Age Less / Live More

Recently, my friend returned from a family member's funeral 8 lbs heavier and asked, "What's going on?" Weight gain from stress can be clinically explained by a few different mechanisms. There is emotional eating, where you eat to distract yourself and bury your sorrows, but there is also emotion-induced weight gain, where, during a period of high stress, your psychological state chemically disrup...

I receive questions from listeners every day. On this week's Q&A show, I'll answer a few of them, with topics ranging from flexibility for seniors and what technically breaks a fast to Xylitol and Vitamin K2. ------------ Listen & Learn: Is it possible for people over 60 to increase their flexibility Is Xylitol really healthy Does drinking soy milk/espresso count for fasting Is Yin Yoga safe for y...

People joke that they 'laughed so hard they peed their pants.' However, this is a real problem called stress incontinence—a symptom of pelvic floor dysfunction. The pelvic floor is a complex group of muscles, fascia and connective tissues at the base of your spine that is crucial for bladder control, posture, sexual function, and the health of many vital organs.   So what's the problem? Maybe you...

A stage hypnotist convinced my friend Burton that he was an undercover spy and needed to find a clue hidden in the forest. There were 600 people in the audience, but Burton was all in. He raced off the stage, returning 10 minutes later, covered in sweat (clearly he had been running around campus), at which point he proudly displayed the 'clue' he'd found. If I didn't know better, I would have thou...

Think of your body as a three-legged stool with an electrical body (your nervous system), a bacterial body (your microbiome), and a chemical body (your endocrine system). These three legs are largely responsible for your health and well-being, and if one leg gets whacked out from under you, you'll likely fall on your face. Today, let's focus on your chemical body: your hormones. These chemical com...

The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your relationships; and yet, for most of us, being in relationship is hard. Most of us find it challenging enough to get our own lives in order, so when you share children, finances, loves and loss with another person, it's never a linear path. What about sex? What about religion? What about independent needs and wants? On this weeks, Yoga T...

This concept of "a pill for an ill" has led hundreds of millions of Americans to take prescription medications every single day. Antidepressants for mood, opioids for pain, and proton pump inhibitors for stomach problems—the list goes on and on. Modern medicine is truly a blessing, but it's gotten out of hand; and in many cases, we've neglected the safer and more obvious choices that are right in...

There are more than 10 times as many microbe cells in your body as human cells, but interestingly, we're exposed to our first bacteria at birth—and from there, the process begins. While two humans are almost identical genetically, their microbiomes can be dramatically different, which accounts for differences in the way they digest food, the way they smell, and even more dramatic differences such...

I feel I've let you down. I've hosted pretty much every renowned breathing expert in the world on this podcast, and yet most of my listeners are still not sure exactly how yoga breathing works. On this week's show, my goal is to break down the fundamentals of yoga breathing in a way that you can easily remember and apply to your practice. ------------ Listen & Learn: How all breathing practices ar...

During the summer between 8th and 9th grade, I watched my classmate Jeff go from about 125 lbs to 180 lbs in six weeks. This scrawny, video game nerd turned into a force to be reckoned with through a combination of hard gym workouts and anabolic steroids he bought from his older brother. I'm not sure if you've ever seen a transformation like this firsthand, but it's not something you easily forget...

Have you ever used a scalp massager made of long, thin wires? For most people, it causes quite the sensation, sending tingles from the back of their neck down their spine. Or maybe you have this reaction when someone whispers in your ear? This pleasurable response to specific auditory and visual stimuli is known as autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), and is likened to meditation. ASMR is...

Chronic pain —the most common of which is back pain and digestive pain— affects as many as one in four people. Pain plays a crucial role in the body as a clear sign that something is injured, diseased, or in need of extra care. However, when pain becomes chronic, many times the pain signals sent to the brain no longer correspond with any kind of dysfunction. The pain is literally all in the brain,...

Have you ever seen a yoga student, runner, or CrossFitter with weird crisscrossed tape on their knees? Have you ever experienced knee pain that kept you from doing your favorite activities? Aside from back problems, knee pain is the most common issue I see in my yoga studios, with the inevitable question being what to do about it. On this week's Yoga Talk Show, you will meet physiotherapist Lee He...

Your tight hamstrings, stiff hips, and locked up spine are not going to find freedom on their own—you have to train for mobility. When your body is tight, it affects everything, from your standing and sitting posture to your stride, but when you increase your range of motion, it feels as if you've added an extra room onto your home. Flexible bodies feel free, youthful, and energized. However, gett...

My balance has always been terrible. It didn't matter if I was on a skateboard, a balance beam, or in tree pose in yoga; I've always found it incredibly challenging to stay steady. Some people are just better at balance than others, but when I was about 30 years old, I realized my extremely-high arches and tight calves were largely to blame. Today, I still have excessively high arches, but I've ma...

My six-year-old son will approach the person behind the counter at the grocery store and ask, "Do you have anything for kids?" At the doctor's office, he'll ask, "Do you have any candies?" He doesn't break eye contact and his voice is steady, without a shred of insecurity, and it works. People give him things everywhere he goes. This is the power of confidence in action, and it's remarkable to wat...

If you go to any convenient store, you'll see dozens of "energy" products including bars, drinks, and snacks. Most products are loaded with sugar or caffeine—or both. In the short term, they'll certainly give you energy, but in the long term, they send you spiraling down. High energy is at the cornerstone of health, but we often neglect the very root source of energy—our cellular energy created by...

Back in 2002, when I couldn't make it to a studio, I would play an old cassette tape and practice to that in my bedroom, hotel room, or even outdoors wherever I was. At-home practice has always been part of my yoga experience, but I'm the type of introvert that gets energy and inspiration from being alone. I'm naturally driven, and I'm harder on myself than any teacher has ever been; so when peopl...

Most health and diet books focus on reducing your waistline but neglect the most "mission critical" part of your entire body: your brain. The 3 lbs, watery, fatty mass between your ears needs to be fed well and cared for, but most people don't give brain health the attention it deserves. Meet Dr. Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist and author, and learn how your brain health can be dramatically influence...

Following the advice of parents, counselors, and health care providers, millions of women take hormonal birth control starting in their teenager years to avoid unwanted pregnancies, regulate their periods, or to control acne. But what if you gain weight, lose your libido, and get depressed? What then? The FDA warns that hormonal birth control could increase the risk of cancer and heart disease too...

You've got questions, and I've got answers…. join me for this week's Yoga Talk Show special "Q&A Show" where I do my best to help listeners. On this week's show, we cover: my recommending reading list, food allergy testing, 18+6 Meal Timing, vaccines, yoga problems and plant-based pitfalls. ------------ ABOUT THE HOST Lucas Rockwood is a yoga teacher trainer, digital nomad, green food junkie, and...

When we think about toxins in our food and environment, most people assume the risk is "cancer," and that's true; but the more immediate risk is often hormonal imbalance. Common addictives in foods and skin care products can disrupt your natural endocrine balance and lead to everything from thyroid problems and infertility to weight gain and depression. This is a huge and growing problem, and the...

Here is one of my favorite interview questions: "What did you get in trouble for most when you were 12 years old?" The answer often reveals more about who someone really is than an hour-long conversation. Why? Because the things we do that drive people crazy are often the things that define us; and with the right application, the things that enable us to shine our brightest. What if your weaknesse...

Colin was on the beach in Thailand and decided to try Fire Poi (fire dancing). A few minutes later, he got tangled up, caught on fire, and burned 25% of his body so badly he was bedridden for months. A former athlete, he was devastated to learn that he might never walk properly again. Fast forward a couple years... Colin not only walks, but he runs, cycles, and swims. He quits his job and becomes...

The world's bulging landfills mirror our bulging waistlines; and the toxic chemicals we pour down our drains end up in our water supplies, food systems, and eventually into our own bodies. Environmental issues that were previously reserved for special interest groups are now urgent global concerns. As our planet grows to nine billion people, how will the oceans, the forests, and the people survive...