitamins. So what else is neglected in most multivitamins that I searched for on my quest to find the greatest multivitamin on the face of the planet? 1. Vitamin B6, B12 and B2 In The Correct Form The bioactive form of Vitamin B6 is Pyridoxal 5’-Phosphate. But the most common form found in most multivitamins is Pyridoxine HCl, which is not the active form of Vitamin B6. So the Pyridoxal 5’-Phosphate is a must-have in my opinion. The most common form of Vitamin B12 used in nutritional supplements and processed foods is cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin, however, is absorbed at a much lower rate than methylcobalamin, which is the form of vitamin B12 that a multivitamin should actually have. Riboflavin 5’-Phosphate is the bioactive form of vitamin B2, but unfortunately Riboflavin HCl is the form commonly used in multivitamins, and that form needs to be converted in an extra step in the liver to the active form. Why do most multivitamins cut corners on these forms of Vitamin B? They're either uninformed, or going for the cheap alternative. 2. Folate In The Correct Form  Folic acid is the most common form of folate used in nutritional supplements and fortified foods. However, a significant percentage of the population has trouble converting folic acid to folate, which is the natural form found in foods and in the body. A good multivitamin should use a form of folate called  l-5-methyltetrahydrofolate to ensure folate is absorbed. It does cost considerably more than folic acid, but again, I only want a multivitamin with ingredients that work - not that just look pretty on a label and then give me expensive pee. 3. Minerals That Are Actually Absorbable Minerals by themselves are poorly absorbed, but when bound to an amino acid (also called a "mineral chelate") they are absorbed much better. Technically the most absorbable form of a mineral is the bisglycinate chelate form, and to avoid the minerals in a multivitamin simply creating expensive pee, I would specifically like to see calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum minerals in a chelated form. 4. Curcumin That Is Actually Absorbable Curcumin is one of my favorite supplements, and has received a lot of attention recently as a potent natural anti-inflammatory nutrient that can control brain and muscle inflammation, positively affect muscle health, joint structure and function, and antioxidant activity in the gut, liver, and heart. But the trouble with most curcumin ingredients is that they are extremely poorly absorbed. However, there is one form of curcumin called the phytosome form which was developed by the researchers in Milan, Italy, and has been shown to be absorbed 29 times better than a standard curcumin extract. This is the only form of curcumin that I'd like to see in a multivitamin. 5. Green Tea Extract That Is Actually Absorbable Green tea is another powerful antioxidant that has been shown to have a mild effect on raising metabolic rate and improving fat oxidation. But like standard curcumin extracts, standard green tea extracts are not well absorbed either. But the same researchers who discovered the curcumin phyotosome have also developed green tea phytosome, which provides a much better absorbed form of green tea extract, and would also ideally be in a multivitamin. 6. Adaptogens Stress-fighting adaptogens are another notoriously missing component of most multivitamins, but in our hectic era are a must-have for sleep, de-stressing and hormone balance. One of the most potent adaptogenic compounds that I discovered in my multivitamin research to both lower cortisol levels and raise testosterone levels is called "Relora", and is a blend of magnolia officinalis and phellodendron amurense. If added to a multivitamin, it could also help curb cravings and stress-related eating, and help calm the mind and support rest and relaxation prior to bedtime. As a high intensity guy, this addition would be a very important to me as a necessary multivitamin ingredient. Remember - this all comes down to simplicity. This means that if you or I can't get our hands on a capsule-based, pure and safe, minimalist and simple multivitamin that provides everything I just described above... ...then it means we are instead forced to buy 6, 8, 10 or 12 different supplements to supply our daily nutrient needs and fill in all the "holes" the multivitamin isn't giving. --------------------------------------- Where A Tiny Town In North Idaho Fits In So that's what I've been doing over the past two years. I have been taking a deep, deep dive into educating myself on the wide world of nutrients, supplements, ingredients, fillers, formulations, encapsulation technology and every aspect that goes into creating a multivitamin. And I have literally been pulling my hair out and hitting dead-end after dead-end as I have been trying to hunt down something that meets my strict quality criteria for a multivitamin. Of course, I have also found it incredibly frustrating when my clients, or readers, or podcast listeners or me have to simply keep on taking a crazy number of supplements or buying an unbelievable number of bottles and spending inordinate amounts of money when it's so straightforward to see what a multivitamin that meets all our daily nutrients needs should really have (and not have!) in it. I've even gone so far as to consider simply hunting down the raw ingredients and formulating my own multivitamin. But frankly, I'm an author, an athlete and a teacher - and don't fancy myself as a supplement manufacturer. I just don't have a desire to get into that business.  I simply want a multivitamin that I can, with a clear conscience, recommend to you and also take myself. Is that asking too much? And then it happened. During one of the dozens and dozens of phone calls I made and countless hours attempting to hunt down the perfect multivitamin formulation, a raw ingredient manufacturer informed me of the existence of a new multivitamin formulation created by a company called "Thorne Research", in Dover, Idaho. That's right - just 60 miles from the front door of my house, in the tiny town of Dover, Idaho, are the Thorne Research facilities (pictured below). After months and months of searching, it turns out the solution could possibly be right in my own backyard. For over 30 years, Thorne Research has set the standard for exceptional formulations, quality and purity in the dietary supplement industry - and is considered the most respected nutritional supplements brand in the healthcare practitioner space. That's right - this is is the stuff physicians use with their patients. I'd actually heard of Thorne before, but always knew it was just for the fancy doctors and clinicians so I couldn't really access it or use it. So until recently, none of the coveted Thorne Research products were available for me or any other personal trainer to actually recommend to our clients, readers or listeners. Instead, these high-quality, private formulations were only available for physicians or dietitians to use with their patients, and only for certified health care providers to use with their clients. But then, in January 2014, Thorne Research created a new branch called "ThorneFX". ThorneFX was specifically designed to address the growing demand of fitness experts like me who are seeking a solution for our clients, but don't have the privileged access to the fancy formulations that normally only a doctor or clinician would be able to prescribe or order. --------------------------------------- The Greatest Multivitamin On The Face Of The Planet So I thought it was pretty interesting (and exciting) that I now had access to some of the highest quality formulations on the face of the planet, produced in a facility just an hour's drive from my house. But it turned out there was even more good news. I also discovered that when Thorne Research created the ThorneFX branch, they had not just created a multivitamin formulation but they had specifically left no stone unturned to launch the most powerful, absorbable multivitamin on the face of the planet. This was a multivitamin that possibly met all of my strict criteria, but that previously had never been available to the general population unless their doctor or dietitian knew about it. It's called the Multi AM/PM Complex, and I immediately got my hands on it. Upon closer inspection and using it for 30 days, I instantly knew that this is not your typical multivitamin. Formulated with superior forms of vitamins and minerals, Multi AM/PM Complex is actually two unique formulations - an AM formula is designed to support daytime energy, and a PM formula designed to support better rest and recovery in the evening. Some of the key differentiators in Multi AM/PM Complex include: -Vitamins K1 and K2 (most use only K1 or no K2 at all).  -Natural folate (5-MTHF) instead of folic acid.  -Methylcobalamin instead of cyancobalamin.  -Chelated minerals to ensure optimal absorption. -Higher dose of magnesium and calcium than typically found in a multivitamin. -Curcumin Phytosome (curcumin complexed with phosphatidylcholine for superior bioavailability) -Green Tea Phytosome (green tea complexed with phosphatidylcholine for superior bioavailability) -Relora, a blend of adaptogenic plant extracts to aid in relaxation, curb late-night cravings, and balance cortisol, testosterone and DHEA levels.  The Multi AM / PM Complex (pictured below) literally satisfies every criteria I require in a multivitamin: all the notoriously neglected ingredients, a TGA and Informed Choice certification, no GMO's, no nasty fillers and ingredients, a capsule instead of a tablet...everything. I couldn't believe when I first found out about the new formulation. Three easy capsules in the morning, three in the evening. Boom. Simple science. My quest was over. Mission accomplished. See for yourself - below are the label and full ingredients. Morning dose - three capsules contain: Vitamin A (3,000 IU as Beta Carotene and 2,000 IU as Palmitate) 5,000 IU Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid) 250 mg Vitamin D (as Vitamin D3) 2,000 IU Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acid Succinate) 20 IU Vitamin K (100 mcg as Vitamin K1 and 100 mcg as Vitamin K2) 200 mcg Thiamin (as Thiamin HCl) 50 mg Riboflavin (as Riboflavin 5’-Phosphate Sodium)  12 mg Niacin (as Niacinamide)  60 mg Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal 5’-Phosphate)  20 mg Folate (as L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate from L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid, Glucosamine Salt)*  600 mcg Vitamin B12 (as Methylcobalamin)  600 mcg Biotin  500 mcg Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium Pantothenate)  45 mg Calcium (as Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate)  38 mg Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)  75 mcg Magnesium (as Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate)  63 mg Zinc (as Zinc Bisglycinate Chelate)  10 mg Selenium (as L-Selenomethionine)  100 mcg Copper (as Copper (II) Bisglycinate Chelate)  750 mcg Manganese  (as Manganese (II) Bisglycinate Chelate)  1.5 mg Chromium  (as Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate) 200 mcg Molybdenum  (as Molybdenum (II) Glycinate Chelate)  50 mcg Curcumin Phytosome** (Curcuma longa extract  (root) / Phosphatidylcholine complex)  200 mg Green Tea Phytosome** (Camellia sinensis  extract (leaf) decaffeinated / Phosphatidylcholine complex)  75 mg Choline Citrate  50 mg d-Gamma Tocopherol (from Mixed Tocopherols)  24 mg Boron (as Bororganic™ Glycine)  1 mg Lutein (from Aztec Marigold extract (flower) (Tagetes erecta))  300 mcg Evening dose, three capsules contain: Vitamin A (600 IU as Beta Carotene and 400 IU as Palmitate)  1,000 IU Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid)  150 mg Vitamin D (as Vitamin D3)  500 IU Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopheryl Acid Succinate)  20 IU Vitamin K (100 mcg as Vitamin K1 and 100 mcg as Vitamin K2)  200 mcg Folate (as L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate from L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic Acid, Glucosamine Salt)*  400 mcg Biotin  500 mcg Calcium (as Calcium Bisglycinate Chelate)  50 mg Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)  75 mcg Magnesium (as Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate)  107 mg Zinc (as Zinc Bisglycinate Chelate)  20 mg Selenium (as L-Selenomethionine)  100 mcg Copper (as Copper (II) Bisglycinate Chelate)  750 mcg Manganese  (as Manganese (II) Bisglycinate Chelate)  1.5 mg Chromium  (as Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate) 200 mcg Molybdenum (as Molybdenum (II) Glycinate Chelate)  50 mcg Proprietary Blend**  200 mg Magnolia officinalis (bark) extract   Phellodendron amurense (bark) extract   Choline Citrate  100 mg d-Gamma Tocopherol (from Mixed Tocopherols)  24 mg Boron (as Bororganic™ Glycine)  2 mg Lutein (from Aztec Marigold extract (flower) (Tagetes erecta)) 600 mcg The science is obviously there - every nutrient your body needs. But the simplicity is so amazingly refreshing - especially when I pack to travel and literally have one morning bottle and one evening bottle to toss into my suitcase - and of course, a heck of a lot of extra space in my refrigerator. Better yet, if you need some icing on the cake - such as anything extra added in like some extra fish oil, pre-workout amino acids, an added shot of Vitamin D, a vegan protein powder, a whey protein powder, a highly absorbable form of iron, a tasty drinkable fish oil complex for the kiddos - ThorneFX has all that too, with the same huge, unparalleled quality that I've never been able to find before. It's like a one-stop shop for everything I have ever looked for or wanted in a nutrition supplements line. --------------------------------------- Summary So that's it: pure and simple. I have never before been able to recommend a complete multivitamin that satisfies all my criteria. And I have always had a refrigerator full of a bunch of bottles. But now the problem is solved. And yes, this means that the ThorneFX Multi AM/PM Complex is now my recommended, go-to source for the ultimate combination of science and simplicity. Furthermore, the entire ThorneFX line is now something I back, endorse, vouch for and am now using in my own personal daily routine with great success. And the best thing yet?  An entire month of the Multi AM/PM Complex is just 34 bucks. You heard me right: 34 dollars. So rather than forking over hundred of dollars for bottle after bottle of fancy supplements, powders, tablets, pills, and oils, you get one multivitamin that hits all your needs for a mere fraction of the price. Go ahead - spend that extra money you were blowing on 10 different supplements on a fancy steak dinner or chock it away for your kid's college or your next car. Of course, if you're familiar with me, my podcast, or articles I've written in the past, then you may be wondering... ...what about the other supplements I've previously recommended? What about TianChi? What about Supergreens? What about my Gut Fixing Pack, Endurance Pack or Fat Burning Pack? The good news is that all of these are still available and still consist of specific ingredients that I may use with certain clients or recommend in certain situations when the need arises. After all, everything I have recommended in the past is all excellent, extremely high-quality stuff, and if you're happy with what you're currently using...then that's fine! But for science, simplicity, peace of mind, and some extra room in my refrigerator and my suitcase, I am moving in the direction of shifting nearly my entire personal supplement protocol to ThorneFX - and specifically what I have discovered to be the greatest multivitamin on the face of the planet: the Multi AM/PM Complex. Leave your questions over on the blog post for this episode, feel free to ask me about how to use or implement any of the ThorneFX supplements into your current protocol, and leave any questions about any substitutions or replacements for other supplements you're currently taking. I promise to personally respond and walk you through everything. Enjoy the new simplicity in your life!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

12 Touko 201437min

In this Premium episode, you get to sit in and hear Ben Greenfield analyze the diet of a professional athlete he works with. If you like what you hear, you can also have Ben analyze your diet and do a consult with you over at http://pacificfit.net/items/one-on-one-consultation/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Touko 201428min

You spend countless hours training, working out, and buffeting your body... ...and thousands of dollars on gym equipment, training equipment, health supplements, healthy food, and if you're a triathlete marathoner, cyclist, adventure racer, obstacle racer or anything like that, travel and race entry fees too... ...but if you're overlooking your hormone health, you're often either taking two steps forward and one step back, or stagnating in your performance and fitness, or worse yet, backsliding in your results! Go take a look at the results from your last workout or event. What was the time gap between you and the top of your category, beating your last workout, or making the progress you wanted? 5%? 10%? Here's the important thing you need to know - your hormones could be holding you back. And an optimal level of cortisol, DHEA, testosterone, progesterone, estrogen and melatonin could easily be the difference that changes your body, your sleep, your libido, your energy and your training and racing season. It's time to learn how to make a difference, and to discover the 8 signs that your cortisol and adrenals may be broken. So in today's podcast, I am joined today by two of the founders of the functional medicine practice Nourish Balance Thrive. Christopher Kelly is a Pro mountain biker, certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner and a recent graduate of the Kalish Institute. Along with Christopher, I interview Dr. Jamie Busch, also a Pro mountain biker. Jamie is board certified in Family Medicine and by the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine. During this episode, you'll learn about how to recognize adrenal stress, how to test adrenal stress, and what you can do about it. Christopher has also given you seven simple signs below that can help you decide if it’s time to get to know your adrenals a little more intimately. ------------------------------- 7 Signs Your Cortisol And Adrenals Are Broken. 1. Reduced interest in all things sexy. Been a long time since you woke up, um, excited? Finding yourself coming up with lots of reasons you really need to just ‘get some sleep?’ Yeah, it’s not fun, and it’s not normal, even for athletes. Sex hormones pay the price of increased adrenal hormone output, which is directly affected by proper digestion, nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, sleep patterns, amount of training, pretty much everything. Testing your adrenals along with your sex hormones tells you exactly what you need to do to get yourself back on track. 2. Uneven energy throughout the day. You drag yourself out of bed but really you’d rather hit the snooze button. A coffee outage is a major crisis. The rest of the morning is not too bad, but fatigue sets in soon after lunch. What a wonderful time to take a nap! You don’t get as excited about working out as you used to, but feel much better after a really long warm up. These are all signs of cortisol dysregulation. Cortisol follows a diurnal rhythm, highest first thing an hour or so before sunrise, reaching a nadir a couple of hours after bed, but that doesn’t mean that first thing should be your most energetic time of the day, instead you should perceive a consistent level of energy throughout. 3. Sudden onset sugar and carb cravings. You’ve just had lunch and yet you’re still hankering for another handful of nuts or maybe one of those gluten-free Paleo bars. You have a standing date with the office snack pantry and coffee machine at 3PM. Cortisol affects carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism, and low cortisol nearly always means low energy. Eating for symptom relief always leads to weight gain, especially in the presence of other hormonal imbalances. 4. Disrupted sleep. On rest days you sleep like a baby, but every other day is pretty hit or miss. Race day? Forget it, no rest for the wicked. Wired and tired. All. Night. Long. The half life of cortisol is hours, and high cortisol means high energy and low melatonin, the sleep hormone. In addition, training might not be your only source of stress. High nighttime cortisol can also be associated with an infection, or GI pathogen like H. pylori or Blastocystis hominis. 5. Slow or little muscle gain despite strength training. You’re losing interest in strength training because you’re just not seeing the gains. If you really go for it the delayed onset soreness affects your other training for days. DHEA and testosterone are essential for long term muscle building projects, and over producing cortisol will always lead to low levels of both because they are produced from the same precursors. It makes perfect sense to favor the stress response over building new lean muscle. Your body doesn’t need new muscle if you might not even survive the day. 6. Injuries. A lot of them. Most of them ending in ‘itis.’ You’ve started collecting more insurance bills than race medals every season. You keep getting injured, and you don’t even know how. Cortisol is hormone designed to liquidate your assets, and overproducing it leads to excessive breaking down. Too much breaking down leads to injury. Not to mention the inflammation and reduced ability to recover from said injuries. 7. Less than stellar digestion. Really dreading that race food. Runner’s trots. On the bike isn’t much better. Oh the bloating, the bloating is the worst. In the presence of stress, digestion is inhibited. There isn't enough time to derive the energetic benefits of the slow process of digestion so why waste energy on it? Chronically over producing cortisol leads to chronically poor digestion, sometimes through lowered immunity and infection. -------------------------------------- What You Need To Know About Testing Any one of these scenarios can be the start of a vicious cycle. Athletes and busy, hard-charging individuals alike place a heavy burden on the adrenal system, so it’s even more important to figure it all out. Establishing a baseline can save you tons of time trying to pinpoint every little sign and symptom, it will allow you to start and end the season at a place of health. The best part? Figuring it out isn’t hard. This one simple saliva test that we discuss in today's podcast, and the help of a well trained practitioner, allowed me to design a diet, lifestyle and supplement protocol which after just six months showed some quite remarkable improvement. For example: DHEA-S ng/ml: before 1.75 after 7.6 (+434%), Testosterone pg/mL: before 62.9 after 109 (+173%). As regular readers of BenGreenfieldfitness will know, long term supplementation with hormones is a bad idea. Supplement with testosterone, and first you’ll get disqualified if you are racing or competing, and next, your body will downregulate its own endogenous production and sensitivity to it. A more intelligent solution then would be to uncover and address the root causes of the stress that appears on the test result. Each individual is unique, but a good protocol should take into account eating to maximise nutritional density, getting sufficient rest, a well thought out training program, and lab-based supplementation. For me, there were far more than seven signs that I needed to get to know my adrenals, but it turned out to be the single most important training exercise I may have ever done. If you have questions about about this or other tests, then leave your comments at BenGreenfieldFitness.com, and I promise to answer!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Touko 201428min

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/281 May 7, 2014 Podcast: Are weeds healthy to eat, Resistance Bands vs. Free Weights, MCT Oil Allergies, Low T4 and Low T3 with Normal TSH, Natural Remedies for Night Sweats. Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “Ask Ben” form...but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can get these News Flashes hot off the presses if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Facebook.com/BGFitness and Google+. Ben talks about his coffee enema. If you are a member of the Inner Circle and want to "prep early" for this month's coffee enema workshop, then get this stainless steel enema kit and some mold-free, toxin-free coffee. You may want to review these coffee enema resources too! This is why my “morning workout” is simply a bit of journaling, deep breathing and yoga. Save the hard stuff for later when u can. DIY Magnesium BiCarbonate recipe - good for what ails ya! Want to get the aerobic benefits of HIIT training - particularly mitochondria density increase? Then use SHORT rest periods. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: The brand new Obstacle Dominator podcast is launching! Whether you're just wanting to get started in obstacle course racing or you want to dominate your next race, leave your Spartan, Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, Tough Guy, Dirty Dash or any other obstacle racing question at ObstacleDominator.com. The "How A Top Silicon Valley Executive Lost 40 Pounds of Fat And Became A Kettlebell Swinging, Paddleboarding, Semi-Pro Tennis Player With 8-Pack Abs" podcast episode with Paul Sebastien, just went live on Premium access. Get it (and over 350 additional audios, videos and PDF's) by clicking here to go Premium for just $9.99 a year! The Thyroid Sessions went live on May 5 - where Ben is speaking on "How Exercise Destroys Your Thyroid And What You Can Do About It". The frustration and misinformation surrounding thyroid problems needs to stop. An estimated 30 million people in the US and 200 million worldwide have a thyroid disorder — only half have been properly diagnosed. And even less are receiving proper treatment. Unfortunately, the real answers are not offered by their medical practitioners and seldom covered by insurance. That’s why Sean Croxton traveled the country to interview a dozen of the leading functional medicine doctors, nutritionists, and real food chefs for a free online screening called The Thyroid Sessions. And you can click here register today to watch them for FREE! Ben is now uploading both is weekly workout logs and diet photos to the Inner Circle. Every week Ben discover new exercises, workout tactics, fat loss tricks, biohacks, deep sleep tips, detoxes, recipes, supplements, etc. - but people often feel like they’re “behind the curve” - constantly trying to wrap their heads around what’s working best at any given time, or what’s going to be best for them and their bodies. In Ben's monthly Inner Circle video workshops and diet and exercise logs, he and his wife Jessa teach you exactly “what’s working now”, so that you can stay on the razor-sharp, cutting-edge of fitness, nutrition and lifestyle optimization. When it comes to “assembling” everything that Ben talks about in the podcast, books, etc. into an easy-to-implement system, the Inner Circle is the way to do that. Click here to try it out now for 10 bucks a month! Get a free gift 2 hour Beyond Training LIVE support video workshop with Ben Greenfield! Click here to upload a photo of you holding more than one copy of your brand new Beyond Training Book, along with your name and e-mail below, and we’ll make the magic happen for you! Men's Health is launching a search for the next big name in fitness. They're looking for the best trainer that they haven’t yet discovered – a fitness professional who is a top mind in the field, but who also looks the part, and who has the ability to captivate any audience. Click here to vote for Ben to be the Men's Health Top Trainer or visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/menshealth. Grab this Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - leave your review for a chance to win some! ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Skywalker Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick/Ninja. Are weeds healthy to eat? Adam asks: He lives in Newcastle, Australia and is wondering what common garden weeds are eatable and if any of them are worth picking. Could some of these weeds actually be more nutrient dense than things like the kale he gets from the green grocer? In my response I recommend: -Book: "Eating on the Wild Side" by Jo Robinson -Book: "A Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants" -An Omniblender Resistance Bands vs. Free Weights Ben asks: For exercise in general are resistance bands better? For strength training are free weights better? In my response I recommend: -Monster bands from Rogue Fitness and Supple Leopard book for traction tips with bands-This recent study on free weights vs. machines MCT Oil Allergies Sandy asks: She spilled some MCT oil (Upgraded Brain Octane) the other day and wiped it up with her hands. She then noticed that the back of her hands are covered in hives or bumps. If she is having a topical allergic reaction to the MCT Oil, would she also be having an internal allergic reaction? She uses other coconut products and doesn't have an issue. If it is effecting her internally, how would she know? In my response I recommend: -Study: allergic contact dermatitis from MCT oil Low T4 and Low T3 with Normal TSH Thyroid asks: He recently got diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism but "in reverse". His T4 was low at 3.6 and T3 was low at 1.6 but his TSH was 1.25 (Testosterone was fine). Have you seen this before? Do you know any way to reverse this problem. In my response I recommend: -The Thyroid Sessions (Bridgit Danner, Chris Kresser, and Suzy Cohen's sessions) -Serum thyroid binding globulin test, CRP test, leptin (e.g. via DirectLabs) Can Tattoo Ink Cause Cancer Todd asks: He recently read an article about the ink that is used in tattoos. Apparently the nanoparticles can cause health problems down the line. What are you feelings about this?   Natural Remedies for Night Sweats Tyler asks: He is a fast marathoner who eats paleo/ancestral and follows a 40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat diet. His training is 80-90kms per week plus 2 to 3 hours of strength & core work. He has noticed lately that he is waking up 2 or 3 times a night to pee. When he wakes up, he also noticed that the sheets are wet from back sweat. He rarely drinks alcohol and limits his liquid intake after 8pm (goes to bed at 10pm). He sleeps well and has never had these issues in the past. Could this be from stress, workout load or the lowered carb intake? His blood work has come back with everything in the normal range. He also feels and looks great. In my response I recommend: -This hormone pack from Pacific Elite Fitness ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to BenGreenfieldFitness.com/love!-- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. Buy this track now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

6 Touko 20141h 11min

Paul Sebastien is one of the top executives in Silicon Valley, currently Chief Marketing Officer at a division of T-Mobile after his startup was acquired, and previously held leadership roles at Microsoft's Xbox Live division, Disney Mobile, and has had three of his former startups acquired. He's also gone from not picking up a tennis racquet since he was a kid all the way to playing semi-pro level tennis at age 46 in his spare time. And he's lost 40 pounds of fat, added muscle he never thought was possible, and looks and feels younger now than he did 15 years ago. So what does a successful Silicon Valley executive who's also become a semi-professional tennis player while losing 40 pounds, adding muscle, looking and feeling 15 years younger as the most important factors, above all else? In this episode, you'll discover the exact changes Paul has made to his diet and exercise, and some smart biohacking he implements every day. Resources: -Carb Backloading -Bitter Melon Extract -Fat Magic Garcinia Cambogia -F.lux app -F.lux app for iPhone -Paul's LinkedIn page -Paul's TwitterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

4 Touko 201441min

Do you feel guilty or anxious when you're not working? Have you stopped playing with your friends? Do all of your daily activities revolve around building a more successful career? Are you sitting still and staring at screens for most of your waking hours? Do you interact with people primarily through screens? Are you always sleeping fewer than eight hours per night? Are you consuming stimulants multiple times per day to hide your exhaustion? Are you indoors all day long, depriving yourself of fresh air and sunlight? Do you depend on alcohol or drugs to cope with social situations outside of work? My podcast guest today - Charlie Hoehn, author of the book "Play It Away: A Workaholic's Cure For Anxiety"- has been there, and he knows what that lifestyle is like. Shallow breathing, tension in the gut, chest pains, rapid heartbeat... ...every moment is exhausting, crushing, and painful. Eventually, anxiety destroys your confidence, your productivity, your relationships, and your ability to enjoy life. The worst part is the gnawing sense that you’ll never feel happy again. Fear no more. You can put an end to your suffering. You can start living again. And it’s not as hard as you think... In today's podcast, we cover Charlie's entire journey: what caused his anxiety, the “A-ha!” moment that led to his cure and how he got his life back. In this episode, you’ll learn: The key breakthrough that allowed Charlie to enjoy life again... Charlie's step-by-step plan for healing anxiety without drugs... How Charlie turned non-stop worrying into background noise... Charlie's unusual technique for stopping panic attacks... Why “anchors” fuel anxiety, and how to remove them... How Charlie finally started sleeping well again... Three common nutrient deficiencies that amplify anxiety... How to boost productivity and have guilt-free fun... Click here to get Charlie's fantastic book "Play It Away: A Workaholic's Cure For Anxiety" , and leave your questions, comments and feedback at BenGreenfieldFitness.com. Either Charlie or I promise to respond!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Touko 201450min

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/280 Apr 30, 2014 Podcast (brought to you today by Harry's Shaving - click here to check 'em out and use code Ben to save 5 bucks!): Does Coolsculpting Fat Loss Surgery Work, What Are Omega 5 and 7 Fats, Should You Exercise Your Chest Every Day, Will A Paleo Diet Cause Gout, 5 Ways To Stay Healthy At College, Are Bluetooth Headsets and Wireless HR Monitors Dangerous, and What Should Your Ratio of Vitamin A, D and K be? Have a podcast question for Ben? Click the tab on the right, use the Contact button on the app, call 1-877-209-9439, Skype “pacificfit” or use the “Ask Ben” form...but be prepared to wait - we prioritize audio questions over text questions. ----------------------------------------------------- News Flashes: You can get these News Flashes hot off the presses if you follow Ben on Twitter.com/BenGreenfield, Facebook.com/BGFitness and Google+. Turns out there actually is something to the whole pH based diet thing - a high acid diet can increase risk of diabetes. Here's a good acid-alkaline food chart. How to drink beer all night without getting drunk. Leg Press vs. Squat? The latter wins out every time when it comes to your hormones. ----------------------------------------------------- Special Announcements: The "Biomat" podcast episode with Mark Sircus just went live on Premium access. Get it (and over 350 additional audios, videos and PDF's) by clicking here to go Premium for just $9.99 a year! The Thyroid Sessions go live on May 5 - where Ben is speaking on "How Exercise Destroys Your Thyroid And What You Can Do About It". The frustration and misinformation surrounding thyroid problems needs to stop. An estimated 30 million people in the US and 200 million worldwide have a thyroid disorder — only half have been properly diagnosed. And even less are receiving proper treatment. Unfortunately, the real answers are not offered by their medical practitioners and seldom covered by insurance. That’s why Sean Croxton traveled the country to interview a dozen of the leading functional medicine doctors, nutritionists, and real food chefs for a free online screening called The Thyroid Sessions. And you can click here register today to watch them for FREE! Ben is now uploading both is weekly workout logs and diet photos to the Inner Circle. Every week Ben discover new exercises, workout tactics, fat loss tricks, biohacks, deep sleep tips, detoxes, recipes, supplements, etc. - but people often feel like they’re “behind the curve” - constantly trying to wrap their heads around what’s working best at any given time, or what’s going to be best for them and their bodies. In Ben's monthly Inner Circle video workshops and diet and exercise logs, he and his wife Jessa teach you exactly “what’s working now”, so that you can stay on the razor-sharp, cutting-edge of fitness, nutrition and lifestyle optimization. When it comes to “assembling” everything that Ben talks about in the podcast, books, etc. into an easy-to-implement system, the Inner Circle is the way to do that. Click here to try it out now for 10 bucks a month! Get a free gift 2 hour Beyond Training LIVE support video workshop with Ben Greenfield! Click here to upload a photo of you holding more than one copy of your brand new Beyond Training Book, along with your name and e-mail below, and we’ll make the magic happen for you! Men's Health is launching a search for the next big name in fitness. They're looking for the best trainer that they haven’t yet discovered – a fitness professional who is a top mind in the field, but who also looks the part, and who has the ability to captivate any audience. Click here to vote for Ben to be the Men's Health Top Trainer or visit BenGreenfieldFitness.com/menshealth. Grab this Official Ben Greenfield Fitness Gear package that comes with a tech shirt, a beanie and a water bottle. And of course, this week's top iTunes review - gets some BG Fitness swag straight from Ben - leave your review for a chance to win some! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripe ----------------------------------------------------- Listener Q&A: As compiled, deciphered, edited and sometimes read by Brock Skywalker Armstrong, the Podcast Sidekick/Ninja. Does Coolsculpting Fat Loss Surgery Work? Atanas asks: What is your opinion of coolsculpting? Is it good? In my response I recommend: -http://www.CoolFatBurner.com What Are Omega 5 and 7 Fats? Brian asks: We hear plenty of info about Omega 3, 6 and 9 fats but nothing about 5 and 7. Are there any benefits or drawbacks to these omega fats? Especially for an Ironman Triathlete? In my response I recommend: -SuperEssentials fish oil Should You Exercise Your Chest Every Day? Donald asks: He works out with a guy who exercises his chest every single time they go to the gym. Some times 3 or 5 times a week, back to back, he will work our his chest. Is this dangerous? Is it effective? He has never gotten injured or even sore. Is this something specific to the chest, where you can work it out more? In my response I recommend: -Chapter 6 of my new Beyond Training book Will A Paleo Diet Cause Gout? Daniel asks: After a couple years of eating a high protein, paleo, body builder diet, he has experienced some symptoms of gout. Pain in his knees, elbows and ankle along with the big toe attacks you hear about from gout. How can he get rid of the uric acid crystals once and for all? Is there a detox he can do? He plans to do Dan John's Mass Gain protocol and will include all the amino and protein supplements you recommend. Will this be a problem? In my response I recommend: -This acid alkaline food chart 5 Ways To Stay Healthy At College Jennifer asks: Her daughter is going off to college in the fall (running track and cross country) and she is worried that her daughter will become unhealthy while she is there. What can she do to help her daughter stay healthy? What to eat in the cafeteria, how to keep her dorm room healthy, how to avoid fluorescent light and everything else that could make her unhealthy and hurt her running. In my response I recommend: 1) Good snacks (and an Amazon prime membership); 2) LowBlueLight bulbs; 3) Blue Light Blocking glasses; 4) Rich Food, Poor Food book; 5) HEPA Air Filter with negative ion generator or Harmonizer from GreenfieldNaturals.com with code BEN15 for 15% discount Are Bluetooth Headsets and Wireless HR Monitors Dangerous? Hyesun (pronounced Hesson like Lesson) asks: She is wondering if you have concerns about EMFs from bluetooth technology (the HR monitor straps and patches) that we wear right on our bodies? What about EMFs from the Biomat? She's thinking about getting one, but is concerned about the EMFs coming from it. Do you have any thoughts or fears? In my response I recommend: -The Biomat -AirTube Headset What Should Your Ratio of Vitamin A, D and K be? Meg asks: She has heard you talk about how you need to take adequate amounts of Vitamins A and K when you are supplementing with high dose (10,000 - 15,000iu) Vitamin D... but what exactly is an adequate amount? Is the RDA adequate (A is 5,000 and K is 80mcg)? In my response I recommend: -This article by Chris Masterjohn of the Weston Price Foundation ----------------------------------------------------- -- And don't forget to go to BenGreenfieldFitness.com/love!-- Prior to asking your question, do a search in upper right hand corner of this website for the keywords associated with your question. Many of the questions we receive have already been answered here at Ben Greenfield Fitness! Podcast music from 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) by KOAN Sound. Buy this track now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

30 Huhti 20141h 28min

Dr. Mark Sircus originally appeared on the BenGreenfieldFitness show in the episode "The Shocking Information About A Compound That Pharmaceutical Companies Really Don’t Want You to Know About." And now, from a remote internet bar in Brazil, he's back with another biohack that flies under the radar, but is an amazing healing tool that... Reduces stress and fatigue Relieves anxiety and promotes relaxation Improves sleep patterns Reduces inflammation Eases joint pain and stiffness Provides warm, soothing pain relief Eliminates toxins in the body Increases blood circulation Alleviates migraines and tension headaches Reduces allergy symptoms Improves immune system function Improves cardiovascular health Burns calories and controls weight Improves muscle tone and skin quality It's called a "Biomat". The core of the BioMat technology is a combination of three technologies: far infrared rays, negative ion effects and the conductive properties of amethyst channels. These three stimulators are combined in a single mat that delivers soothing, deep-penetrating heat while stimulating the regeneration of damaged cells in your body. It’s a safe and natural way to achieve optimal health and maintain a stronger, more resilient body. Here is a helpful FAQ for you to learn more, and there is a ton of additional research, resources, articles, and a 0% financing with 30 day risk free trial over at the Biomat website. What are far infrared rays? Far infrared rays are part of the electro-magnetic light spectrum and are close to the light frequency of natural sunlight. However, far infrared does not contain any of sunlight’s harmful UV/UVB radiation. The beneficial properties of far infrared light have received particular attention from the scientific community in recent years, although the first research conducted on this part of the light spectrum was undertaken by NASA decades ago. More recent studies suggest that far infrared light stimulates the production of healthy cell tissue, promoting faster, more complete healing processes. Far infrared therapy also encourages the elimination of cellular wastes and toxins. Today, health practitioners from a wide range of disciplines agree on the beneficial properties of far infrared technology. What are negative ions? An ion is a particle containing an electrical charge. An ion with a negative electrical charge is called a negative ion, and this type of ion is now considered to be integral to healthy cellular function. If there are enough negative ions inside and outside the cell, the cell is able to absorb nutrients and eliminate waste product more effectively. Flooding the body with negative ions enriches it at the cellular level and encourages the elimination of toxins and oxidants. How does the BioMat deliver far infrared rays and negative ions to the human body? The BioMat stimulates ion channels by producing negative ions that deliver healing energy to the cells of the body. As well as delivering negative ions to the cells of the body, the BioMat produces far infrared waves by delivering pulses of energy through a patented carbon ceramic material called Japanese Kurera Super Fiber. This material forms part of the bonded, multilayer material at the base of the BioMat. The topmost layer of the BioMat is constructed of superconducting channels of pure amethyst, which allow the far infrared rays and negative ions to penetrate the body as far as seven inches. View an illustration of BioMat layer technology. How do far infrared rays and negative ions affect the human body? Far infrared rays and negative ions produce a wide array of positive effects on the human body. Negative ions activate the body’s entire cellular communication system by opening cell channels and allowing nutrients to enter more easily and wastes to be eliminated, purifying the body at the cellular level. Far infrared rays deliver deep warmth and stimulation to the entire circulatory, lymphatic, endocrine and nervous system to encourage healthy functioning. A healthy circulatory and lymphatic system delivers nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body, and removes cell waste, while the endocrine system regulates hormonal uptake in our bodies, which controls everything from our mood, tissue growth and health to metabolism and sexual and reproductive functions. How does amethyst quartz enhance ionic and far infrared ray therapy? Amethyst’s healing properties have been acknowledged and celebrated for centuries by ancient scientists, healers and mystics. Now, modern science has confirmed the highly conductive properties of this remarkable mineral. Amethyst crystals offer the most consistent and powerful delivery of far infrared light waves, and ionic effects to the human body. Amethyst’s superconducting qualities have been shown to provide relief for: Insomnia Depression and anxiety Swelling and inflammation Body toxicity Low or imbalanced energy levels What specific illnesses and symptoms can the BioMat alleviate? Because the BioMat’s far infrared rays penetrate deeply into the body and address imbalances at the cellular level, it can be used to treat a wide range of health issues: Pain, stiffness, swelling and inflammation Arthritis and musculo-skeletal ailments Sprains, neuralgia, bursitis, muscle spasms Joint stiffness and soreness Age-related stiffness and pain Circulation issues Cardiovascular issues Toxin and oxidant buildup Immune disorders Tension, anxiety, insomnia Hormonal imbalances Lymphatic and endocrine problems Can the BioMat be used during yoga and meditation? The BioMat is a perfect addition to yoga practice and meditation, because it supports deep, delta-state relaxation, increases blood flow for improved mental conditioning, and provides a warm, soothing environment to facilitate improved mental peace and serenity. Which BioMat product is right for me? There are a range of BioMat products designed to be effective when used individually or together: BioMat Professional: Ideal for health care professionals looking for a way to extend and enhance their treatment options, or for home users who want comfortable, full-body treatment. The BioMat Professional measures a full 6’5 in length, allowing for full-length body contact and optimal results. BioMat Mini: At just 17” x 33” inches and 8.2 pounds, the BioMat Mini is ideal for people who want to enjoy treatments at the office or on their travels. It works perfectly for the spot treatment of a specific problem area, or for treatments for children or family pets. It’s also the right size to be used in a medical spa or dental office chair, making it a perfect choice for health providers. BioMat Pillow: The right choice for people who want targeted treatment of chronic neck and back pain, headaches, migraines and more. The BioMat Pillow is also an excellent complement to the Professional or BioMat Mini, providing stabilization for the vulnerable head and neck area. The Pillow keeps the head cool during treatment, while delivering the benefits of negative ion therapy to this area. Is the BioMat easy to use? Although the BioMat is a certified medical device, it is very easy to self-administer calibrated treatment. The computerized control panel is intuitive to use, and comes with a simple set of instructions. How does the in-home trial work? The way the 7 day trial works is that you purchase the BioMat upfront. The day that your mat arrives starts the 7 day period. This way you will be able to try the BioMat as much as you like, you can test out different heat settings and experience the difference on each, you can spend as much time as you want on the Biomat, and also at different times of day (you could even try sleeping on it). This will give you a much better perspective and a greater amount of information to make a decision about whether you see the BioMat being a beneficial asset to you. If on day 6 you if you don’t love it as much as everyone who tries it does, just give us a call and we will have a return authorization issued for you. How often should I use my BioMat? Your BioMat can safely be used every day. In fact, by using the BioMat several times a week or on a daily basis, you are helping to strengthen your immune system and keep your body in optimal condition. Is the BioMat safe for children? Your whole family can use your BioMat safely, including young children, the elderly and even family pets! The BioMat offers the same health benefits to people of all ages, and has therapeutic value for pets as well. Can I sleep on my BioMat? You can sleep for any length of time on your BioMat, from a 20-minute nap to a full night’s rest. Use of the BioMat will help regulate your sleep patterns and create a warm, soothing environment. When will I start to see results from my BioMat? Every person’s experience with the BioMat is different. Many people achieve immediate relief from pain and discomfort, and notice increased energy levels and vitality right away. For others, it will take a few weeks before the deep-penetrating treatment begins to bring relief from symptoms and an overall feeling of well-being and contentment. Does the BioMat come with a warranty? All BioMat medical devices are constructed to the highest standards and protected by a 30 Year Limited Warranty plus lifetime trade-in warranty. The product has been subjected to rigorous quality testing and is both a FDA Registered Class II Medical Device and ISO certified. If you have more questions, don't hesitate to e-mail ben@bengreenfieldfitness.com or simply check out the Biomat website for a more complete FAQ!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Huhti 201429min