Steven Masley Joins Us On The Steve Jobs Inspired Join Up Dots Podcast
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Introducing Steven Masley
Steven Masley is my guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots business coaching podcast interview.
He is a man who is a physician, nutritionist, trained-chef, author, and the creator of the #1 all-time health program for Public Television, 30 Days to a Younger Heart.
His work has been viewed by millions on PBS, the Discovery Channel, the Today Show, and over 500 media interviews, and it’s not a surprise as his passion is empowering people to achieve optimal health through lifestyle changes.
His research focuses on the impact of lifestyle choices on heart health, brain function, and aging and through his books the 30 day heart tune up and his latest The Better Brain Solution – How to Start Now–At Any Age–to Reverse and Prevent Insulin Resistance of the Brain, Sharpen Cognitive Function, and Avoid Memory Loss . he is taking his beliefs, research and passion to the masses.
How The Dots Joined Up For Steven
He has spoken for over 300 physician continuing medical education (CME) events, and for over 700 public presentations on a variety of topics related to health, cognitive function, aging, and cardiovascular disease.
And if you are thinking, how does he ever make time to do anything else, he continues to see patients and publish research from his medical clinic in St. Petersburg Florida, and offers weekly blog posts on his website.
So how did he come to have a fascination for spreading the word of lifestyle changes?
Was it through his own personal development, or through seeing patients that quite simply, needed to make a change or two?
Well lets find out as we bring onto the show to start joining up dots with the one and only Dr Steven Masley
Books By Dr Steven Masley
Show Highlights
During the show we discussed such weighty topics with Dr Steven Masley such as:
Why perseverance is the key power to achieving all the success you want in life, but the world still thinks that the quick route is best.
How we can improve the way our brain works by up to 50% by allowing for 5 key changes in our lives – starting today.
and lastly….
Why so many people fail to grasp the proactive action to failing brain power is the key to reversing the issues – Dont ever wait until its a problem.
How To Connect With Dr Steven Masley
Return To Top Of Steven Masley
If you enjoyed this episode with Dr Steven Masley then why not listen to some of our favourite podcast episodes such as Michael Michalowicz, Sarah Caltieri or the amazing Hal Elrod
Or if you prefer just pop over to our podcast archive for thousands of amazing episodes to choose from.
Audio Transcription Of Steven Masley Interview
Intro [0:00]
When we’re young, we have an amazing positive outlook about how great life is going to be. But somewhere along the line we forget to dream and end up settling join up dots features amazing people who refuse to give up and chose to go after their dreams. This is your blueprint for greatness. So here’s your host live from the back of his garden in the UK David Ralph
David Ralph [0:24]
Good morning, everybody. Good morning to the join up dots world wherever you’re listening to this show. We’ve got a guy on the show today who basically if you’re having trouble remembering people’s names, or where you’ll be like Dickies, or you remote control for the TV, that’s a big one in our house, he’s gonna be out to change that because he’s a man who is a physician nutritionist trained chef offer, and it created the number one all time health program for public television 30 days to a younger heart. Now, his work has been viewed by millions on PBS, the Discovery Channel, the today show, and over 500 media interviews and it’s not a surprise, as he’s passionate is empowering people to achieve optimal health through lifestyle changes. His research focuses on the impact of lifestyle choices on heart health, brain function, and ageing and through his books, the 30 day heart tune up and he’s latest, the better brain solution how to start now at any age to reverse and prevent insulin resistance of the brain shut up in cognitive function and avoid memory loss. He’s taking these beliefs, research and passion to the masses. Now he’s spoken for over 300 physicians, continuing medical education events, and for over 700 public presentations and a variety of topics related to health, cognitive function, ageing and cardiovascular disease. And if you’re thinking how does he ever make time to do anything else, he also continues to see patients and publish research from his medical clinic in St. Petersburg, Florida and offers weekly blog posts on his website. So how did he come to have a fascination for spreading the word of lifestyle changes? Was it his own personal development or through seeing patients that quite simply needed to make a change or two? Well, let’s find out as we bring on to the show, to start joining up. With the one and only Dr. Stephen masterly. Good morning, Dr. Steven Masley Hello.
Steven Masley [2:14]
Good morning. I’m really delighted to be with you today.
David Ralph [2:17]
I do apologize for pulling you away from your family. This is the big in between Christmas and New Year, when quite frankly, we should just be lying on the sofa with elasticated waistbands letting it all hang out? Should we? Should we be getting fit and ready to go anytime?
Steven Masley [2:35]
I’m ready to get going for the new year. I’m really excited for this new year. And I want to get us going and doing everything we need to so we feel fantastic.
David Ralph [2:44]
And do you feel fantastic all the time? Or do you wake up and say oh my god, I really feel my age today? Are you one of these kind of Benjamin Button characters that’s getting younger every single day.
Steven Masley [2:54]
I usually bounce out of bed in the morning, I’m ready to go. I see I try to take really good care of myself. So everything runs? Well. You know, it’s like if you put good gas in your car, when you start it up, it just takes off every morning. Morning. But if you put dirt in it, it’s probably going to be a bit sluggish. So it really depends on how we live how well we feel. So I pretty much bounce out of bed every day.
David Ralph [3:20]
And what you always liked about or as a teenager, would you lay in bed till after lunchtime? Have you changed your sort of morning routine?
Steven Masley [3:29]
Well, that’s a good one. No, I’ve always been getting
I was probably the best in the neighborhood. And that I was the first one up trying to wake everybody else up so we can go out and play. That’s been my routine a long time. Now, I must admit.
David Ralph [3:47]
We just started recording this at 1212 in the afternoon, and my son is still asleep. My daughter has just woken up and is laying in bed. My family love to lay in bed and my wife says they need it. They need it. Do they need it? Doctor? Did I need to lay in bed for as long as my kids do? Or should we be getting out and being active? What’s the best way to actually produce energy and passion and motivation? storing your energy or using your energy?
Steven Masley [4:16]
Well, my wife likes to.
So we’re not alone. But I really think you know, so yeah, some people need more sleep and specially adolescents need a bit more sleep. They don’t get enough. I be honest. So sleep is an essential part of feeling rested and be mentally sharp. And some people need at least nine hours a day. Probably adolescents do and I bet during the week they’re sleep deprived. So I’m not I maybe I partly agree with your wife. Although if it was me, I’d probably be waking those kids up and getting them outside.
David Ralph [4:50]
Yeah, I don’t really like you answer. Now. I was hoping for more support for my side of the fence of getting up early. Because it’s the best part of the day. You need the early bit when you get up. Me and I just I actually rolled out of bed at half past eight this morning, which was the longest sleep I’ve had for maybe about five years. I’m generally about half past five in the morning. And I don’t feel good for it. I feel like I am sluggish I feel like there’s something not quite right in my body because of our extra
Steven Masley [5:19]
bow maybe you did overs you can oversleep. I mean, I really the best is probably be for an average person. It’s seven to eight hours a night. And more than that it’s not necessarily good. It’s just I think there are some people need more sleep. I do best with about seven and a half
David Ralph [5:35]
points. So let’s take you back in time, like we like to do on join up dots and we’ve always we realized that you was the annoying kid. But everybody hated him. Just because you were perky, you were bouncy? Is that a key part of how you operate? generally do you look at that kind of energy of Come on let kicks going as a big part of what’s helped you build your business and build your profile.
Steven Masley [6:00]
Partly that partly it’s because I persevere. You know, I don’t give up when I I think of myself as someone who thinks outside the box and tries to create something new, over and over. So I think the biggest thing is that I’ll try something no one’s tried before I push it. And I don’t give up on it. And I have the energy to support it and try to see it through that’s probably been one of my keys to being successful in life.
David Ralph [6:28]
Because I’ve got a picture above me at the moment. And I say to my kids all the time. And it’s I don’t know who said it because I can’t quite see the actual name of the authorship at the bottom. But it’s basically with ordinary talent, but extraordinary perseverance. Everything is obtainable. And it is true isn’t it comes down to that persevere?
Steven Masley [6:48]
Yeah, does.
David Ralph [6:50]
And what do I do when people look at it nowadays and think that they can click a few buttons and create a business? They can click a few buttons and be sitting on a beach with a laptop and a couple of supermodels. Why? Why have people forgotten that perseverance is the key to everything.
Steven Masley [7:08]
I think there’s been a few people who have gotten lucky and they’ve been heavily publicized and all of us would like to be lucky like them. But I don’t think it’s realistic. I think most people if you succeed, it’s because you worked one on one, it’s because you worked hard you persevered but to I also think it’s because you took steps to take care of your brain which makes you sharper, quicker and more productive. So there’s a lot to be said for perseverance. But there’s even more to be said for proactively taking steps that make you mentally sharp, quick, and help you accomplish more in your life.
David Ralph [7:42]
Gino, if I didn’t know better, I would think that you’ve got a book out at the moment about the better brain solution, you you, you move the conversation perfectly over there. So let’s go there. Let’s let’s talk about that. So you think that actually looking after your brain is a key part more than looking after your body and getting your pants and your abs looking good.
Steven Masley [8:02]
I think a lot of people are just kind of cruising through life not meeting their potential. And I measure cognitive function in my line of work. So I see company president ceo, and company officers frequently almost every day clinic. And most people are not as sharp as they’re capable of, they’re not as mentally quick as I measuring their quickness. And I can see it. And I can tie it to the lifestyle changes they make. And my average patient literally improves their brain processing speed by 25%. If they just take a few steps in the right direction, to take better care of their brain. So I’m used to seeing someone who’s, you know, very smart, professionally accomplished, but not running all cylinders at the same time. And when we give them the right tools, they are literally sharper, quicker, more productive, and it makes a tremendous difference in the live.
David Ralph [9:00]
Right. So you’ve led me on to the question. So I would think that by drinking more water and getting more sleep, and using more things that make your brain work. So not just in there looking at Netflix, but actually doing puzzles and stuff. That would be a good way because you’re an expert, and you’re going to tell me I’m wrong.
Steven Masley [9:18]
No, I think you do need adequate sleep not too much, not too little. And the Quality Matters just as much as how much and you know, it’s but I would say it’s food, nutrients, physical activity, mental challenge you just mentioned, you know, not just watching Netflix that mean that kind of you know, zombified us. It’s really looking at what can we do to be get sharper. So stress management, avoiding toxins, there’s several little steps we can take that really make a big difference. Unfortunately, I’m not sure drinking more water will make that big a difference.
David Ralph [9:55]
I wouldn’t know because I I always felt bad. Because when you you know you overdo alcohol, your head pounds and stop. But when you drink loads of water, I always feel much better and sharper. So that is just in my mind when that doesn’t occur.
Steven Masley [10:09]
Or we need hydration to function well. But yeah, yes, if we qualify it like if you add too much to drink, yes, you want to flush those toxins out, I completely agree with you. And water will help you do that. But we shouldn’t have to flush out the toxins, you know, least met Well, once in a while you might go have fun. But on a daily basis, I think the nutrient intake is actually probably more important than just hydration.
David Ralph [10:38]
Now on a recording day, I’ll be honest, I record about eight episodes back to back to back. And at the end of it, my brain can’t function anymore. I’m totally spent, even though it’s just almost having a conversation interviewing people, it’s the most tiring thing, but I do, is there anything that I can do for my brain to allow me to function better, through the whole day, get to the end and be raring to go even more?
Steven Masley [11:04]
Well? Do you do you push yourself mentally challenged? I mean, doing these interviews is intense, right? I’m just listening to you and you’re totally paying attention. And you’re focused, and you’re trying to be right on top of it. And if you’re doing that for a poor, you know, that’s like giving a talk to an audience, it is draining. So how many days a week do you do that?
David Ralph [11:25]
I’ll do it one day, a week, basically, three days a month,
Steven Masley [11:29]
that’s the equivalent of someone only exercising one day a week. And when they do it, they go out and they overdo it like they spend six hours in the yard make I mean, exhausted. I bet if you were to split it up and do more you wouldn’t have I’m sure almost sure you wouldn’t have that feeling. So you’re really pushing yourself mentally challenging yourself really diligently one day, and you don’t push it as hard the other. So I think you need more challenge on those other days.
David Ralph [11:56]
So what you’re saying, but when I’m not interviewing, I should listen to my wife is that what you’re saying? I should pay attention to what she’s saying.
Steven Masley [12:04]
I would look at what you do, I would learn a new language, I would play a musical instrument, I would learn something new, it’s new learning that really is what we want for our brain.
David Ralph [12:16]
It’s interesting because I play the piano. And I used to play it all the time. And now I do this, I actually don’t touch it very often. And I kind of say to people, it’s because I kind of my creative urge has gone in one direction than the other. So I should be getting the piano out and belting out the elton john songs again.
Steven Masley [12:35]
Absolutely, I think it’s playing music is really a powerful exercise for your brain. If you think of like Plato, that was a while back, you know, put music and gymnastics and math up there is one of the most important things we need to do.
David Ralph [12:49]
Now there was a thing talking about there was a thing on the TV in the United Kingdom the other day, where they had a classroom of kids, and they started playing, and I’m gonna ruin this it was on Mozart or Beethoven, I think it was Beethoven, and the quality just sort of as in pipe music behind them while they were doing their lessons. And when they started the kids were going, ah, this is rubbish, you know, why are you putting this on. But the quality of their work increased exponentially, just because of this kind of soft classical music playing in the background. They were saying it was doing something to their brain.
Steven Masley [13:24]
Well, and even more powerful is if you teach children to play an instrument, and you teach the music, and then you have them do math, they’ll actually be better at doing math problems after a music lesson.
David Ralph [13:35]
So with all this knowledge, you’ve got one of the things that people connect with us through join up dots and how avatar is people listening to these conversations thinking, I’ve never thought you could build a business around this. I’ve never thought you could do this and giving them different ways of thinking about their future. Was it an obvious transition to where you are now? Or have you gone through many different dots that were sort of seemed perceived dead ends, but you can look back on them now and you think know, they’ve actually led you here? Was it a plan that you had right at the very beginning to be where you are today?
Steven Masley [14:09]
Absolutely not. I mean, I I If you had told me I’d be doing today what I’m doing, I would have been shocked. So it No, it’s really been one. I’ve tried one thing after another, you know, I’ve had tragedy in my life. And I’ve tried to move and improve from it. I’ve had learning curves, I’ve had things thrown at me. Not everything has worked. But I well. As I said, in the beginning, I persevered and I’ve tried new options. I’m very disappointed with our healthcare system today. I think it’s it’s really looking at the world backwards, trying to wait till people have advanced diseases to treat them, when we really can improve people’s function every day. So my goal of maybe in the last decade has really been focused on how do we optimize and improve our function and expand upon that. And I’ve been pretty steady for the last 10 years, I’ll say that. And that part I could really see happening. So if I just limit myself to the last 10. I’ve had several different careers. And this is like I think, by far the best where I get to see people and how do I make them sharper, quicker, you know, prevent heart disease, prevent memory loss, but make them just improve the quality of the life in a tremendous way.
David Ralph [15:26]
And was there a moment where you on the sofa? And you suddenly thought I know what I’m going to do from now on? This is going to be the right career for me? And what did you focus in on the heart and the better brain solution and actually bring the sort of anti aging process into it all?
Steven Masley [15:42]
Well, I mean, what I do in my clinic, it’s really helped me, I see one or two patients for a day. And we do a complete hundred measures of aging. And we assess how do people age and we look at how is their brain speed? How’s their memory? Are they growing plaque in their arteries? And we look at as I said, all these measuring elements, and then we compare them with their lifestyle? What do they eat? Are they getting their nutrient needs? Are they fit? Do they manage their stress? And we put those together and try to come up with and we published on this we’ve actually taken study clinical studies and looked at what predicts what lifestyle choices predict? Are you sharpen quick? And is your memory awesome, or are you more sluggish. So we’ve been able to show what things that you choose make a big difference, focus on those and then do trials and actually tested randomized people to the program and things we suspected. And we’ve noticed that our average patient, it’s like giving them a 25% faster computer, they literally they’re quicker, they’re sharper, and they get more done. So that’s really been it. It’s been having this database, and assessing and measuring function, and then testing it to make sure our ideas work. And that’s really been over the last 10 years. It’s been awesome.
David Ralph [17:07]
But let’s play some words now. And then we’re going to delve back into that we normally play these words at this point. And I’m going to play him again Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey [17:14]
my father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him. And so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant. And when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job. And our family had to do whatever we could to survive. I learned many great lessons from my father, not the least of which was that you can fail at what you don’t want. So you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.
David Ralph [17:41]
So unlikely words, be you and your clients. Dr. Stephen, should people be going for what they love? Will that help the aging process will that help the brain function actually doing stuff that inspires them every day?
Steven Masley [17:56]
We need challenge we need to do something that’s mentally challenged gene for brain and causes new learning. I think a rut people get into as they like develop a system and they’re really good at it. And they do the same thing over and over and it becomes profitable. But that doesn’t help their brain grow. I think adding something so it’s great if you can find a system that really works and applying it. But what really helps our brain is that new learning the new challenge, trying new things and new applications that what’s that literally makes your brain get bigger and larger and sharper and, and faster.
David Ralph [18:34]
So when you listen to those words that we just played on a ones that would inspire you now, but wouldn’t have been when you were younger, or a sort of words of the ages.
Steven Masley [18:44]
I think they mentioned they hit everybody differently. I’m
for me, I it doesn’t that doesn’t make that big a difference.
David Ralph [18:54]
So you don’t care about going for what you love on a daily basis. What do you aim for man?
Steven Masley [19:01]
Well, I think we should follow our path. I mean, if you’re following your passion, it clearly helps keeps your enthusiasm up. And and, you know, definitely gives us reason to move forward with what we love to do. So like just like exercise, you know, when you exercise, it improves literally your brain sharpness and quickness. And if you just like you hate going to the gym, but you keep going because you need to I you know that’s hard to do. I’d much rather people pick something they love to do, because they’re much more likely to stick with it. So the more you can do something you enjoy, the more successful you’re going to be getting it done so that in that sense, I’d highly encourage people to follow their passions
David Ralph [19:43]
going. OK, so again, this little blueprint of how to build better. We know that you’ve got to have good sleep, but not too much sleep, we know that you’ve got to limit the toxins that are going into your body. We know that you’ve got to follow your passions. Will all these things combined to help your brain naturally occur? Or do we need to go out and buy your book and follow your courses because there is a quiz on your website and everybody go over to it. We have the links on the show notes, where you can do a quiz on how your your brain is operating webisode healthy. And I came out at 80%. And there was a lot of questions like do you lose your car keys? Can you remember people’s names? And I can’t remember people’s names. I’ve never been able to remember people’s names. And I’ve always said Oh, I’m a face person. I can remember people’s faces. Is that a kind of an Am I making it my excuse for myself? Could I have made myself be better in that we don’t
Steven Masley [20:37]
know at zero is a good score. I mean, that’s like in the top 10%? Oh, I think so. So when people do quiz, you know, so Heidi, what you’re mentioning is a quiz to assess how is your brain doing? And truthfully, not most people are not good at every aspect in their brain. Just like in sports, not everybody’s good at every sport. So if you’ve never been good with the and then I’m not so concerned, if you used to be good with names and you no longer are okay, that to me means your brain is dwindling. That’s a bad sign. So I’m you’ve just reassured me when you say you’ve never been good with names, and you’re still not. So that’s not such a bad thing. But here’s the thing, no matter what your score, you could still make your brain better, you can be sharper and more focused. And that’s what the better brain solution book is about. It’s to give people the tools so that they can improve their brain function. What are the foods that improve your brain? What nutrients do you need? You know, how do you manage stress beyond sleep. So those are really the tips, the tools, the tricks, that make a big difference for people into having a better brain.
David Ralph [21:46]
Because I’ve had terrible stress through doing this job. More than any company that I’ve ever worked for. Once I started my entrepreneurial journey overcame me and I’ve been very open that I’ve had burn out a couple of times on this. So I could have nip that in the bud by getting your book. First of all, I could have seen a different way of operating.
Steven Masley [22:05]
Well, I would have probably given you tips on how you would manage your stress proactively. So in letting you know as stress builds up, it gives you high cortisol levels. And high cortisol, it does many things you don’t want it shrinks your muscles, it shrinks your bones, it raises your blood sugar, but it also shrinks your brain and nobody wants that. So if you need to proactively manage your stress, so a workout each day does wonders a good night’s sleep does do 10 minutes of meditation, you know, these are just simple tips you can do they can transform someone when they’re feeling stressed out, what can we do to help them manage that stress, so it doesn’t bother them anymore. I don’t think you’re going to get we’re not going to get rid of people’s stresses stressors, but we can help them proactively manage the stress. So it doesn’t affect them. And those are the kind of tips in the better brain solution I think are super worthwhile. I’ll be
David Ralph [23:00]
honest, Dr. Stephen as a man, if the only thing that was shrinking was my brain, I’d be quite happy with that. I wouldn’t want anything else to go that way.
Steven Masley [23:12]
Yeah, so I would prefer that nothing. Not your bones? Not you know, certainly not your I don’t want your brain shrinking either.
David Ralph [23:24]
And then what do what does the brain actually do? When did you do you think less? Do you think less better? Is it? Why does that make a difference?
Steven Masley [23:33]
Or that’s what happens with Alzheimer’s, literally your brain is your brain cells are dying and your brain shrinks inside of your skull. So that is not good. You’re you’re more sluggish. The first thing we noticed is we’re slowing down, we’re more sluggish. We’re and then we become forgetful. You know, eventually you don’t know who your family is, and you become a burden on the people you love. And nobody wants that. So it’s you’re having early signs, that’s the sign your risk. And so we don’t want that, you know, a lot of people are going to say, well, I’ll just wait till I have memory loss. Well, if you wait till your brain is shrunk, that’s waiting too long. My goal is don’t wait, have make your brain better starting today be mentally sharper, quicker and more productive benefit immediately, instead of waiting, and the alternative is waiting till you’ve lost your memory and you can’t get it back. That’s too late.
David Ralph [24:29]
Now the problem is America, for example, over in the United Kingdom, we have free health care. And you can pay to go private, but most of it is free, which is brilliant. In America, it’s very difficult. And it’s very expensive. So a lot of people I would imagine would wait until it’s a problem before they actually think of actually doing anything about it one night.
Steven Masley [24:50]
Well, here’s the problem. None of health care today helps your brain, none of the medicine of the 200 drugs that have been approved, none of them were to slow progression of memory loss. So if you’re waiting for your doctor to help you, you’re making a serious mistake. Yes, your doctor can help you know treat cancer or if you have heart disease, they can treat it. But we’re not doing anything to improve people’s brain function. What we need is to get people to add the right foods to get the key nutrients to stress manage to avoid common brain toxins. And healthcare is not going to do that for you. That’s something you have to do yourself.
David Ralph [25:28]
That’s a really bold statement you’re making bear. So nothing that they have created in a tablet form is going to help
Steven Masley [25:35]
nothing in a tablet form. Well, I mean, there are some nutrients you could take p 12. And vitamin D, magnesium fish oil. Okay, so there are some tablets, but they’re not drugs, their nutrients that we need for our brain,
David Ralph [25:54]
some for somebody who’s out there, and they’re listening to this and they’re rushing around and they generally feeling tired. Most people will put it down to just work and life. Can they start looking after their brain and seeing a difference? What should we be focusing in? Not on the people that are thinking Hang on, I’ve got a problem. I might have outsiders, I’m losing my memory. But should we be focusing in on the 20 year olds who are whizzing around and on their phones, and they’re just being a bit exhausted at the end of week and just putting it down to life?
Steven Masley [26:25]
Absolutely, that’s what we should be focusing on. It’s the 2030 4050 year old 60 year olds, it’s, it’s not waiting until our memory shot and trying to do something about it by then your brain has shrunk from a grave to a raisin, I’d say that’s part too late. But we need to focus on is everyday p 50%. of baby boomers and 30% of all adults are high risk for memory loss and their function at most 50% of their potential. And we can change and that’s totally reversible with simple lifestyle choices. So I’d say absolutely. Let’s make the average person mentally sharper, quicker, more productive. Let’s make average people feel better, have more energy, be more energetic, get more out of life. That’s really my goal. That’s my focus. And that’s what I’m trying to help accomplish with the better brain solution.
David Ralph [27:18]
Now I had a guy on the show called Ron G. Holland. And he constantly was saying that the the brain is like a million dollar bio computer and it is variable and it can do stuff for us that you can’t even imagine. And you’re saying that we’re only using 50% of it. From his conversation, I would say we’re using even less, because the things that he could do, literally by sleeping on it and then waking up the next morning with with boom, there’s an answer, and he could solve all these different things. How can we get the guys out there to operate? 50% better? Can we go through the five key steps that people can start doing today?
Steven Masley [27:58]
Or Yeah, so like would be food. I mean, there’s like plant pigments like green leafy vegetables, colorful vegetables, berries, cherries, dark chocolate green tea, adding these colorful pigments is super helpful for our brain and smart fats. You know with for decades, we’ve been find this ridiculous low fat diet, when we need that for our brain, we need all extra virgin olive oil and nuts and avocados and wild cold seafood like you know wild salmon, trout and sardines. Those are awesome for brain. So those are example of foods that we want to make them taste fantastic. You know, in the introduction you mentioned I’m a physician nutritionist trained chef. Well, I like food I like to cook. So I want food delicious, that our friends and families love what we serve them that nutritious and and nourishing your heart, brain and soul all at the same time. So I think food is at a critical element growing here, that’s been grossly neglected. And there’s so much more we can do by just clean eating, and consuming the right foods.
David Ralph [29:06]
Trouble is I live in a house with kids, the kids won’t eat what we eat. And so we kind of have a kind of a hybrid of easy food but people will eat. And more often than not my wife is cooking three meals because this kid wouldn’t eat this and I won’t eat but we’re actually it anything. But it’s it’s difficult, isn’t it to get the good food into your brain and certainly what you are listing not many of them excite me when I was listening to those I was thinking cherries and dark chocolate not many people are going to learn this stuff.
Steven Masley [29:39]
I don’t know, I’d say most people like the idea of having you know, berries every day and dark chocolate that I think they’re gonna get those are easily to sell. But you said something really important. I think our kids are mostly just eating starch and sugar. And it’s hurting their brain potential. And it’s hurting them at a time their brains should be growing and expanding. And they’re not. And I you know, so I grows two boys during their 20s now, and I really found that they get hungry. If we if we give them a choice, they’re going to always choose the foods their friends think are cool. But they will eventually get hungry. And they’ll eat whenever we give them you know. So I think you don’t give your children choices. Maybe they can have their broccoli steamed or such as they get a choice. Or it can even be bland, but you’re going to it’s going to be served. And that might have maybe that has to be the first course. So when they’re really hungry, I still eat it. But I think we as parents have to get better at picking really good food for our kids and making sure they eat it and not having other options in the house that we might think of is treats and they have on occasion. So that’s a really important thing to bring up. So we are it’s today.
David Ralph [30:52]
So we stopped the kids until they won’t argue basically, we leave them leave them leave them until they would eat any that we put on the plate.
Steven Masley [31:01]
Yeah, that’s usually going to work. And if you put out pasta or pizza, and broccoli, they’re going to eat the pasta and pizza first, right? So you put out the broccoli first and you serve them until let’s go on. That works.
David Ralph [31:16]
You’ll have Batman, Batman, and my wife wouldn’t have that at all. She She w over a player. Yeah, so she really would she wouldn’t have that.
Steven Masley [31:26]
All right, well, good luck.
David Ralph [31:31]
So if we take it back again, so we’ve done this first step, and that is eating better, won’t be the second step for a better brain solution.
Steven Masley [31:40]
There’s still key nutrients we need. You know, we need vitamin D and your you know, for 100,000 years, we ran around basically naked outside, so we got it from the sun, but most of us worth clothing. And if we do go to the beach, we put on sunscreen. So I mean, we don’t make it anymore, and it’s not really in food. So we need to take vitamin we need be 12 you know, it’s an essential nutrient for our brains, we need magnesium, and we’re talking 70, or at least 70% of people in the Western world are deficient in these key nutrients. We don’t get enough omega threes for our brand, you know that come from salmon and trout. So if we don’t eat those foods, we should take a supplement. So I’m a big believer in getting the right dose and the best quality of key nutrients, not 20 things. I mean, some people take some a garbage bag, you know, to carry all their supplements around. It’s ridiculous. So save some money and don’t take too much stuff. But clearly, don’t be deficient in this essential nutrients for our brain. Because you’re hurting yourself. If you are in it makes a big difference to get those key nutrients. Right. Okay, so bitumen, D and B 12. Right. Okay, so I’m on this, I’m going to be a changed man, by the end of the afternoon, I promise you. So this is the first to all about energy and eating better. What about the stuff that it’s not going to cost any money is there stuff that we can just do easily activity, you know, getting out and moving, walking, going, you know, going for a walk, going for a run going to the gym, riding your bicycle, dancing, working in the garden, we need activity activities essential. So step three, is really activity. And there’s two forms of activities, that physical activity we do. And here’s something interesting, the data from our clinic shows that both strength training when you lift weights, and aerobic activity, when your heart rushes, both races, both those are really good for your brain. And we actually want both not just one. So a mixture of strength training and aerobic activities super good for your brain. But as we’ve been talking about, you also need mental challenge. So our brain needs exercise to learning new things. So step one spoke to is nutrients, and three is activity. Those are like essential if you want to be sharp, productive, especially if you’re in business and you’re an entrepreneur, and you want to accomplish something, you need that mental sharpness edge to make a big difference. So these are also important, because I actually work at prime times, I basically work from about six o’clock to nine in the morning, or nine to 12 is very rare. But I work in the afternoon because I know it is not good for me. Now when I record podcasts, because I am restricted to a point by the world and where my guests are, I will work sort of later on. But generally I’m a morning person is that a good way you will have brain work better when we understand our sort of internal rhythms. I think that’s really smart. You know, all of us, you know, different people are and function differently at different times of day. So if you figured that out, then good for you.
David Ralph [34:47]
Because that’s the thing that I always used to find was made working for someone, but now used to make me get in at eight o’clock in the morning when I used to be brilliant. Okay, night, that’s fine. But other people wanted to get in, but you know, one o’clock in the afternoon noon and work to nine or whatever, I could never understand why it was always nine to five, eight to four,
Steven Masley [35:06]
well, we would be a lot better off accommodating people’s different cycles. I mean, adolescence don’t do so well. In the morning, some people are night owls, and some people are much more efficient in the morning. I definitely prefer morning, by evening, I’m not you know, that’s not my peak time. You know, so if I would like writing a new book, I’m going to get up early in the morning and pound out some writing first thing in the day, because that’s what I’m most efficient. But that’s me. And everybody’s different, just as you said.
David Ralph [35:33]
So if we creep over to Florida and pay for your window, where we see you snoring on the sofa by eight o’clock at night.
Steven Masley [35:41]
No, by 10 o’clock, I’m out that’s eight o’clock, I’m still alert. I’m good.
David Ralph [35:49]
Because I’m not by eight o’clock. That’s it, I seem to just, I don’t have a desire to watch TV and I don’t have a desire to do anything else, my brain just sort of goes to mush. Well
Steven Masley [36:00]
old and that suggesting you may be lack. So perhaps you need more physical activity? You know, do you really get an hour of activity every day, which gives you physical and mental stamina, especially into the evening hours, I find a lot of people you know are worn out at the end of the day, and they’re physically tired. So you might find you need a little more push. So I need to get the bike back
David Ralph [36:25]
out and go for a walk in the evening. Yeah,
Steven Masley [36:28]
I think that would be great. A walk after dinner might really make a big difference and give you more energy in the evening. That would that’s probably a super idea. Yeah, but you don’t live in the United Kingdom. It’s
David Ralph [36:37]
not Florida, you know, it’s not nice to go out after dinner because it’s all bubble and cold and wet and miserable.
Steven Masley [36:43]
I’m from Seattle, so I live in Florida. I admit it, but I’m from Seattle. So I think weather wise, I know what you mean. So you’d have to pick your moment during the day to go out there. Right.
David Ralph [36:54]
Okay, so so we really sort of giving a blueprint here, we’ve done the top four. What’s be one to finish it all off?
Steven Masley [37:02]
Oh, toxins. There’s some common toxins out there, like mercury from eating too much tuna? Or, you know, what are pesticides, which are a global problem right now. And if we know if you have high pesticide levels in your tissues, your 350% more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease, so less pesticide exposure, and then detoxing once in a while, as you know, and the better brain solution we for those people we talked about who have accumulated toxins, how do you get them out? So giving people some tips once or twice a year to remove some of these toxins? We’ve picked up the most importance just avoiding them. So it’s like identifying what toxins can be bad for your brain? And how do you get rid of them. So and here’s really the key, you can do any one of these things, and you get some improvement. But when you add them together when you add the foods, the nutrients, the activity, the stress management, and the toxin when you put it all together. It’s like, wow, they’re synergistic. And you get a lot more benefit than you ever thought possible. Because I love
David Ralph [38:06]
this, I love the thought of actually improving our efficiency by 50%. Because, you know, if we were driving our cars, you said what at the very beginning down the motorway, or the highway or freeway, and it wasn’t out to peak, we do something about it. But with ourselves, we just keep on plowing on plowing on. And I see that in the entrepreneurial world. But there’s almost a badge of honor that people can’t walk at the end of the day, they’re crawling to their bed to go again. But just do it better and be more aware of what you’ve taught on a daily basis in lead you back what he’s there to help you I love this.
Steven Masley [38:40]
Well that you hit it you really your your new now become the choir. So I love how you said that. But that’s really it. You know, what, what steps Could you take the things we’ve mentioned today, which of those would be easy slam dunks to just do them and move on. And the more steps you add, the more benefit you get, and you just build, it gets easier and easier to do as you get more and more energy and you feel sharper and better. And we really hope, you know, would it help a sexy stuff. So when he when he actually, you know, when you introduce things that improve blood flow that improves brain function, it’s good for your heart. But circuit you know all of these steps, we’ve you know, we’ve as I said in the very beginning, we know we measure brain function. And remember blood flow when we look at cardiovascular health and plaque flow. And all the things I’m talking about are good for your romantic life. When you improve circulation for men and women, it really especially I mean, guys, it’s more obvious that if you increase circulation, it enhances romantic function sexual function. So clearly, yes, this is good for your energy for your heart for your brain, and for yourself life as well.
David Ralph [40:01]
Because I’m a bit worried now that I’m going to do all this and I’m going to be raring for it. And my wife is still eating milk chocolate, and having bottles of wine and sitting in Netflix, I could be totally at the wrong sort of level of progress for her
Steven Masley [40:16]
boy, you’ll have to get her to eat some of these phones and add some of that activity with you. Yeah, definitely take her for a walk. When you go in theater work dark chocolate, milk chocolate,
David Ralph [40:26]
I’m gonna do that, I’m gonna do that I’m gonna be like a feeder, every time she opens her mouth, I’m gonna sling something in and see if it makes a difference.
Steven Masley [40:33]
Blueberries, broccoli, dark chocolate, not little olive oil, spices, Italian herbs, curry spices, those are all awesome, brilliant stuff.
David Ralph [40:45]
Well, what we’re going to do now we’re going to listen to another speech. And this was something that was said back in 2005. And became the whole theme of the join up dots show. And I think if anyone says, this is, this is right, this is this sounds good. My life is going to be you hear Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs [41:02]
Of course, it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards. 10 years later. Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward, you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leaves you off the well worn path. And that will make all the difference.
David Ralph [41:37]
So do those words apply to your own life when you listen back to them?
Steven Masley [41:41]
Oh, they’re real, that’s really profound. Because I’ve always felt like I was off the beaten path. And I felt awkward and doing that. So if I could speak back to myself, I would have said I would have encouraged not to hesitate to step off the track to try and explore a new being is being different, do things differently, and push and push and push. I was always hesitating anytime I didn’t follow the herd. And I think that helped me back. So that was really profound. To listen to that. Yeah, that was great.
David Ralph [42:17]
And when you look back over your life, what we’ve found time and time again, is badly that the dark times at times that you think this is just terrible, actually, you look back on them. And you think I think they were actually quite good. I think that’s what helped me here. Do you have any of those kinds of examples in your own life that you can share with our listeners where you’ve actually you’ve gone down a dead end, everything’s terrible, but actually, he was the real gold?
Steven Masley [42:41]
Well, I’ve been really frustrated, you know, working in the general medicine, you know, trying to be a physician and follow all the algorithms. And to me it just like it didn’t make a difference in people’s lives, we were just putting on band aids. And that’s what everyone wanted us to do. I was just so disappointed that my every year my patient seemed a year older, and they felt worse. And we were just put them on more drugs, which actually made them feel worse. So I think I’ve been a rebel all along. And I really had wished known that it was okay to be a rebel was okay to do things differently and, and push outside the box and make a difference. And that and accepting that in myself, has transformed my career and made me infinitely more successful.
David Ralph [43:31]
And so just before we let you go, because you’ve you’ve got the remains of the turkey from Christmas to still consume, and a load of dark chocolate and everything that’s going to go into you. What is the number one bit of advice that you would share with our audience who have been listening to today? And they’re thinking about actually, I’d like to be 50% better out of those five, what is the number one that they should start with?
Steven Masley [43:55]
Number one is not to hesitate. I think human nature is we procrastinate and we wait till something’s wrong to try to fix it. But if you wait till your brain is gone bad, I mean, then you waited way too long, because it’s not so easy to bring it back, you can have 10 years of decline before it really becomes noticeable. And by then literally your brain has shrunk. So take action now. You know, pick up the better brain solution. Find out some of the foods and nutrients that are critical for you to get started. And do this. Don’t wait around, make a choice, make a commitment to be better, sharper, quicker and do it right now. Great advice. Great advice.
David Ralph [44:37]
So let’s get back to you. What’s the number one best way that our audience can connect with you sir?
Steven Masley [44:43]
Um, they can go to my website, Dr. Nasty calm, Dr. Ma es le y.com. And there, you can take my better brain quiz, see how you’re doing and I’ll give you you know, all these are free. And you get my better brain shopping guide? Where did the 12 foods you need to eat every day? And what are the 12 foods you absolutely got to avoid to protect your brain. So I think that would be an awesome start. Take a quiz, it’s only a minute, get the better brain shopping guide, get started, start making good choices, so you can have a better brain starting today.
David Ralph [45:16]
brilliant, brilliant. So thank you so much for spending time with us today and joining those dots. And please come back again when you got more dots to join up. Because I do believe that by joining up the dots and connecting our past is the best way to build our futures. Dr. Steven Masley. Thank you so much.
Steven Masley [45:31]
Thank you, I really appreciate it.
David Ralph [45:36]
Dr. Stephen Masley, so are you ready to get your brain 50%? Better 50% better? Can you imagine that? The things that you’d be able to do? You’re going to have more energy, more brainpower, more sexy time. That’s a good way to start here, isn’t it? So um, I’m seriously going to look at that I did the test only takes a minute. As he says I’m about 80% I think wearing pants very good. Anyway, I do keep it stimulated on a daily basis. But by the end of the day, I’m sort of a bit flagging. So yeah, I’m going to look at that and see how I can improve and that is what building a better life is all about. It’s not all about getting money into your bank account. It’s about feeling better, looking better, happy, more free time having more money, and everything is there waiting for you if you just start taking action. Until next time, thank you so much for listening to I think a slightly different episode of join up dots I’ll be here waiting for you. Cheers Say bye bye
Outro [46:35]
David doesn’t want you to become a faded version of the brilliant self you are wants to become so he’s put together an amazing guide for you called the eight pieces of advice that every successful entrepreneur practices, including the two that changed his life. Head over to join up dots.com to download this amazing guide for free and we’ll see you tomorrow on join up dots.
