Confessions of a biohacker - crazy ways to upgrade your life with Luke Storey #15

It turns out that some of the bright lights we have in our homes and on our devices late at night can impact the depth of our sleep, and our long-term health by suppressing our melatonin levels. Basically, our bodies respond to bright 'blue light' by thinking it's daylight. Turns out the solution is the colour amber. Amber 'blue-blocking' specs, night lights and computer programs can all help us replenish our melatonin levels to get a much improved night's sleep. I especially wanted to look into this further for the many parents I know whose night-times are disrupted by their little angels waking them up. Any parents reading this, I hope you listen today, because there is a specific section for parents getting better sleep. I'm joined in this show by a celebrated physicist, and definitely one of the most distinguished guests I've spoken to on Zestology. Dr. Edward Carome led a long and distinguished career as a physicist. He was a professor of physics at John Carroll University. He’s consulted with industry and government agencies such as NASA, the FBI, and the National Institute of Health. He has been published widely in technical journals all over the world. And now, at 88 years old, he is still producing ground-breaking work on sleep, lighting, and melatonin production. In fact Dr. Edward himself was a very light sleeper. He would always be woken up by his newspaper being delivered at 4.30am. He then started working on this research, and started using the blue-blocking glasses. The effect on his sleep was radical, and you'll hear the story in the podcast. When you listen you'll hear: Living with more energy The pineal gland produces melatonin which is the 'sleep hormone'. Melatonin is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants and cancer fighters that we have. It's only produced in darkness, but these days, we don't spend enough time in darkness. The pineal gland is capable of producing melatonin for up to 12 hours a night, and you can tap into this ability by wearing blue-blocking glasses (or turning the lights out much earlier!) Easy, everyday tips for vitality Your smartphone contains a combination of LEDs that combine to produce a very white light. Shut your device off earlier in the evening to sleep deeper. Parents - get blue blocking glasses and 'amber' nightlights to maintain melatonin production overnight. You can even wear your blue-blocking glasses to the pub (though you might get a few comments). Finding motivation Keep your internal clock on a regular 24-hour cycle as much as possible for optimal health and melatonin levels. Take a leaf out of Dr. Edward's book and never retire! And lots more...

7 Kesä 201534min

3 yoga poses that make you feel instantly energised with top yoga teacher Celest Pereira #13 On a previous Zestology podcast we heard about the scientific study which found people who practice some form of yoga could be 48% less likely to suffer from heart disease. That was when I knew I wanted to look more closely at the subject of yoga in the Zestology podcast. What is it about yoga that makes us feel so good? And who better to ask than someone who's a bit of a YouTube yoga sensation. Celest Pereira has thousands of followers who watch her videos daily on both YouTube and Instagram, and she's on a mission to get us all to feel good with her yoga moves. She's also a friend of mine, so I set her a simple challenge - 3 poses that instantly energise us. When you listen you'll hear: Living with more energy The 3 yoga poses you can do right now for extra energy and motivation. (Check Celest's insta page for in depth examples of these and other yoga poses.) The importance of breath and how to breath deeply for extra energy (sounds basic, but possibly the most important part). How to increase your 'circle of comfort'. Easy, everyday tips for vitality The importance of a few moments of silence at the start of every day. Why movement of any kind leads to energy and vitality. Yoga moves that increase your health and wellbeing. Finding motivation Having an open-minded attitude has an incredible impact on your life. The importance of community in a happy and fulfilled life. Conquer something small today. That will give you the confidence to conquer other bigger challenges in future. And lots more

31 Touko 201530min

How can you change your behaviour to ensure the changes you make last forever? What are the scientifically proven methods to ensure your actions match your intentions? Today's episode is for anyone who's ever made a goal, resolution or plan, and not stuck to it. My guest is Siri Steinmo. Siri is a health psychologist trained in the science of behaviour change, and the founder of The Anti Diet programme. Her thing is that it's not about what diet you're on, but how you change your behaviour to ensure the health changes you make last forever. In fact she goes further - and says diets make you fat and miserable. Every week this podcast is all about living with more energy, vitality, and motivation, and this week is no exception. It's the theme that goes through every show. So listen on, and enjoy. When you listen you'll hear: Living with more energy The system of monitoring. [11:50] Starting a behavioral contract with yourself. [13:40] How the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation Behavior Model can help you. [16:40] Small changes that make a difference long term. [26:26] Realistic achievements when facing barriers. [27:25] Easy, every-day tips for vitality Clearly define the behavior in question and not just the desired outcome [7:00] The Goal Pyramid: the “be’s”, your “have’s,” and the “do’s” that you need to define for long-term success. [9:25] Life and nutrition balance: important small tweaks. [19:40] Positive habits for crazy work schedules. [21:41] Finding purpose The importance of seeking social support [15:30] Big behavior changes are a result of a few small changes that make a difference [23:15] Who wants to be 10 pounds heavier this time next year? And other issues with “dieting.” [25:30] And loads more...

24 Touko 201535min

Have you ever considered supplementing with turmeric, or vitamin D spray, or B12 injections, or, er, trying a coffee enema? Well, believe it or not, all of these alternative remedies could help you on your journey to energy, vitality and feeling awesome. Today's Zestology podcast guest is Laura Bond. In March 2011 Laura Bond's mother Gemma was diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer. Laura discovered that the only thing more shocking than telling someone your mother has cancer was revealing that she had declined chemotherapy. Laura is a health journalist and health coach, and she decided to write a book that would become hugely successful, 'Mum's Not Having Chemo'. It explains her mother's decision to say 'no' to mainstream medicine and 'yes' to hydrogen peroxide, vitamin C injections and infrared saunas. Today's podcast doesn't have a particular focus on cancer, it's just for anyone who's interested in boosting their energy, vitality and health. It's informative, and I think ultimately uplifting. Laura's mother beat cancer the natural way, and the two of them have a great story to tell. When you listen, you'll hear: Living with more energy Flood your body with oxygen through juicing, looser clothing and body brushing (who knew!) Look into Vitamin C injections, Vitamin D spray, turmeric supplements and (yes) coffee enemas. Consider supporting your immune system with Myers Cocktail injections and Vitamin B12 injections. Easy, everyday tips for vitality Cutting down on sugar for extra vitality. Cut down on coffee to protect your energy and magnesium levels. Drink 'raw milk' for better dairy intake. Finding motivation Stress and anxiety is the number 1 cause of illness and disease. Beat stress by developing your sense of joy. Remember your thoughts, feelings and behaviour influence your health. Follow your passion and this will help your physical and mental health. And lots more

17 Touko 201534min

Live a stressful life? You have to listen. Constantly juggling priorities? Overworked? Tired? Make sure you listen in. Interested in how positive emotions and feelings can improve your physical health? You'll love this. If I had to pick a personal doctor to look after me, it'd be Dr. Mimi Guarneri. She is a cardiologist by trade, but after spending her 30s treating hundreds of heart patients in dire need of help, she set up her own 'integrative medicine' centre to start to treat the causes and well as the symptoms of the patients she was encountering. Today's interview contains some fascinating stories, and includes the story of the 'three magic words' she wrote on a piece of paper which had a profound impact on a patient's health. Want to know what those three magic words were? Listen on. When you listen you'll hear: Living with more energy Prevention through lifestyle changes. [11:50] Stress causes your hormones to go crazy and flare up symptoms and diseases. [13:30] Why Integrated Medicine isn’t “alternative medicine.” [24:10] Simple relaxation mechanisms to improve your health in the future. [14:35] Easy, every-day tips for vitality Every ill has a pill: why there are alternatives to prescriptions when you are feeling unwell. [9:20] Western medicine versus holistic practices: how you can rely on both and why it’s not one versus the other. [12:05] Training your body to respond to curve balls in a more positive way. [21:40] The importance of nutrition and avoiding toxins for optimal health. [28:30] Finding purpose How your personal story can reflect your diagnosis. [8:23] The three magic words. [31:10] And lots more...

10 Touko 201538min

What is your morning routine? Do you wake up full of energy, ready to start the day? Or do you hit snooze a few times, roll over and check your email, facebook, etc, before eventually stumbling out of bed wishing you had more sleep? Today's guest is an incredible speaker and NYT best-selling author, Hal Elrod. At age 20, he was hit head on by a drunk driver at 70 mph, was dead for 6 minutes, and doctors told his parents that if Hal ever came out of his coma, he would have permanent brain damage and may never walk again. After 6 days of fighting for his life, what happened next was incredible. You have to listen to this guy's story. He's also the NYT bestselling author of the Miracle Morning. When you listen, you'll hear: Living with more energy - 5 Minute Rule: controlling your emotions [8:14] - Waking up better versus waking up early [20:43] - To take your life to the next level, you have to take your mornings to the next level [34:00] - How to engineer your life for maximum energy [38:00] Easy, every-day tips for vitality - The 6 Minute Miracle Morning [21:25] - Earning the right to check Facebook [22:00] - How you do anything is how you do everything [23:28] - Life SAVERS: Silence, Affirmations, Visualizations, Exercise, Reading, and Scribing [24:53] - The 5 Minute Journal [27:48] Finding purpose - Why every negative emotion that we feel is self-created [9:30] - How resisting what is out of our control creates emotional pain in our lives. [9:42] - The A-B-C's of living life's purpose [14:38] - Putting yourself in the best emotional and mental state to solve your own problems [18:39] - The "Can't Change It" mentality and how it can help you [13:25] And loads more. For lots more and full show notes visit tonywrighton.com

3 Touko 201543min

Have you ever felt like it's hard to be well-informed about food? Ever asked yourself what's good for you and what's not? What are the foods that you can eat for health and vitality? And how much "good fat" should we be eating? Today's guest is Summer Innanen. She's one of America's top nutrition and diet coaches, and presents a cracking podcast herself. Please do take a listen, she's an inspiring individual, and starts on Zestology by telling her own story which is fascinating and led her to where she is today. When you listen you'll hear: Living with more energy Fat: clearing up the confusion. [9:00] Get happier through better nutrition. [10:26] Why grains raise your blood sugar more than sugar. [11:00] Supplements for support and not sustenance. [29:47] Easy, every-day tips for vitality Why complete carb depletion puts you at risk for hormonal imbalance. [14:00] The importance of "taking your food on a hot date." [25:14] How eating in front of your T.V. or multitasking while you eat isn't great, and what you can do instead. [27:03] Finding purpose Listening to your body's cues and symptoms when designing the eating habits that are right for you. [19:50] "Good" and "Bad" foods and improving your overall relationship with food [27:30] Be authentically you. Why you should show up as yourself [32:40] And lots more...

26 Huhti 201535min

Ever wondered how to feel happier? How could these happiness secrets change your life? Today's guest is the man who wrote a book on being happy, actor, author, One Show reporter, and former MP Gyles Brandreth. His bestselling book is called 7 Secrets of Happiness, and he wrote it in consultation with psychiatrist Dr Anthony Clare. When you listen, you'll hear: How you can lengthen your life by 7-10 years. Test yourself and allow yourself to be tested. The importance of embracing change for life longevity. The importance of being connected to something bigger than you. Why you should be more like the Queen. (Really.) Why happiness cannot be measured in Facebook posts. How breaking the mirror is a good thing. And lots more...

19 Huhti 201527min