BestMe Radio

BMR 35: Optimising Your Environment With Bart De Vries

Did you know that the way you set up your environment will directly impact on your decision making? This is something we discuss in this weeks interview with Bart De Vries. We explore workplace set up, how to align values and passion to get what you want in life all the way through to ethical business practice and why your business may want to consider it.
Show Notes:
Introducing Bart
Barts barriers that led him to do what he does now
The learnings from sport that carries over into other areas
New age physiotherapy and Barts clinical evolution
Change your diet to change your movement
Culture building in cafe environments
Benefits of global movement
Addressing the person as an individual
The importance of trust in treatment
Optimisation of the athlete
How your workplace set up can make you less intelligent!
Aligning values and passions to create a better future
More desk work = pain and inflammation
What prompted the shift out pf physiotherapy?
More desk work = pain and poor health
Is a standing desk enough?
Errectorcise!
Limber – maximising movement
Why aligning your business values with your personal values is key to wellness
Ethical business and why its important
Purpose and values
Why your company wants to become more ethical
How to go about becoming an ethical company
2025 = Gen Z = change is coming!
Thinking beyond your own personal timeline
The infinite game!
Creating wellness at your workspace
Desk hacks
Barts message for the world
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BMR 34: Special Announcement – Nice Nuggets!

I am introducing my new monthly co-host Bart De Vries and we are introducing a short, fun new chat on BestMe Radio called ‘Nice Nuggets’ where we will be exploring one wellness subject and sharing nuggets of information based on the selected subject. We will draw on previous interviews, new audio bites from leaders in that field, current research and common sense! In an attempt to cut through the misconceptions, draw out what we actually know and explore how we may implement this in our daily lives. All in 20-30 minutes (what a challenge!).
On this note, we want your input! Please listen to find out about this new format, why and how we want your input as well as our thoughts on some big wellness subjects.
Please let us know what subjects you would like us to talk on through facebook, instagram or through the website. I will be doing weekly polls on Bestme Instagram story so please have your say!
In the next episode I will be interviewing Bart on ‘Creating a Healthy Workspace’ as well as exploring his fascinating life so you will get to know him a lot better. Bart has extensive experience as a high level athlete, a chef, a physiotherapist, entrepreneur and environmental activist. He really is a great guy, doing great things and I think you will enjoy his wisdom, wit and weirdness!
Please enjoy this short fun chat and keep stepping into your best self!
Carl
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BMR 33: The Thriving Man with Ben Warren

What does it mean to be a healthy man in today’s world? In this episode with Ben Warren we discuss what a healthy man looks and feels like, what the common risks and diseases are as well as the reasons for their development. Perhaps more importantly, we explore how men can look beyond disease-free and really thrive as a man in today’s environment. We cover Bens top foods for men, what to avoid and we also discuss in detail what an ideal day would look like!
Show Notes:
(re) Introducing Ben
Why men’s health isn’t as talked about as women’s health
Why men are like a Toyota Hilux
What are the big hitters for men?
What shows up for men in the testing?
What is the ideal in blood testing vs ‘normal range’
What is the first step for men to become healthy?
What happens when men are stressed
Changing your relationship with stress
Sleep – the foundation
HRV as a tool to measure stress
Bens interesting Uber driver encounter!
When is technology beneficial and when is it just too much?
Men’s mental health
A human being with unmet needs
Nutrition and mental health
Client case study
When there is a cause for supplementation
Common vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Inflammation
Where genes express themselves
Where exercise comes into the fold
Exercise and liver function
Why we need to take belly fat seriously!
Time-restricted eating and intermittant fasting benefits
How time-restricted eating looks and works best
Why you want to build muscle!
Stretch the metabolism
Antiaging pathways
How a perfect day will look
Benefits of hot/cold exposure
Brown-fat cells and why you want to up-regulating them
How to live in the modern world and manage the foundations
Bens top man-foods!
Sourcing quality foods
The study that was ended early because the results were that powerful!
Improving gene expression through nutrition
Why road rage is a thing! Eat greens with meat!
Bens top avoid list!
Why we need to consider how and why we drink
Conscious decision making
Coffee – is it good?
Steps to creating a healthier man
Disease-free vs optimal health
Parting words of wisdom
More From Ben
Stay posted on Bestmecommunity FB and Instagram for our Men’s Health WOF testing Kit!
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BMR 32: Fearvana with Akshay Nanavati

Can fear and nirvana co-exist? Yes! It can be an access point to bliss and enlightenment according to this weeks guest Akshay Nanavati. Akshay is a speaker, athlete, author, former US marine and founder of Fearvana. Akshay’s book comes with the highest recommendations – including one from the Dalai Lama himself.
In this interview, we talk through what Akshay has learned through his own personal suffering – through his youth, experience in the marines as well as being diagnosed with PTSD and survivors guilt that led to him contemplating taking his own life. Whereas now he actively seeks adversity and recommends others do too! Beyond discussions around Akshay’s incredible journey, we explore why it’s important to find your own worthy struggle and seek adversity in order to drive self-evolution.
Shownotes:
Akshay’s upbringing
Creation of Fearvana
Lessons from prolonged light deprivation!
Seeking adversity through stillness
From suicidal thoughts to facilitating epic feats
Why Akshay decided to run border to border of every country in the world!
Experiencing oneness along the journey
Lessons from service in marines
Finding unity in struggle
Experiencing survivors guilt
The struggle post-war and the ‘normal’ world
How Akshay got to the point of taking his own life
We ALL experience pain and suffering
Reframing progress – easier vs growth
Post-traumatic growth – trauma an access point to growth
Attaching yourself to labels
Do we really have free will?
The 2 darts of suffering
Recognizing the space
Event + awareness = outcome
Fearvana definition
Discovering your worthy struggle
Challenging your relationship to adversity
The questions you need to ask and answer in order to find your worthy struggle
The greatest lessons are in the DOING!
Why you must seek the struggle
The world of instant gratification and how to combat this
The journey being the destination
Evolution through the struggle
Stepping into the next evolution of yourself
What to do if you haven’t found your worthy struggle
Miracle growth for the brain
Looking for references
REFLECTION and why it’s key to success
Deep gratification vs fizzy high
Living life with purpose and consciousness
Coming out of the dark space and what is the first step?
What is happening does NOT define you
Why Akshay wants people to struggle more
Akshay’s one recommendation for everyone to help them step into a better version of themselves
For more on Akshay and his incredible work click hereInstagramFearvana book
For more on Carl:
Sign up for bonus material through the newsletterInstagramPresenter
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BMR 31: Lessons From Human Evolution with Professor Herman Pontzer

This is a chat I have always wanted to have! One that explores how we may begin to bridge the gap between the best of our ancestors and where we are today in order to optimise human health and longevity. Professor Herman Pontzer (PhD Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke) researches how the human body evolved, and how our species’ deep past shapes our health and physiology today.
We explore how our ancestors would have lived and evolved as well as healthy modern hunter gatherer tribes in an attempt understand modern health and human energetics. His findings thus far are fascinating and challenges our ideas around modern energetics – lets say its not as simple as calories in vs calories out!
We talk on what may have been the critical factors that drove our evolution and where diet, movement, social factors and environment may have played their role.
Episode breakdown
• Introducing professor Pontzer
• Herman’s education evolution
• Energy and the meaning of life
• Important points in time that drove our evolution the most
• The human ape
• The fist 5 minion years
• 2-2.5 million years ago – lifestyle changes
• What drove intelligence, brain size and development?
• What we can rule out
• The social component
• When were we at our healthiest as a species?
• Modern hunter gatherer populations
• What can we learn from hunter gatherers?
• Herman’s field work living with hunter gatherer populations.
• Big findings and insights
• Hadza tribes incredible physical output!
• The BIG surprise that challenges modern day energetics!
• Inflammation – unnecessary calorie burning
• Hadza hormonal profile
• We need to re-think exercise and diet
• Movement patterns of hunter gatherer tribes
• What do hunter gatherer people eat?
• Why the Hadza may laugh at the Paleo Diet
• The real Paleo Diet
• What makes us so sick now?
• Move, eat, connect like a hunter gatherer
• Changing how they burn energy vs how much energy is burned
• What problem would Herman love to solve right now?
• Microbiome and what else needs further research
• Herman’s wisdom that he will impart on everyone!
More from professor Pontzer here including awards, publications and more.
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BMR 30: Personalised Mindfulness

It is common knowledge now that mindfulness practice can help us in many ways including decreasing stress, making better decisions, increasing brain output, increasing creativity, increasing working memory, creating better motor patterns and even decreasing pain. But how we become mindful and what may influence how we get to that mindful state can massively differ for everyone. In fact what can aid in one person becoming mindful can disrupt someone else!
In this chat with Dr Cam McDonald we talk about how we may personalise mindfulness and how we go about facilitating the ‘flow state’ experience. If you want to increase your performance mentally, emotionally and physically then this is one you don’t want to miss!
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BMR 29: A Roadmap To Resilience with Mal Winnie

Mal Winnie is a living representation of resilience. A catastrophic event left Mal dying under tonnes of concrete, his lung punctured, spine fractured in 5 places, leaving his body numb from the waist down and as he went through the death process and took his last breath a miracle occurred..
In this episode I talk with Leadership Coach and former Outdoor Adventure Guide Mal Winnie about resilience. We explore what tools he picked to from the outdoors and some traumatic events in his life including a near death experience.  We explore the 4 different types of resilience and how we may assess these in our own lives and what we can do to make ourselves a more resilient being.
Episode breakdown:
Introducing Mal
Mal’s near death experience
Big learnings from near death
Finding reasons why vs reasons why not
Hardwired for negativity bias
What made Mal more resilient
Our relationship with failure
Seeking out adversity
Have we created too much safety
Defining resilience
What Mal learned from mountaineering – 3 steps forward 1 step back
The 4 types of resilience
1. Physical Resilience
2. Mental Resilience
3. Emotional Resilience
4. Social Resilience
5. Spiritual Resilience
The 2 most important days in your life
Resilience emphasis and overlaps
Finding voluntary challenge
How we can learn through adversity and challenging moments
The power of reflection
“Why does this always happen to me?”
The power of vulnerability
Overlaps and carry over effects of certain resilience practices
Resilience and distress in the workplace
Resilience in high performance sport
The difference between ‘good’ and ‘great’
Creating resilient children
The danger of staying within the comfort zone
Fostering a good relationship with failure
Post traumatic growth
Overcoming the negativity bias
Creating better internal dialogue with yourself
Effective bullying outcome and process
Learning to be optimistic
Common traits of resilient people
Protective factors
Correlation between resilience and workplace success
Correlation between resilience and longevity
Applicable tools and techniques
Self awareness
How do you do stress?
The bus that drives everything: Autonomic Nervous System
The power of breathing
Overriding negativity bias
Helping performance in the workplace – catch them doing it right
Gratitude
The danger of self comparison
The grass is always greener where you choose to water it
Mal one piece of advice to help someone start the journey to a more resilient self
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BMR 28: A Formula For Happiness – With Angela Jenkins

This is beyond doubt the most powerful interview I have done to date. Angela has experienced what many would consider the most tragic thing that could happen to a parent and that is losing her son Will at the age of 104 days old. As you can imagine it was a very sad situation and it was hard for Angela to find happiness at times. However Angela took action and having a background in physiology gained some tools and techniques that very few have attained or understood.
In this episode we discuss how Angela got through this time and we explore what tools and techniques she uses and recommends as well as the why behind the application. If you want to gain more happiness in your life then this is a must listen episode as there are many very usable tools and techniques that you can apply now.
Episode Breakdown:
Getting to know Angela
Evolution of Angela as a holistic wellness practitioner
Angelas experience from a really unhappy place
Where there is life, there is hope
104 days of happiness practice
‘The Will to Liv’
Unique tools pulled from this dark place
Mind tools
Morning rituals – setting up the day
Deep joy vs fizzy highs
The happiness pursuit trap
Habits of the happiest people
#1 habit
So many controllable factors to give us power over our happiness
The enemies to happiness
Perception is key
Pulling yourself out of the downward spiral
Practicing laughter
Raising happy children
The power of play
The power of epigenetics (and hugs!)
How to stimulate the happiness hormones
Happiness in men vs women
Why men need to talk more
Angelas one thing that you can apply right now to make you a happier you.
More from Angela:WebsiteFacebook
Stay tuned for her book – Will To Live
More from CarlHealthFit CollectiveBestMe
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BMR 27: Upgrade Your Feet, Upgrade Yourself! With The BareFoot Podiatrist Paul Thompson

“Plant the bunion seed, put fertiliser on it and then blame your parents, no way!”
 – Paul Thompson (The Barefoot Podiatrist)
In this episode I chat with The Barefoot Podiatrist Paul Thompson on the importance of having functional feet. We talk about what the foot is, its primary roles, how we can assess our own feet and how we can go about attaining ideal foot function. We also have some really interesting discussions around bunions, shoes, orthotics and whole body movement.
As you can see from the quote above this is a really fun chat with lots of useful information! Paul talks us through exercises in which we can do to both assess and address foot function and dysfunction.
Episode breakdown:
Paul’s story – how he became the barefoot podiatrist
Paul’s foot evolution
Re – training your body
What is the role of the human foot
Why your feet are important
What does good foot function look like?
Why shoes are like blindfolds for our feet
Why and how going barefoot will make you happier and less inflamed
Improve your feet, improve your posture
Why a heel raise activates our stress response!
Recognising a dysfunctional foot in yourself
Testing your feet – practical test that you can do now!
Looking at everything else outside of the foot!
Bunion discussion! Its not a growth, its not genes its a symptom.
Listener questions
A discussion around orthotics
The shoe hierarchy – from best to worst
Graded introduction into barefoot exercise
Exercises!!
What to expect on the barefoot journey
What one thing can YOU do now what would that be?
More from PaulFacebookBook a Skype session with Paul!
More from Carl:
BestMe – www.bestme.co.nz
HealthFit Collective – www.healthfitcollective.co.nz
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BMR 26: Spiritual Wellbeing with Paul Chek Pt.2

In part 2 of the interview with Paul Chek we dive deep into spiritual wellness. Paul not only a holistic wellness practitioner but is also shamanic healer with huge experience in many forms of spiritual practice including over 400 shamanic plant medicine experiences. We build on the last interview and dive deep into the exploration of self, god, spirit, consciousness, ego, religion and much More! He describes the 4 common denominators of spiritual wellbeing. Then he gives us some practical applicable tips at the end of the episode with many tools and techniques as well as the one question we should all ask ourselves. So get ready to challenge yourself and evolve your spiritual wellbeing.
Episode Breakdown:
Defining consciousness
400 shamanic experiences and many forms of spiritual practice
God = unconditional love = 0 = empty and full
Religion + Science
Exploring infinity and the absolute
Conscious – ness and conscious – of
Can AI replace consciousness
CONSCIOUSNESS = GOD
Sensory system, vibration and conscious – of
Defining the Ego 
How long it takes to develop the ego
Most critical programming stages
The greatest source of fear
The importance of love
The chief function of the ego
Love as consciousness becoming aware of itself
Donald Trump is a part of all of us
Over encapsulated ego = separation + isolation and depression
Over inflated ego = Over-esteemed self + impression of success and crisis of self
Spirituality vs religion 
Corporate religion – programming for profit
Cutting through the dogma
Ego inhalation – ‘soul loss’
Becoming an individuated whole person
Sprit gym – meeting emotional and mental resistance
Going beyond the book
Mystic branches of religions
Real spirituality
Defining spirituality 
Defining enlightenment 
Defining spiritual wellbeing 
Stress, pain and judgment manifestation
Grace and faith
What we can do now to develop our spiritual wellbeing
Sick body = sick mind
What do you love enough to grow and heal for?
4 common denominators of spiritual wellbeing
1: Turn a negative into a positive
2: Create beyond the laws of physics
3: Create equanimity and harmony wherever they go
4: Draw their power from unconditional love
Tools to help grow
Behind every angry person is someone that needs more love
Love is a boomerang
The one question that will help you grow spiritually
Spirit gym and earth school
Quickfire questions:
One person that inspires Paul
One book thats been most influential on Paul’s development
What is Paul working on currently to enhance spiritual development
Pauls message to people to help them step into their best self now
References:
These links are all in reference to the material referenced in the interview
Christian Mystics – Meister Eckhart, Matthew fox
Itzhak Bentov – Stalking the wild pendulum Kabbalah –
Kabbalah– Judaism mystic
Gnosticism
Ken Wilber – levels and lines
Edward Edinger MD – consciousness
Links:How to eat move and be healthy – my number 1 wellness bookPauls Blog Chek Institute (World class courses Id recommend everyone invest in)Paul’s Youtube with loads of free infoPauls awesome podcast – Living 4D
More from CarlBestme – Subscribe to the email database for free content and more in depth information on podcasts and events.Healthfit collective – Where I practice as a wellness coach
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BMR 25: Defining The Human – Paul Chek pt.1

Paul Chek is always two steps ahead of the trend when it comes to the latest in the wellness world and a lot of what he was teaching 20+ years ago is now at the forefront of academic research, becoming increasingly ‘mainstream’. Paul is still two step ahead (at least!) and in this episode we really get to know Paul, what experiences have shaped and guided him and his incredible work that continually evolves. Then we move on to discuss what it is to be human – we explore how we may access different wavelengths and intelligences all the way to sphincter exercises to tap into archaic consciousness! This perfectly sets up part two in which we dive deep into ‘spiritual wellness’ and everything that surrounds this topic. Prepare to have your mind blown!
Episode breakdown:
Paul Chek’s evolution – From athlete to holistic health practitioner, inventor, artist and more.
Paul’s painful and traumatic experiences – including a household split, abuse, death in the family and several serious injuries.
How they shaped him and what he learned.
Why listening to his soul would have prevented a serious injury.
Defining the human Being.
An antenna system.
From feeling and matter to beings beyond ourselves.
Spiritual development > subtle energy perception.
Soul evolution.
A microcosm to macrocosm.
Changing the shape of the body will change the wavelengths!
Vibrational envelopes that surround our body.
Why and how we have the ability to connect with EVERYTHING!
In between the earthly realm and the subtle energy realm.
Why energy comes with information.
Why you want to re-visit infant development patterns.
Why sphincter exercises allow access to archaic consciousness.
Different postures that heal trauma.
Multiple brains in the human.
Gut brain (again!) and its integration.
‘The Godfather of Functional Movement’.
How Paul combats criticism.
More from Paul and the Chek InstitutePauls Blog Chek Institute (World class courses Id recommend everyone invest in)Paul’s Youtube with loads of free infoPauls awesome podcast – Living 4D
Reference Links:As referenced in the episode
One Mind – Larry Dossey MD – http://www.dosseydossey.com/larry/onemind.html
The field – Lynne Mctaggart – https://lynnemctaggart.com/the-field-book/
William A Tiller – https://www.tillerinstitute.com
Chakra system science- Dr Valarie hunt – http://www.transformationalbreakthroughs.org/category_s/1826.htm
https://www.amazon.com/Infinite-Mind-Science-Vibrations-Consciousness/dp/0964398818
The Subtle Body – Cyndie Dale –  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6115380-the-subtle-bodyhttps://cyndidale.com
Dr Claude Swanson – Lifeforce – https://www.amazon.com/Life-Force-Scientific-Basis-Synchronized/dp/B003MS8M3Ohttp://synchronizeduniverse.com
Itzhak Bentov – Stalking the wild pendulum – meditation science – https://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Wild-Pendulum-Mechanics-Consciousness-ebook/dp/B00AO9JTP4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itzhak_Bentov
Byron Robinson MD – Abdominal Pelvic Brain – https://www.amazon.com/Abdominal-Pelvic-Brain-Byron-Robinson/dp/1375544896https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10630351
Heartmath – https://www.heartmath.org
More from CarlBestme – Subscribe to the email database for free content and more in depth information on podcasts and events.Healthfit collective – Where I practice as a wellness coach
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BMR 24: Beyond Labels with Pete Evans

Pete Evans is best known for his TV presence, cooking abilities and the controversy surrounding his wellness beliefs. But whether you agree with what he says or not he is getting a lot done in life and remains a playful, happy and healthy guy!
So what makes Pete tick? What drives this passion and mission? Does he have a strong sense of purpose? Find out the answers to all of these questions in this fun and interesting talk with Pete.
Pete is a really passionate, humble and transparent being and has a really nice way of expressing himself, please enjoy.
Episode Breakdown:
Pete Evans Evolution
Beyond TV
Shaped by belief systems
Why cooking?
The power of self reflection and conscious decision making
How to get what you want in life
How to live a long and healthy life
Self judgement
That one decision that may change the course of your life
What Pete does to stay playful
Victimisation and how it serves you
Petes purpose
Creative expression for the human
Importance of letting your children express
Your decisions will effect others
Emotional/mental hygiene
Psychedelics – cautions, potential benefits and more
Zooming out and in
Priorities
Where to in the future
Listener questions
More on Pete Evans here
More fron Carl at BestMe and HealthFit Collective
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