How To Increase Free Testosterone, Elevating Deep Sleep Levels, Ideal Estrogen Levels For Women & Much More (Special Q&A Episode!)

Ben Greenfield Life

The “Kentucky Castle” is a unique destination hotspot with a full biohacking facility, sauna, farm-to-table restaurant, precision medicine arm, hemp farm, horse facilities, and much more. It is owned by one of the physicians who hosts the “Wild Health” podcast, on which I was recently a guest.

Recently, at the castle, I had the pleasure of giving a talk on how to hack your biology and get the most out of the genetics you were born with. Afterward, I took part in a Q&A with several of the physicians in attendance at the conference. On today's podcast, part two of this two-part series (click here to listen to part one), you'll get to sit in on this very interesting discussion. Enjoy!

Questions and topics covered in the session... -Follow-up questions for Ben from his presentation...6:48

• Q: What do you think of using the ChiliPad long term, particularly as it pertains to EMF and dirty electricity?
  • My podcast on Building Biology
  • Dirty electricity filters
• Q: Do you think Great Plains Lab's test for mycotoxins is not valid?
  • A: They're legit.
• Q: You said a score of 3.8 for the TSH is good but not optimal. How do you figure out what your optimal levels should be?
• Q: Is it true that if you take colostrum on an empty stomach, it won't raise your insulin-like growth factor (IGF)?
  • A: I've never heard that. Colostrum is an anabolic.

-What is the ideal estradiol post-menopause?...12:45

• Get it back to pre-menopausal levels
• Book: Estrogen Matters

-How does a sense of spirituality and spiritual practice play into one's health and wellness?...16:12

• Changes epigenetic expression, improves sleep cycles
• Gratitude changes level of empathy toward others
• Blue zones have strong beliefs in a higher power, meditation, etc.
• Medical students are not trained in the efficacy of spirituality
• Physicians "curse" patients; "so much time left to live"

-How would you increase free testosterone naturally?...19:19

• Avoid heavy amounts of intense exercise (HIIT)
• Prioritize sexual experience; send body the signal you're maintaining fertility
• Decrease insulin resistance; increase healthy fatty acids
• JOOVV light
• Get adequate rest
• Stress management
• Primal Jet Pack

-How does ashwagandha play a role in cortisol and other adaptogens?...26:30

• Ashwagandha supplement
• Ginseng
• Four Sigmatic (Receive a 15% discount using code: BENGREENFIELD)
• Books by Dr. Shawn Talbott

-How long would a dietary change take to see a change in the Omega 3 Index?...28:25

• At least 3 months
• Can vary from person to person
• SMASH fish: salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring
• Cod liver oil

-What CGM (continuous glucose monitor) devices do you recommend?...32:05

• Dexcom G6

-When is it optimal to test IGF-1?...35:40

• Fasted blood test

-Should a microbiome be tested a certain time of day, fasted or unfasted, etc.?...36:30 -Is it true that it is difficult to test for parasites because the parasite releases an enzyme when the stool hits the air?...39:30 -What are the key factors to getting quality deep sleep?...41:40

• Article: Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages.
  • Cold environment
  • CBD oil or supplement - 60-100 mg (use code: GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
  • Binaural beats for deep sleep (no Bluetooth)
• Regular exercise regimen
• Avoid alcohol
• Period of fasting (3-4 hours)

-Are people who follow a low-carb or ketogenic diet low in magnesium?...45:30 -For Ben: How are you dealing with your high cortisol metabolism?...48:56

• "I haven't followed a strict ketogenic diet for years."
• Carb refeed at the end of the day

-Is a colonoscopy an effective means of "resetting" the microbiome?...50:45 -How do you treat someone with a common cold? If it develops into an infection, how do you naturally heal it sans antibiotics?...52:36

• Vitamin C, rest, electrolytes
• Chaga and sauna (save $500 with code: BEN)
• Zinc lozenges
• Oil of oregano
• Taking antibiotics correlates with anxiety and depression in the future
• Take a cold shower every morning: prevents getting a cold

-Under what circumstances should one seek an antibiotic, even if they are determined not to use antibiotics?...1:00:00 -How to deal with fainting episodes related to stress?...1:02:25

• Improving vagal nerve tone
• Vagal Nerve Stimulators (use code GREENFIELD for $100 discount)
• Podcast: 32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve, Fine-Tune Your Nervous System & Self-Hack Your Hormones
• Cold exposure: cold showers, dunk face in cold water

-What about things like sauerkraut and kombucha in promoting microbiome health?...1:03:45

• Sauerkraut is good; approach kombucha with caution

-Thoughts on a 5-day fasting mimicking diet vs. a 3-day water fast?...1:07:10

• Solid science behind the fasting mimicking diet
• Fasting mimicking diet is more realistic in its feasibility (water fast is very difficult)

-For Ben: Are you still doing the NAD injection that burns for 15 minutes?...1:09:32 -How can you deal with exercise-induced hypoglycemia when you're not diabetic?...1:12:15 -How do you mitigate the effects of a bad night of sleep?...1:14:30

• Brief spurts of High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
• Large amounts of blue light in the morning to reset circadian rhythm
• Regular meal times
• Ketone esters or nicotine gum (save $10 with code: BEN10)

-And much more... Resources from this episode:

-JOOVV light (use code: BEN for a free gift at checkout)

-ChiliPad

-My podcast on Building Biology

-Dirty electricity filters

-Book: Estrogen Matters

-Primal Jet Pack

-Ashwagandha supplement

-Ginseng

-Four Sigmatic (Receive a 15% discount using code: BENGREENFIELD)

-Article: Deep Sleep Decoded: Everything You Need To Know To Increase Your Deep Sleep Percentages

-Books by Dr. Shawn Talbott

-Cod liver oil

-Podcast: 32 Ways to Stimulate Your Vagus Nerve, Fine-Tune Your Nervous System & Self-Hack Your Hormones

-Dexcom G6 glucose monitor

Episode sponsors:

-Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations. Attention Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners: receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.

-Organifi Red Juice: Enjoy all the benefits of the 11 superfoods and their micronutrients that help increase resting metabolism, support cardiovascular health, and remove toxins to turn back the hands of time! Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20

-Four Sigmatic: I’ve been using Four Sigmatic products for a while now and I’m impressed by the efficacies of their mushroom products. I use them. I like them. I support the mission! Receive 15% off your Four Sigmatic purchase when you use discount code: BENGREENFIELD

-Harry's Razors: Try the shaving company that’s fixing shaving. Get a $13 value trial set that comes with everything you need for a close, comfortable shave when you go to harrys.com/greenfield

Got a question for me about the material covered on today's podcast? Just leave a comment below and I'll reply!

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