Against the Herd Podcast

Join us today as we discuss BeActivated - a system of muscular release techniques aimed at improving performance, longevity, and injury recovery/prevention - with Coach Mark Rodgers, who came upon the system when he needed to push his body to the max as a powerlifter. The protocols discussed in today's episode helped him delay surgery years, and made such an impact that he now has his own practice near Austin, Texas.

What are the biggest advantages to fasting? What happens at a cellular level that's so signficant? What are the pro/con and differences between intermittent fasting and the longer "typical" fasts? We're joined by Colleen Williams, founder of Fit Broth, who discusses all of the above and more. From a competitive marathon runner turned fasting enthusiast, Colleen walks us through her path, what led her into diving into research behind fasting, and a ton of practical tips you could consider to help implement it into your life. You can learn more about Fit Broth or order HERE

Is there a non-medicinal way to cure anxiety? Why does one feel so refreshed after a sensory deprivation session? Whether you've seen it on "Stranger Things" or otherwise, sensory deprivation (or "float") tanks are quickly gaining popularity as a means to blissfully detach from the constant stimulation of daily life. In this episode, podcast host Nick Boustead dives in with our usual formula - what are float tanks, why do they work (based on peer reviewed research), and what are some ways you can introduce it into your life.

How do you know if you're eating meat with high heavy metal content? Do current popular diets such as paleo, keto, and carvivore work? Join us as we discuss with registered dietician/sports nutritionist Brooke Schneid. Former senior dietician at Mt. Sinai in New York and currently Nutritionist for the George Washington Weight Loss and Surgery Center, Brooke also has a private practice wheree she counsels patients on everything from weight loss, sports performance, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to prenatal nutrition, food allergies/intolerances and cancer prevention.Check her out at @wellsavvy_b on Instagram, or HERE for her website!

What drastic changes occur in the brains of meditators? What's the minimum amount of time one should meditate daily to see great effect? What does the research about meditations currently tell us, and where are we going? Today we host a fascinating talk with Cortland Dahl - Neuroscientist, founder of an international meditation center, and creator of one of the most widely used meditation apps. Cortland spent years studying and practicing meditation in Asia, including eight years living in Tibetan refugee settlements in India and Nepal. He has published numerous collections of translations of classic works on meditation and Buddhist philosophy from the Tibetan tradition. In addition to his work with the Center, Cortland is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Tergar International, a global network of meditation group. LINK - Tergar International LINK - Healthy Minds appLINK - Center for Healthy Minds

Join us as we discuss medition/mindfulness with Nina Purewal, best-selling author of Let That Sh*t Go! which covers topics like the racing mind, self-smack talk, accepting what we can’t conrol, shifting our perspective, being true to you, forgiveness and finding your tech zen. It also touches on the power of practising mindfulness and meditation to find your calm. While we've broadly covered this topic in Episode 5, Nina gives phenomenal advice for fitting medition in to a busy working life. Pick up a copy of Nina's book (link) or check out her website (link) if you'd like to hear more from her.

Can too little sleep cause cancer? Can you have variability with your sleep/wake times and still rest well? What can you do with your mattress to ensure the best possible sleep? Join us as we discuss with Amy Korn-Reavis, a sleep coach and founder of www.bettersleepcoach.com as she explains many aspects of sleep in a fantastically easy to understand format.

Sleep - we all do it, but how can you optimize yours for performance/health? What's going on in your body during sleep?Join us for a brief indtoructory dive for sleep that will serve as a basis for next guest.

How much control do you have over the subconscoius mind, both your own and others? What separates the two? What applications can hypnosis have in a modern clinical setting?Dr. Art Emerich, a Certified Master Hypnotherapist and Certified Master Practitioner and Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) joins us today to answer these questions and more.

What is hypnosis (aka Neural Linguistic Programming)? Does it actually work? How could one use hypnosis to better themselves?Join us as we take a look at hynosis with our typical structure - what is is, why it works (based on research), and how one could apply to their daily lives.References:Spiegel, David & Bloom, J.R. & Kraemer, H.C. & Gottheil, E.. (1992). Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Lancet (London, England).Nixon, R.D.V., Bryant, R.A., Moulds, M.L., Felmingham, K.L. and Mastrodomenico, J.A. (2005), Physiological arousal and dissociation in acute trauma victims during trauma narratives. J. Traum. Stress, 18: 107-113. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20019Banerjee S, Srivastav A, Palan BM. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis in the management of nocturnal enuresis: A comparative study with imipramine therapy. Am J Clin Hypn. 1993;36(2):113–119.