Team Asprey

Unlock the Nature of Longevity

April 4, 2023 by Team Asprey

What a difference two centuries makes. In 1800, the average lifespan was barely longer than 30 years, and in 2019, it was almost 80. Researchers at the University of Rochester discovered sirtuin 6 – otherwise known as ‘the longevity gene’– and with female life expectancy already nearing 90 years in East Asia, it seems our future selves may be getting even more years.

There are various health products and healing practices that we can use to “slow down” aging or make the aging process less painful. Quantum energy and quantum energy-charged products, such as those developed by Leela Quantum Tech, are examples of things that can restore vitality and make you feel more energized and in tune with yourself.

Progress in longevity does not appear to be slowing. However, as humans become better at living longer lives, the question arises how long humans can live.. What are we going to do with the extra time?

Chronological Age vs. Biological Age

Aging is an inevitable part of human life. We all age differently, but one thing remains constant—we all experience chronological aging, which is the amount of time that has passed since birth (our age). Biological aging, on the other hand, is determined by lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise habits, stress levels, quality of sleep, and exposure to environmental toxins. Dr. Morgan Levine, in her book True Age, defined that our biological age doesn’t refer to how many birthdays you’ve had, but to the state of decline or divergence that your body has undergone.

The difference between chronological age and biological age can be significant—some people look much older than their actual age, while others look younger than their years suggest.

The good news is that there are certain health products and practices we can adopt to “slow down” aging. Quantum energy and products charged with quantum energy, like those sold by LeelaQ, can restore vitality and make you feel more invigorated and in tune with yourself. One common thing people report is that they feel and look more vibrant with the use of these quantum energy tools and supportive frequencies.

Travel & Car Bloc by Leela Quantum Tech

What Does Quantum Energy Do?

Quantum energy helps promote optimal wellness by restoring balance in your body’s energy systems. When these systems become out of balance due to physical or emotional stressors (like toxins, illness or trauma), our bodies can deplete vital energy reserves that help us stay healthy as we age. By restoring balance to these systems using quantum energy products from LeelaQ, users report feeling more energized throughout their day-to-day lives! Along with improved physical well-being comes mental clarity; many users report feeling better equipped to manage stressful situations after using quantum energy products from LeelaQ.

So if you’re looking for ways to slow down the effects of aging without relying on expensive treatments or harsh chemicals, consider giving quantum energy a try! With regular use of these unique products from LeelaQ, you add another layer on your way toward living a long and healthy life full of vitality!

Longevity is something most people strive for in life; however, it can be challenging to achieve without taking proactive measures. Luckily for us, modern science has made it possible for us to extend our lifespans through lifestyle changes like proper nutrition and exercise combined with innovative health products like those offered by LeelaQ. By combining these elements together into an effective wellness plan tailored specifically to your individual needs, you can increase your chances of living a long life full of vitality! So don’t wait any longer – take charge of your well-being today!

How To Slow Down the Aging Process?

A fundamental question for people who want to live longer is how to slow down aging. Or, more specifically, how to keep your biological age from exceeding your chronological age. It would be nice if there was a biochemical intervention to slow down aging, such as a magic pill, but research shows that the best way to slow down aging is to take better care of yourself.

Things to focus on include:

Lowering your stress level
Getting enough quality sleep
No smoking
No alcohol
Maintaining proper hydration
Exercise Smarter Not Harder

As previously stated, quantum energy healing can help to slow the aging process due to its revitalizing, nourishing, and balancing effects on our biofields and bodies. You can become more resistant to stress and naturally improve your energy levels by maximizing your potential energetically.

Infinity Bloc by Leela Quantum Tech

The Leela Infinity Bloc, a device for charging any item with pure and dynamic quantum energy, has helped a man in his 70s regain power in his five senses. He noticed his eyesight improving and his sense of smell becoming stronger than it had been in years after a few weeks of using the Infinity Bloc.

By using these products earlier in life, you can begin to protect yourself against the negative impacts of toxins that are in our air, water, and food, causing our bodies to degrade.

Pure quantum energy can make you feel more invigorated, less stressed, and more in control of your body. Stress is a known element in aging, and many people still struggle to manage it. By leveraging it, you can help yourself master stress and feel more at ease, ultimately contributing to a longer life span.

I’ve been using Leela Quantum Tech products for quite some time now. I don’t know exactly how they work, but they work for me and other people I know, and the studies clearly support that. Explore LeelaQ products with 10% Off using the code “DAVE10.” Check their website at leelaq.com

Human aging is a complex and ever-changing topic of study. Scientists are still looking for strategies to not just extend human life but also to understand the underlying causes of aging. While we still have a lot to learn about this process and the nature of the human lifespan, we’ve come a long way already. Who knows what we can achieve with advances in quantum energy?

For Deeper Sleep, Upgrade Your Exercise Routine

September 22, 2020 by Team Asprey

[tldr]

Want to sleep better? Exercise can help. Getting on a regular workout routine improves your sleep quality by a lot.
Exercise helps you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, wake up less during the night, and spend more time in the deep, restorative stages of sleep.
Working out also relieves anxiety and stress, which are major causes of insomnia. If you find your mind racing at night, exercise can help quiet it down.
When it comes to sleep, the type of exercise doesn’t seem to matter much. As long as you’re pushing yourself physically, your sleep will benefit. However, different types of exercise give you different benefits. This article gets into the specifics and helps you choose a workout routine that suits your needs.
The time of day you work out doesn’t matter either. Follow your internal clock — whether you’re going for a run first thing in the morning or lifting heavy in the afternoon, your sleep will improve.

[/tldr]

Can’t sleep? If you’re not working out regularly, consider adding an exercise routine. Working out does a lot more for you than muscle gain and fat loss. Exercise makes your brain stronger and keeps it from aging.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4587595/”] It increases longevity and decreases the risk of virtually all chronic disease.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23063021″] It eases (and in some cases cures) depression[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26978184″] and relieves stress and anxiety.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3632802/”]

Basically, exercise is amazing for your body and brain. It turns out exercise can help you sleep better, too. If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep (or you want the best sleep of your life), read on. This article will cover how exercise improves sleep, what different types of exercise do for you, and the best time of day to work out for better sleep.

Exercise helps you fall asleep and stay in deep sleep longer

If you have trouble falling asleep or wake up a lot during the night, exercise can help. People with mild to moderate insomnia saw these benefits when they began to exercise regularly:[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3216244/”][ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883039/”]

They slept longer: 13-18% increase in sleep time
Fell asleep faster: 55% decrease in sleep onset latency (how long it took them to fall asleep)
Woke up less: 30% decrease in time awake during the night
Caught more restorative sleep: 13% more time spent in deep sleep

In other words, exercising daily can make it much easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep, and you’ll sleep deeper and longer. That translates to much better recovery and more mental and physical energy the next day — especially if you use other sleep hacks to boost your sleep quality even more.

Exercise eases insomnia from anxiety and stress

Exercise can also help with anxiety- and stress-related insomnia. If you find your mind races at night, or you’ve been working all day and you can’t seem to get your body out of fight-or-flight mode, exercise can make a big difference.

Anxious people with chronic insomnia who started running daily saw a 15% decrease in anxiety.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2883039″]

Yoga may be even better, because it combines exercise with mental relaxation. Yoga outperformed anti-anxiety and antidepressant drugs at lowering cortisol (your stress hormone) and relieving anxiety and depression.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768222/”]

If running and yoga aren’t your thing, don’t worry. Physical activity in general decreases anxiety and relieves stress.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3632802/”] A 16-week study at Duke University found that regular, moderate exercise three days a week worked as well as antidepressants in relieving symptoms. Ten months later, depressed people who continued working out had an 8% relapse rate, compared to 38% on medication.[ref url=”https://www.madinamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Exercise%20treatment%20for%20major%20depression.pdf”] If you have depression, anxiety or you’re stressed out and can’t sleep, get your body moving. It’ll help.

Does the type of exercise matter?

When it comes to sleep? Not really. Moving your body in any way seems to improve sleep, whether it’s heavy lifting,[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25426516″] cardio,[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2992829/?tool=pubmed”] or yoga.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22517349″]

That said, different types of exercise give you different benefits outside of sleep. If you’re going to be working out for better sleep, why not kill two birds with one stone and move toward another goal as well? Keep in mind that focusing on body goals may discourage you from working out.[ref url=”https://michellesegar.com/press/GO_FIGURE_SEGAR_2006.pdf”] Keep your eyes on the prize: More Zzs.

If you want to burn fat, do a couple weekly sessions of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT outperforms normal cardio when it comes to fat loss.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5237463/”] Plus, it only takes a few minutes; no more hour-long jogs. Here’s a great HIIT workout to get you started. You can also exercise in a fasted state to burn an extra 10-20% more fat.[ref url=”https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130124091425.htm”]

To build muscle, do a heavy lifting protocol like this one with plenty of rest between workouts. The key here is intense exercise followed by lots of recovery.
For mental focus, choose prolonged cardio like jogging or swimming. A longer session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise boosts your brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which increases your ability to learn and helps you get into a state of deep focus.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772595/”] Aim for at least 30 minutes of steady cardio where you’re pushing yourself, but not to exhaustion.
For flexibility, yoga is your best bet. It offers deep stretching and improves alignment, provided you have a good teacher who can correct your poses. Yoga is also especially good for stress relief and mental relaxation.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768222/”]

Set yourself a weekly workout schedule that mixes and matches the above exercise styles to suit your goals. You’ll enjoy deeper sleep and all the benefits that come with an active life.

When is the best time of day to exercise for sleep?

You may have heard that working out before bed keeps you from falling asleep. Exercise increases your body temperature and invigorates you, so it seems logical that a late-night workout might make it harder to wind down. Anecdotal evidence suggests that some people have a tougher time falling asleep after a vigorous sweat session before bed. If this is you, don’t do it.

However, research finds that working out before bed is just fine. People who did heavy lifting in the morning, afternoon, and evening all saw equal (and large!) improvements in their sleep quality.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25426516″] Likewise, a 2011 study found that people who worked out for 35 minutes before bed slept just as well as they did on the nights they didn’t exercise.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20673290″]

So really, when you work out comes down to personal preference. Maybe you prefer to work out right when you wake up and start your day with lots of energy. Or maybe you’re a night owl and you like those late workouts when the gym is empty. Either way, you’re getting lots of benefit, in terms of sleep quality and otherwise. Do your thing; your body will reward you for the hard work.

Your Definitive Guide to Conquering the Keto Flu

January 10, 2020 by Team Asprey

The keto flu is your body’s natural response to carbohydrate restriction.
Its symptoms include: brain fog, headache, chills, sore throat, digestive issues, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, and more.
Symptoms typically last from a few days to two weeks, and up to a month at most.
Metabolic flexibility, meaning your ability to adapt to different fuel sources (sans uncomfortable symptoms), dictates the severity of symptoms.
Keto flu remedies include: proper hydration; bone broth; electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium; eating more good fat like MCTs; rest and sleep; mild exercise or meditation; activated charcoal; exogenous ketone supplements; and in some cases, eating more carbs.

You started the keto diet and are just not feeling it. Instead of all those amazing ketogenic benefits you’ve heard about – supreme fat burn, increased energy, keto clarity, and a vibrant sense of well-being – you are irritable at the breakfast table, dizzy all day, and not sleeping at night. The culprit of this miserable feeling? Oh, right: the keto flu. It’s a natural reaction your body undergoes as it switches from burning sugar to fat for energy. In order to get from here to there, your body needs to make a few modifications to the way it runs.

Read on to learn what’s in store as you rev up your internal engine, keto-style.

[readmore title=”View keto flu remedies”]

What is the keto flu?

Barebones – the keto flu is your body’s natural response to carbohydrate restriction. If you’ve embarked on the keto path, you likely know that a keto diet – high in fat, moderate in protein, and low in carbs – implies you burn fatty acids for energy instead of glucose, which comes from sugar and other carbohydrates. While fat is typically a backup fuel source, you will tap into it if there is insufficient glucose, your body’s preferred fuel, from your diet. The metabolic state of ketosis is a fancy word for burning fat rather than carbs, and it is the secret weight-loss weapon to the keto diet.

What are the symptoms of keto flu?

Brain fog
Headache
Chills
Sore throat
Confusion
Dizziness
Insomnia
Irritability
Muscle soreness
Nausea
Poor focus
Stomach pains
Sugar cravings

How long does the keto flu last?

The keto flu, aka carb withdrawal, generally kicks in at the 24- to 48-hour mark. Symptoms typically last from a few days to two weeks, and up to a month at most. Whether you experience its symptoms – and to what extent – depends upon your metabolic flexibility, meaning your ability to adapt to different fuel sources (sans uncomfortable symptoms).

Metabolic flexibility is influenced by genetics as well as lifestyle habits. For instance, how you ate prior to going keto may predict the severity your flu symptoms. If you ate a diet low in refined sugar and starches, you’ll likely experience only mild symptoms. A diet high in sugar and carbs may set you up for greater withdrawal symptoms (especially from the sugar).

What causes the keto flu?

What exactly causes keto flu symptoms? When you restrict carbohydrates, your body must learn how to burn its backup energy source, and in order to do so, changes happen from the cellular to hormonal level.

Specifically, there are three changes that occur when you cut out carbs:

Water and sodium flush: When you consume fewer carbs, insulin levels drop – signaling your kidneys to release sodium from the body. This causes a loss of up to about 10 pounds of water weight as water shuttles sodium out of your body. All of this usually occurs in the first five days. The glycogen loss and low insulin levels cause dizziness, nausea, muscle cramping, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea and constipation. Do your best to drink plenty of fluids and electrolytes at this point (more on this later) – that’ll alleviate some of these cellular symptoms.

T3 thyroid hormone levels may decrease: T3 is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland. Dietary carbohydrates and thyroid function are closely connected, so when you cut carbs, T3 levels can fall. In conjunction with T4, another thyroid hormone, the two T’s regulate your body’s temperature, metabolism, and heart rate. As your body adjusts to a ketogenic diet, lower hormone levels may leave you with brain fog and fatigue.

Increased cortisol levels: The T3 hormonal change is closely connected to a third hormonal change – higher cortisol levels. A ketogenic diet tells your body that you’re in starvation mode. In an effort to increase energy levels on a carb-restricted diet, your body triggers the release of stress hormones, i.e. cortisol. If you experience irritability and insomnia, that’s a clue that your cortisol levels have jumped. Not to worry: as you adjust to utilizing fat and ketones as a new fuel source, your cortisol levels should fall to their old levels.

7 keto flu remedies

Take heart: if you’re experiencing any discomfort, there are things you can do to minimize your unease and conquer the keto flu. Elevated energy and optimal performance are just on the other side of those symptoms. You got this.

Hydrate all day. Water reigns supreme when it comes to kicking the keto flu, especially if you add some unrefined salt. How much should you drink? To determine the minimum amount you need, use your current body weight and divide it by two. That’s how many ounces you need. For instance, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should aim for 70 ounces of water a day.

Drink bone broth. Any water you can sneak into your diet is a great step to set you up for keto rebound. Bone broth adds a serving of water to your diet and a dose of electrolytes – sodium and potassium – which will offset some of the discomfort you feel at a cellular level. Get our bone broth recipe here.

Supplement with electrolytes. “Keto acts as a natural diuretic, so to counteract that you have to make sure you’re giving your body extra sodium,” Suzanne Ryan, best-selling author of “Simply Keto” explains. Replenishing your electrolytes is a great way to start feeling better fast. Take note of the key players – potassium, magnesium, and sodium. If you aren’t getting enough of them from your diet, which can be difficult to do on low-carb, incorporate them by way of supplements.

Potassium: Eat fish, meat, leafy greens, winter squash or supplement with 1,000-3,500 mg per day. If you are battling cramps, constipation, or muscle weakness, go for potassium.
Magnesium: Eat spinach, chicken, beef, fish or supplement with 300-500 mg per day. Magnesium helps with keto flu symptoms like muscle cramps, dizziness, and fatigue.
Sodium: Particularly important if you are exercising or live in a hot climate, supplement with 5,000-7,000 mg per day. Cramping is alleviated with proper sodium intake

Eat more fat – especially MCTs. Upping your fat consumption can speed up your adaptation phase – you’ll start to burn fat instead of glucose more quickly. There is one issue, though. Most fats have to pass through your lymphatic system to your heart, muscles and fat cells before they reach the liver. Only there can they be turned into ketones for the body to use as fuel. MCT oil is different in that it goes straight to the liver after digestion – just like carbs – so they can be used immediately. Supplementing with MCT oil may even help you avoid keto flu altogether. Other easy ways to ramp up the fat: Add coconut oil to your morning brew, try grass-fed jerky or eggs as a snack, and check out some of these recipes to tap the fat.

Get good rest. A sound night’s sleep is a very good thing when it comes to conquering keto flu. It keeps your cortisol levels in check, which will likely lessen your flu symptoms. Aim for 7-9 hours a night, and try these sleep hacks to reach for better zzz’s.

Exercise (mildly) and meditate. Did you note the second word – mild. Yes, mild. The goal here is to reduce cortisol levels (especially initially), so anything that relieves stress will help you. Yoga or gentle walks can do the trick. If exercise isn’t your thing, try meditating. Bottom line, it’s probably best not to go full-on in the gym until you adjust to the keto diet.

Take activated charcoal. Activated charcoal works to detox your body of any toxins. Charcoal binds to chemicals whose molecules have positive charges, including many toxic molds[ref url=”http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6782748″], BPA[ref url=”http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es0481169″], and pesticides[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9482427″]. As you adapt to burning fat for fuel, you’ll shed extra body fat. Toxins are stored in this fat, so the charcoal assists to swiftly usher these out the door and optimize your general sense of well-being.

Take an exogenous ketone supplement. Exogenous ketones aid with fatigue and boost energy levels by raising the ketone levels in your blood. Note that they are not a replacement for a proper keto diet, though they may help you take it up a notch – especially on the flu. If you choose to go this route, aim for smaller doses of your supplement – spread throughout the day, for the first 3-5 days of the keto flu.

If all else fails, up your carb intake. For some people, increasing fat simply won’t curb keto flu symptoms. If this is the case – and you tested your limits by adding more fat and are still experiencing flu-like symptoms – you’ll want to up your carb intake just a bit. This carb refeeding time goes a long way to ensure you feel better – as it gives your body the chance to adjust to burning fat, because it has some glucose (carbs) to utilize as you adjust.

How to Set Goals and Actually Achieve Them

January 2, 2020 by Team Asprey

[tldr]

Only eight percent of people stick to their goals; the other 92 percent give up. There’s a key difference between the two groups: the people who succeed know how to set good goals.
A good goal has to have several things: a deep purpose behind it, clear-cut parameters for success, and diversified meaning that makes it easier to handle failure.
This article covers how to set goals for yourself that you’ll actually keep.

[/tldr]

Here’s a little money-saving hack: if you want a good deal on a gym membership, join in January.

Any gym owner will tell you that January is their most lucrative month of the year. Gyms offer discounts and run marketing campaigns, and pretty soon new members come flooding in, all intent on sticking to their New Year’s resolution: to get in shape.

Getting fit is a worthwhile resolution. But that same gym owner will tell you that by February, every year, the newcomers have stopped showing up. Only eight percent of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions.[ref url=”https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/”] For the rest, excitement wanes, motivation runs out, and it’s back to the couch instead of the gym.

Reaching your goals takes work

What sets the successful people apart? What does it take to be in the eight percent of people who succeed at their goals, instead of in the 92 percent who don’t?

It’s a good question. There are a few reasons people fail at their goals. In his recent Bulletproof Radio podcast episode [iTunes], high performance coach Brendon Burchard talks about what it takes to set your mind to something and actually achieve it.

“You have to ask, ‘who do I have to become to achieve the purpose I want?’” Burchard says.

Burchard acknowledges what a lot of motivational coaches don’t: reaching your goals is hard work. It requires doing things you don’t want to do. That’s why 92 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions fail — your motivation runs out sooner or later, and when it does, you have to dig deep to stay committed to your goals.

Most people give up when faced with hard work, or they overcommit and burn themselves out because they don’t think long-term. It’s a shame, because research shows that working hard (and sustainably) toward a goal that truly matters to you is one of the best ways to enrich your life.

With a little guidance and the right mindset, you can set meaningful goals and actually achieve them. Here’s how to set good goals, pursue them properly, and make it into the eight percent of people who stick to their New Year’s resolutions.

Create purpose, don’t search for it

If a goal is worthwhile, it’s going to be difficult to reach it. You’re going to struggle, fail, learn, and work hard, and by the time you achieve your goal, you’ll be a quantifiably stronger person than you were when you started.

But in order to weather all the hard work and failure along the way, your goal has to really mean something to you.

The good news is that you get to decide on that meaning. The second law of success in Bulletproof Founder Dave Asprey’s new book “Game Changers: What Leaders, Innovators, and Mavericks Do to Win at Life” is “Never Discover Who You Are.” Instead of trying to discover who you are, decide on who you want to be, and actively create that person. If you let others tell you who you should be, you’ll never have a real sense of meaning in life, and you’ll struggle with feelings of mediocrity and creeping misery.

Meaning in life isn’t something you find, it’s something you create, and if your goals aren’t imbued with meaning, you won’t want them badly enough to stick with them through hard times.

If you want to lose 40 pounds to get abs, for example, you probably won’t make it. How you look is superficial. But if you want to lose 40 pounds so you can be fit enough to play with your kids and be alive when they’re in their twenties, you’re much more likely to stay committed to that fat loss.

Identify a purpose that drives your goals. Make it something that really matters to you at a deep level. Get as specific as possible, and write it down somewhere. Purpose is what will keep you going on the path to success.

You’ll also be happier when you’re working toward something that really matters. Overcoming obstacles in pursuit of something valuable gives your life meaning, which leads to a deep sense of fulfillment.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3149846/”] Figuring out challenges also shows you that you’re stronger than you thought, which builds resilience.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3132556/”]

So pick something you really want and that carries deep importance to you. That’s what you’ll structure your goals around.

How to set good goals for yourself (and actually achieve them)

Once you’ve chosen a purpose-driven goal, it’s time to figure out how to achieve it on a practical level. You want to set clear parameters for success when it comes to your goal. That way you’ll know exactly when you succeed and exactly when you fail, and you can figure out where you’re falling short and correct it.

A lot of people don’t get specific with their goals. It’s understandable — if you don’t define failure, you’ll never have to acknowledge when you’re failing. But being able to identify your shortcomings is crucial to success, and in order to do that, you have to be practical and specific with your goals.

Let’s continue with the example from before. You want to be a better parent to your kids, and right now you’re too overweight to run around with them without getting winded. What would success look like? Write out the parameters:

Lose 10 percent body fat
Play ball with your kids for an hour, four times a week
Be able to run a mile in under eight minutes

You’ll notice that all these parameters for success are quantifiable. There’s no room for interpretation; either you run a mile in eight minutes or you don’t. Either you’re fit enough to play with your kids for an hour, or you aren’t.

Set specific, practical goals with clear parameters for success. You have to know, unambiguously, when you’re succeeding and when you’re failing.

The next step is to set a timeline for your goals. Maybe you aim to lose one percent body fat per week, or start by playing ball with your kids once a week and work up to four times a week in the next six months. Set a clear schedule, and make it challenging enough that you fail 20-40 percent of the time. That failure means you’re pushing your limits. Aim to reduce the amount that you fail, week by week.

To summarize, your goals should have:

A purpose driving theme
Practical, quantifiable criteria for success
A timeline that challenges you so you fail 20-40 percent of the time

Keep track of your progress in a journal or a free habit tracking app like Way Of Life. You want to have data that shows you how you’re doing.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

You’re going to fail on the way to your goals. It’s an inevitable part of growth. Failure is important feedback. It tells you when you’re falling short and offers an opportunity to examine yourself, figure out what you’re not doing well, and correct it.

Failure also sucks. It’s painful to find out that you’re not good at something, and it takes humility to accept your shortcomings and work to correct them. Most people try to avoid failure, which is a fool’s errand; instead, make yourself more resilient to failure by having several goals at once.

Having multiple goals diversifies the meaning in your life. Maybe you fall short on goal A one day, but you do a great job at goals B and C. That makes goal A’s failure less devastating, and allows you to figure out why you fell short and correct it instead of being overwhelmed by your failure.

Set three or four goals for yourself at a time. More than four can be overwhelming and decreases the value of each goal. Fewer than three means you’re too invested in each goal, and when you inevitably fail, you’re more likely to feel crushed and give up.

Use these tools to set good goals for yourself. Get clear on what you really want, and why, and how you’re going go get it. Instill a sense of purpose in your life, then work hard to achieve it. You might be surprised by what you can do.

Digital Detox: How to Disconnect, and Why It’s So Good for You

December 26, 2019 by Team Asprey

[tldr]

If the thought of missing one notification makes you break out in a cold sweat, you might be due for a digital detox.
Overusing technology is bad for your sleep, your relationships, your productivity, and your self-esteem. Even a small break from technology can help your brain relax and recharge.
You don’t have to live in the woods to benefit from a digital detox. Start small and limit your screen time. Getting rid of distractions will improve your focus and sleep, and it’ll free up more time than you’d think.

[/tldr]

How long can you last without checking your notifications? If the thought of missing out on one “important” text or tweet makes you break out in a cold sweat, you might be due for a digital detox.

It’s tempting to think that the people who need to unplug are totally addicted to technology. The reality is that almost everyone can benefit from disconnecting, even for a day. Studies show that overusing technology is bad for your sleep, your relationships, your productivity, and your self-esteem.[ref url=”https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23311908.2016.1157281″]

According to addiction therapist Cali Estes, PhD, founder of The Addictions Coach, a lot of her clients report increased happiness by shutting off social media or putting away their phone after dinner. “Even if it is a small change, your brain will relax and recharge.”

Here’s what you should know about the benefits of disconnecting, including actionable tips to finally unplug — and no, you don’t have to live off the grid forever.

When technology isn’t good for you

It’s impossible to step away from technology, and it’s not practical to suggest you can’t use it at all. The problem is that overusing technology makes it more difficult to live your life on your own terms. Here’s what that looks like:

Using technology after dark keeps you awake: Blue light from screens messes with your natural sleep-wake cycle. It also increases your risk of serious illness like obesity, cancer, and diabetes.[ref url=”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4734149/”]
Social media use is associated with toxic behaviors: Specifically, narcissism, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem — especially among teens.[ref url=”https://news.umich.edu/you-re-so-vain-u-m-study-links-social-media-and-narcissism/”] [ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460316301095″] [ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140197116300343″]

Overusing technology makes you less productive: Need to concentrate on a problem at work? You can’t reach that golden flow state of productivity when you’re constantly distracted (and stressed) by notifications.[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563214005810″]

Smartphones are especially disruptive: According to a 2014 study, using your smartphone for work at night makes you less productive and engaged the following morning.[ref url=”https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749597814000089″] The results were more pronounced than other forms of technology, like tablets and TV.

Why you should break up with your phone (even for a little while)

Overusing technology makes it more difficult to focus on the experiences that truly bring you value. In Bulletproof founder Dave Asprey’s new book, “Game Changers: What Leaders, Innovators, and Thinkers Do to Win at Life,” Asprey writes about minimalist Joshua Fields Millburn, who periodically lives without a cell phone or internet. When Millburn brings those small luxuries back into his life, he “sees how they can enhance his life while remaining conscious of the ways in which they are wasting precious time and energy,” Asprey says. Listen to his interview with Millburn on this episode of the Bulletproof Radio podcast.

Follow Millburn’s example. You don’t need your cell phone or laptop. Sure, technology can make your life more convenient and entertaining. But most of the time, it’s more fulfilling to let your mind wander, have a face-to-face conversation with a loved one, or take a walk outside. These experiences can’t be matched by a text or a Facebook post. Instead of spending your time doing things that matter to you, technology is sapping your attention.

“We all need a digital detox,” says clinical psychologist Lisa Strohman, PhD, founder of Digital Citizen Academy. “Check your screen time. Are you doing things offline with at least a balanced number of hours as you are online?”

Think about it. You’re surrounded by screens and notifications morning and night. Say you spend an hour per night watching your favorite show. That’s 7 hours per week camped out in front of your laptop or TV (after you’ve already spent 8 hours at your computer for work). What if you spend that time working out, prepping your lunches for the week, reading a book, or working on your side hustle? How much more would you get done in a week, a month, or a year?

“A digital detox gives our minds and bodies an opportunity to restore their natural rhythms,” says Jennifer Weniger, PhD, a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist at Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center. “It can enhance relationships and productivity. It can provide you with a genuine opportunity to feel mentally and physically relaxed.”

According to Weniger, there are some clear warning signs that you need a break from technology:

You constantly check your smartphone throughout the day (even when it’s not necessary).
You struggle to have face-to-face conversations.
You make careless mistakes because you’re always distracted.
You aren’t sleeping well.
You’re sedentary for long stretches of time. (Find out why that’s dangerous.)
You don’t spend time outdoors because you spend your free time looking at screens.

“There are some advantages to technology, such as instant access to information, but we as a society need to learn how to moderate technology so that it does not take over our lives,” Weniger says. “We need to control technology, and not allow technology to control us.”

Fortunately, you can take a few steps today to take back control of your time. Keep reading to find out how.

How to do a digital detox

Nobody is saying you need to go live in a cabin in the woods for a month (although spending time in nature is good for you). Start by identifying two important variables:

How much time you spend online
What you want to do instead

How much time you spend online

If you have an iPhone, you can check your most-used apps and average screen time in your phone’s settings. Go to “Settings” and tap “Screen Time.” Tap on your phone’s name to view your most-used apps, how often you pick up your phone, and even how many notifications you receive per app.

Then, think about how often you use screens throughout your day. Do you look at your phone as soon as you wake up? Do you switch between your phone and computer at work all day? Do you watch TV while you eat dinner?

Based on that data, decide how you want to proceed. If you want to be hardcore and go without any screens at all, rock on — but maybe save that goal for a weekend. If you have a job that requires computer screens or cell phone access, your boss might not appreciate your digital detox.

Instead, lay down some ground rules based on what’s realistic for you. Start small. Here are some ideas:

Swear off your most-used social media app for a week. Completely turn off notifications for that app. Tell friends they can call or text you if they want to reach you.
Turn off notifications during work hours. Check your messages at designated times throughout the day, like once every other hour.
Swear off screens after dark. Once the sun sets, keep your phone, laptop, and TV powered off. Turn off electronics in your bedroom, and black out LED screens. Pay attention when your body naturally starts feeling sleepy.
Change your notifications: Unsubscribe from email newsletters that clutter your inbox. Turn off the vibration setting on your phone. Does that red notification alert stress you out? You can turn it off in your settings and app permissions.

What you want to do instead

Everyone has 24 hours in a day. Without technology sapping your free time, what do you want to do instead?

Get creative: Draw, dance, write, paint, or get creative in the kitchen. Creativity is good for you — it helps build new connections between neurons and sharpens your brain. Learn more here.
Work out: Exercise is good for your brain, your body, and your mental health. You don’t need a ton of time to reap the benefits. Check out this 13-minute dumbbell workout you can do instead of checking Twitter.
Spend time with people you love: Grab dinner with a friend you haven’t seen in ages. Have a meaningful conversation with your partner. Invite your neighbors over for a board game night. Cook a complicated recipe with your family. Create memories that you can’t replicate with a phone in front of your face.
Unwind: If technology is an important part of your self-care routine, make sure you’re replacing that time with something else that gives you peace. Learn how to meditate, try a yoga class, spend some time in the sun, or take a long bath at the end of a stressful day — it’s better for your body than watching TV.

Go to sleep: Once you start limiting screen use, you might discover that you start feeling tired earlier in the evening. That’s your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle telling you to go to bed. Listen to it.

Taking a digital detox sounds a little woo-woo, but it’s a truly personal endeavor. When you aren’t sheltering your attention behind a screen, you might realize you have more free time than you think. And really, that’s the biggest benefit of a digital detox: It helps you take more control of your life and your attention so you can focus on what really brings you joy — whatever that may be.

So, don’t be afraid to disconnect. It’s good for you.

What is Post Birth Control Syndrome and Do You Have It?

December 10, 2019 by Team Asprey

Today we welcome guest author Dr. Jolene Brighten, functional naturopathic medical doctor and nutritional biochemist with a focus on women’s endocrine health. Listen to her interview on Bulletproof Radio here.

So you’ve decided to ditch your hormonal birth control and now you’re breaking out for the first time in your life, your digestion has gone haywire, your mood is tanking, and you’ve got period problems galore.

For many women the only solution they are met with is—get back on the pill, place that patch, get another shot, here’s the ring, or we have an IUD for that. But what is actually going on?

This is known as post-birth control syndrome (PBCS). As defined in Beyond the Pill, it is a constellation of symptoms women experience when they discontinue hormonal birth control that generally lasts about 4-6 months after discontinuing hormonal birth control.

For some women, PBCS symptoms can be the return of the hormonal issues that drove them to take birth control in the first place, but for many, the symptoms are brand new and the result of what years of birth control has done to their body.

Before we dive into specifics, I think it is important to clarify a few things. Firstly, as a physician, I am not anti-birth control. I am pro-informed consent. Secondly, using birth control to manage symptoms or prevent pregnancy is nothing to feel ashamed of. And lastly, as a woman and a first-generation college graduate, I am really grateful that we have access to birth control and would never advocate against access.

Post-Birth Control Syndrome Symptoms

When you understand that every cell in your body has a receptor for natural hormones and that your own hormones impact every system, it isn’t hard to see how synthetic hormones found in birth control can impact every single system in your body. And this is why PBCS can present in different ways for women. Some of the symptoms of PBCS include:

Amenorrhea (loss of menstruation)
Heavy, painful periods
Hypothyroidism
Acne, cystic acne, rosacea
Migraines
Headaches
Hair loss
Depression
Blood sugar dysregulation
Anxiety
Gas or bloating
Changes in bowels
Leaky gut
Gut dysbiosis
Inflammation and other immune imbalances
Fatigue
Brain fog
Adrenal dysfunction
Lack of sex drive

Women often find it difficult for a doctor to recognize their symptoms are related to them stopping birth control for two main reasons—1. Doctors often believe that these medications only affect the reproductive system because that is what they are designed to do. 2. Symptoms can show up months to even years after discontinuing.

Having experienced PBCS myself, I am intimately familiar with how quickly a woman’s story can be dismissed. As a doctor, I firmly believe that a woman’s experience has value and her story needs to be considered in our diagnostic workup.

How to bounce back from Post Birth Control Syndrome

Clinically I have found that women do not heal from the effects of birth control without taking the necessary steps to support their body in the process.

5 Foundations of the Brighten Protocol™ to Heal Post-Birth Control Syndrome

Replenish Nutrient Stores
Identify Your Hormone Imbalance
Heal Your Gut
Post-Birth Control Detox
Metabolic Repair

Replenish Nutrient Stores

It is well recognized that hormonal birth control leads to nutrient deficiencies. This information exists in drug handbooks, dietician’s core curriculum, and numerous research studies. The oral contraceptive pill specifically is well recognized to cause deficiencies in folate, B2, B6, B12, vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as minerals such as magnesium, selenium and zinc. In addition, hormonal birth control (including transdermal and vaginal) has been shown to deplete crucial antioxidants like CoQ10, vitamin E and total antioxidant capacity. Hello, mitochondrial health!

On birth control, transitioning off, and reversing PBCS requires eating a whole foods, nutrient dense diet. Aim to include vegetables at every meal. Incorporate high quality fat and protein every time you eat so that you build healthy hormones, optimize blood sugar, and rebuild what was lost on birth control. If you’re using hormonal birth control make sure you are supplementing with a multivitamin or prenatal and adding in CoQ10. This is also a key step that I outlined in Beyond the Pill to help you successfully transition off and avoid PBCS.

Identify Your Hormone Imbalance

Hormonal birth control impacts our ovaries, brain, thymus, pancreas, thyroid, and adrenal glands, which are all pretty much how we make hormones. Is it any wonder that we can end up with HPA dysregulation, thyroid imbalances, period problems, immune dysfunction, or blood sugar dysregulation on birth control or coming off?

In chapter one of Beyond the Pill, I provide a comprehensive quiz to help you identify your hormone imbalance and what to do about it. Yes, we are talking individualized protocols for what you need.

Heal Your Gut

Hormonal contraceptives have been shown to lead to leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability), dysbiosis and increase the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease. It may come as a surprise, but if you want to heal your hormones then you must heal your gut! Those critters in your gut can lead to estrogen dominance just by making too much of an enzyme known as beta glucuronidase, which puts estrogen back into circulation.

Eating nutrient dense, fiber packed foods in addition to fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, and water kefir can help support a healthy microbiome. In addition, seed cycling is a technique that can support gut health and help balance hormones.

Be sure to replenish zinc, which can help heal the intestines, by including foods in the diet like oysters, pumpkin seeds, and red meat. Consuming bone broth can also support gut repair.

Post-Birth Control Detox

No, you don’t need to force your body to detox synthetic hormones. Your body detoxes daily on its own, but when it has had crucial nutrient depletions caused by birth control this can be a bit more of a struggle. In addition, the impact of birth control on your gut may impair the elimination of excess hormones. Not to mention that hormonal birth control alters your liver at the genetic and structural level.

Your liver is key in optimizing your hormones. In my medical practice, we have women go through a 14-day food and lifestyle based detox protocol to support what their body does best and undo some of the detox inhibiting effects of birth control.

In it we leverage liposomal glutathione, which is the mother of all antioxidants. It’s one of the fastest ways to love up your liver. Aim to take 100 to 200 milligrams daily. If you’re using glutathione on its own, I recommend the liposomal form because it actually binds to cells and facilitates the delivery of nutrients even more effectively.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an amino acid precursor to glutathione and does a whole lot of really great things like improving mood, fertility, and gut function, and may reduce the risk of miscarriage. Aim to take 600 to 900 milligrams twice daily.

Metabolic Repair

Birth control creates what I call Metabolic Mayhem in our bodies. It is inflammatory, leads to insulin resistance, blood sugar dysregulation, and can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and increased risk of cardiovascular events. If you’re on birth control, you definitely need to address this now and as you transition off, you’ll have some work to do to reverse metabolic mayhem.

The key steps of the Brighten Metabolic Protocol go by the acronym BEAT:

Banish sugar and refined carbs
Eat real food with plenty of veggies
Activity daily
Timed meals

Eliminating blood sugar sabotaging foods like refined carbohydrates and excess sugar are key in fast-tracking your healing. Moving your body daily is essential in sensitizing your cells to insulin and reducing inflammation.

For more tips and a complete protocol to eliminate Post-Birth Control Syndrome please consider grabbing a copy of Beyond the Pill today!

Resources: BRIGHTEN, JOLENE. BEYOND THE PILL: a 30-Day Plan to Eliminate Period Problems, Boost Libido, Improve Mood, Clear Skin, and Ditch the Pill When You’re Ready. HARPER ONE, 2019.

For more information on women’s health, head over to Dr. Brighten’s website.

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How to do a digital detox

How much time you spend online

What you want to do instead

Post-Birth Control Syndrome Symptoms

How to bounce back from Post Birth Control Syndrome

5 Foundations of the Brighten Protocol™ to Heal Post-Birth Control Syndrome

Replenish Nutrient Stores

Identify Your Hormone Imbalance

Heal Your Gut

Post-Birth Control Detox

Metabolic Repair

Get on “The Inside Track” with Dave

See What Trouble Dave’s Getting Into on Social

Start hacking your way to better than standard performance and results.

Get on
“The Inside Track”
with Dave