It’s hard to believe that in less than four months, I will celebrate 25 years since I was discharged from chemotherapy and officially deemed “in remission” from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
The 26 months I spent in treatment were by far the hardest times of my life. During that time, not only was I severely traumatized by my own desperate fight for my life (which I OFTEN thought I was losing), but by the fact that other children were literally dying around me, leaving their parents and siblings heartbroken.
After that experience, I became totally radicalized to the idea that I needed to do whatever I could do to keep the cancer from coming back. Because of this, I earnestly searched out information that would help me to understand what to do and what not to do to keep myself healthy and cancer free.
Fast forward to the year 2008. That year, I came across a book written in the early 2000’s by a Medical Doctor named Don Colbert. It was called “Toxic Relief.” In the book, Dr. Colbert listed statistic after statistic, fact after fact about the widespread pollution in our air and water and the shocking levels of chemicalization of our food supply.
Dr. Colbert also made very clear scientific links in the book about how these massive doses of toxins that we are all ingesting…are actually the root causes of nearly every disease. Thankfully, the book also included lifestyle and diet recommendations to minimize toxic exposure.
After reading the book, I had two reactions. One was positive and one was negative. The positive reaction was gratitude, and the negative reaction was anger.
I was grateful that now I knew what to do to stay healthy (which has worked incredibly well for the past 16 years), but I was angry that these massive agriculture, pharmaceutical and food processing companies were able to get away with poisoning us this way.
Just to give ONE example of MANY- did you know that there are over 10,000 known toxins that are allowed in the US food supply? And did you know that all but about 400 of these same toxins are illegal throughout Europe? As a victim of this corruption, that kind of stuff makes me angry.
I have to admit, I was also quite angry at the medical system that trained my “world renowned cancer doctors”, because although they knew a lot about drugs and surgery…they NEVER once told me to drink more water, exercise, eat healthy or do anything else to minimize my exposure to cancer causing chemicals.
Fast forward to 2024…and now EVERYTHING has gotten SO much worse than it was 20 years ago. And, as you’d expect, the rate of EVERY mental and physical disease is at an all-time high. On top of that, our average lifespan is decreasing every year, and the QUALITY of life of all age groups is suffering tremendously under the weight of this toxic burden.
Honestly, at this point, we can’t settle for just a reformation…we need a REVOLUTION.
That being said, I am actually very intrigued by what is happening. Democrats, Republicans and Independant’s are finding tremendous agreement and unity around this issue and there is widespread talk of there being laws and policies enacted that would ban many of these toxins so that our food, water, air and environment are healthy again.
At the center of this movement are siblings Casey Means MD, and Calley Means. Casey is a Stanford trained physician, who finished first in her class, and was a practicing head and neck surgeon. Calley is a former high-level food and pharma industry lobbyist.
Both of them had an awakening several years ago, very similar to the one I had in 2008. They have since gone on to blow the whistle on how sick and unhealthy Americans are getting and how corporate capture of government regulatory agencies is largely to blame. They are also spearheading efforts to solve this problem, in part through a governmental revolution.
They are some of the most riveting speakers you’ll ever hear, and the details of their story are truly shocking and eye opening. Just recently they were featured on the world’s most popular podcast, and they spent over two hours sharing all the gory details about what is happening AND what to do about it.
In the interview they also offer insights into how to minimize your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. I guarantee you will learn something from it that you will benefit you.
You may also have a reaction like mine when I read Toxic Relief in 2008, where you think, “how is it possible that corporations and government agencies can get away with doing this to us?! This is wrong!”
Watch below:
I encourage you to please pass this along to your friends and loved ones. I would argue that when it comes to improving health, there is no message more important to hear than the one they are sharing.
God bless you!
Chris
P.S. I don’t know if it was done in an effort to censor this content, but you will not be able to play the video if you have your YouTube app on “restricted mode.” It’s easy to turn that off through your settings, but if you have trouble, email me back and I’ll send you a different link.
It’s crazy to think that in 2024, with all the advances in medicine and technology that we’ve had over the decades, that the rates of nearly every health problem are going up. A LOT.
Musculoskeletal problems are no exception. In fact, according to a Mayo Clinic study, musculoskeletal problems are the most common reason people see doctors in America. This includes things like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, disk problems, strains, sprains, tears, and the like.
After having worked with nearly 1000 clients, mostly to help them better manage or overcome various musculoskeletal problems, I’ve realized something very important- healing is a puzzle.
Now, I don’t mean that it is puzzling, I mean that it is literally like a puzzle. That is because you have to put many different pieces together to get the full picture.
One major piece is proper exercise, which begins with ensuring your muscles function properly and your joints move optimally. This is what I work on with clients during our sessions.
Another major piece is taking proper care of your body and not subjecting it to repetitive stresses that will cause reinjury.
Another major piece is drinking sufficient water, because tissue repair cannot happen without adequate water being present.
Another major piece is losing weight and lowering bodily inflammation, which requires an overhaul of our Standard American Diet (SAD). That is what I want to focus on today.
It might shock you to learn that most Americans get more than half of their daily calories from highly inflammatory foods. It might also shock you to learn that most of these foods were brought to us by…Tobacco Companies.
That’s right, the same companies that got millions of Americans addicted to cigarettes, are the same ones that have gotten millions addicted to junk food.
You see, back in the 1960’s, when the government began to regulate the tobacco industry, companies like Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds took some of their massive cash piles and began buying up major food companies. They then transferred their thousands of scientists (who had been working to make cigarettes more addictive for decades) to their food companies to literally do the same thing with food.
In fact, the scientific journal “Addiction” even recently published a study showing that the foods they created were far more likely to contain high levels of dangerous additives that increased negative health impacts, while simultaneously causing people to become physically addicted to them.
The results of this have been nothing short of disastrous. We’ve gone from 13% obesity to over 40%, rates of heart disease and cancer have skyrocketed, and currently nearly 51 million people in America live in chronic pain- which is greatly aggravated by the systemic, bodily inflammation caused by these addictive foods.
If you want to feel better, move better, be healthier, and not be a victim of this corrupt scheme…say no to these addictive foods and say yes to foods that will promote health and healing.
In 2006, when I first got certified in Muscle Activation Techniques, I had already heard some amazing stories of professional athletes having incredible results with it. NFL Hall of Famer John Elway, winner of Super Bowl 31 and 32 (at age 37 and 38), credited MAT with helping him overcome injuries that could’ve ended his career. NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton said the same thing, and even mentioned Greg Roskopf, the founder of MAT (and the man I first learned MAT from), in his hall of fame acceptance speech.
Then, a few years later, Greg shocked the sports world again when he helped rehab Peyton Manning after a series of neck injuries and surgeries that caused him to miss the entire 2011 season. After these injuries, his team released him, and many believed his career was over. Well, not only was his career NOT over, but Peyton ended up setting the all-time record for most touchdown passes in a season and winning a Super Bowl.
In 2014, after working with “normal people” for 8 years, I saw the power MAT can have on an athlete’s career when I worked with several Major League Baseball players. None of them needed a transformation as dramatic as Manning, but all of them ended up having great results and signing much bigger contracts.
Then, in 2020, the golf world was buzzing about PGA pro Bryson Dechambeau after he won the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the US Open…with record breaking drives averaging 350 yards and ball speeds of 200 mph. Golfers, analysts and fans were asking- “how did he do it?” and according to Bryson, it really boiled down to getting his muscles to work right.
Earlier in his career, Bryson battled back and shoulder injuries that he thought could end his career early. In 2019, he started getting MAT with Greg Roskopf, and after that his body was able to recover from the injuries and keep up with the stress of playing. Then, Bryson began doing an intensive training program with Greg to increase his strength, size and speed, and that is what led to the record-breaking performances.
Here’s a great article from Golf Magazine about Bryson’s MAT training program.
After seeing early success with this focus on building maximum muscle mass, Bryson (whose idea it was to begin with) eventually decided to change course and focus less on muscle building and more just on strength building. He said that the 6000 calorie a day diet that he had to be on to maintain his muscle mass was causing all kinds of other problems, so he jumped ship on it in 2022.
However, all the work that he continues to do with Greg has certainly been paying off. In fact, he just won his second US Open Tournament last month and he even visited Greg afterwards to show him his trophy.
So, why am I bringing this up? Well, it’s not just to entertain you with fun stories, or to make my work look cool, but to it is to inspire you that you can make a change in your body too.
Whether you’re a golfer, a tennis player, a football player, or if your only “sport” is just trying to physically keep up with life’s demands- you need to get your muscles working right.
Here’s a short video of some different news interviews I’ve done where I explain this concept in more detail. It will give you a better understanding of what MAT is, how it works, and how you can benefit from it. You’ll also hear from some “regular people” that have had dramatic changes in their body by using this same process that million-dollar athletes swear by. Check it out by clicking here-
Most people who meet me have a hard time believing that during my teen years I struggled with obesity. I even have stretch marks to prove it! Thankfully though, by the grace of God, I was able to lose nearly 80 pounds of bodyfat by age 20 and I have kept it off ever since.
What I have found sad is that since then there has been a VERY dramatic trend in America towards higher and higher obesity rates. This chart gives you a glimpse into how bad things are getting.
Alongside this trend, we’ve also seen a major marketing campaign to make people feel “ok” about their obesity. Look up the “Fat Acceptance Movement” to see one ridiculous example.
Meanwhile, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and all other chronic disease rates are also going up, and ALL of these have been shown to be heavily (no pun intended) influenced by our body fat percentage. This infographic paints the picture:
In fact, in this study of over 300,000 people, scientists have determined that extreme obesity can shave up to 14 YEARS off of our life.
With all that in mind, how insane is it that anyone would try to make someone feel better about being obese and not just tell them the truth about how dangerous it is? Interesting world we live in.
The reason I’m bringing this up today is because an amazingly talented singer/songwriter who I’ve listened to for years…was recently found dead in her home. She was only 47 years old, so her death was a shock to everyone. The autopsy report came back last week and said that she died of “complications of obesity.” The report said she was 488 pounds.
Now, I’m willing to bet that you are nowhere near 488 pounds, but hopefully this serves as a red alert for you to vigilantly keep your weight under control. Even a small amount of excess bodyfat can put a strain on your heart, your liver, your back, your knees, and on other parts of your body.
In fact, studies have even shown that inflammatory molecules are released from bodyfat that can irritate joint problems and contribute to chronic pain.
With all that said, I highly encourage you to do whatever you need to do to get your caloric intake down so you can lose excess bodyfat, feel better, and live longer. If you need help in this regard, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
As the saying goes “nothing tastes as good as being healthy feels.”
A gray-haired older woman sat motionless with her gaze lowered. In the late stages of dementia, she no longer spoke to others or made eye contact.
When Ayako Yonetani started playing the violin, the woman slowly lifted her head.
“Her mouth moved, and her eyes brightened as if she heard my music and was trying to follow it,” recounted Ms. Yonetani, a concert artist and professor of violin and viola at the University of Central Florida School of Performing Arts.
Those who spent time with the woman were astonished. “They had never seen her react like this before,” she said. But this was only one of many times that Ms. Yonetani had seen such a thing.
Clear Evidence
One study published in the 1990s in the journal Nature drew people’s attention.
Three groups of participants were instructed to either sit in silence, listen to a relaxation tape, or listen to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D major (K448). Ten minutes later, the group who listened to Mozart’s music showed a significant improvement in spatial IQ score—nearly 10 points higher than the other two groups.
Since then, scientists have used Mozart and other classical music in various experiments on animals and humans, confirming similar results: Listening to classical music or learning to play an instrument leads to higher school grades and stronger spatial reasoning skills, reduces the risk of brain atrophy, and slows cognitive decline.
The “Mozart effect” truly exists, said Kiminobu Sugaya, who has a doctorate in pharmacology and is a professor of medicine at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and head of neuroscience at the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, during an interview with The Epoch Times. In experiments with local community residents, he found that when this type of classical music was played, “we saw a 50 percent increase in brain function.”
Certain types of classical music not only enhance cognitive abilities but also are used to treat brain disorders such as epilepsy or Parkinson’s disease. “The Mozart effect is clear evidence that you can alter the brain function and abnormalities with music,” Dr. Michael Trimble, professor emeritus of neurology and neuropsychiatry at the University College London Institute of Neurology and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, told The Epoch Times. Sometimes, epilepsy is more difficult to control with medication, and using carefully selected and edited classical music to “train” the brains of epilepsy patients can normalize their brain waves and electroencephalographic abnormalities.
A study published in Interdisciplinary Science Reviews in 2022 indicated that “to this date, K448 and K545 have remained the only anti-epileptic music selections that have been verified by repeated experiments.” The study also cited data from a 2020 meta-analysis, which found that “approximately 84 percent of participants in the reviewed studies exhibited significant reductions in epileptic brain activity while listening to Mozart’s K448.”
What the Brain Wants
Regarding the effects on the human brain, the main difference between classical and pop music lies in “the complexity and structure,” Clara James, who has a doctorate in neuroscience and is a professor at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Geneva, Switzerland, and Privatdozent at the University of Geneva, told The Epoch Times.
Before the age of 32, Ms. James was a professional violinist.
Classical music of the common practice period (1600–1900) adheres to strict structural and harmonic rules. Even nonmusicians will notice a problem with its structure if a performer makes a minor mistake, Ms. James said.
“It places a significant emphasis on proportion, balance, and harmony,” Ms. Yonetani added.
In contrast, other forms of music may not strictly adhere to these structural rules.
The human brain “likes the rules of music,” Dr. Trimble said. “There are certain musical sounds that are deeply embedded within the ability of our nervous system to be moved by music.” He emphasized that music contains natural rules and mathematical logic, especially classical music, wherein the connection to mathematics is robust. Therefore, it is universally recognized and accepted by the brain.
Musical notation for Beethoven’s first edition of his Symphony No. 9. Classical music adheres to strict structural rules, and it places a significant emphasis on proportion, balance, and harmony. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images)
Mozart developed a truly different style of music, moving away from the earlier Baroque period, Dr. Trimble noted. Mozart’s K448, which was the first piece used to investigate the brain effect and the impact of Mozart’s music on the brain in general, “may relate to spectrogrammatic considerations—in particular, the presence of lower harmonic frequencies.
“Classical and pop music differ in so many ways,” he continued. Pop music contains continual repetition around the same musical sequences, conveying information that is often vague and banal without the subtle development and variation that occurs in the progression of classical music.
Ms. James pointed out that a typical classical music piece features a wide range of rhythms, with dynamics varying from extremely loud to very soft and extremely slow and fast sections—all seamlessly integrated. In comparison, a single pop music track has limited variability and maintains a regular rhythm.
Besides, classical music pieces are relatively long, typically ranging from 20 to 25 minutes; some are even longer, such as Gustav Mahler’s works, which can last more than an hour. It carries rich information and allows the brain ample time to process it, much like slowly savoring an apple, as opposed to quickly consuming an apple-flavored gummy candy.
Furthermore, the live sound volume at modern pop music concerts can be deafening, and the singers’ and fans’ behavior can be quite wild. “You can’t hear the music because people are screaming all the time,” Dr. Trimble said.
Increased Gray Matter
As people age, their brains gradually shrink, resulting in a gradual loss of neurons. However, one study found that in orchestral musicians, certain parts of their brains do not shrink over time and can even increase in size.
MRI tests conducted under Mr. Sugaya’s supervision also had similar findings.
Symphony orchestra musicians have significantly higher gray matter volume than regular people, and their brain volume barely declines with age. (Illustration by The Epoch Times)
The brain is composed of gray matter and white matter. Gray matter, consisting of neurons, has been observed to increase in volume following musical activities. Ms. James explained that this increase is not due to an increase in neurons but rather “because the connections between the neurons get stronger.” On the other hand, white matter refers to short or long axons of neurons, which act together as the brain’s communication network, similar to how local roads and highways connect different cities. When listening to music, the network gets better built and oriented.
Additionally, the hippocampus—a deep brain structure—“lights up” when people listen to music attentively, Ms. James said. The hippocampus plays a critical role in cognition, memory, and emotion.
Our memory of music seems to last longer than memories of everyday events or experiences from certain stages of life. This phenomenon explains why some older individuals can effortlessly recall and sing songs or melodies they enjoyed in their youth. The hippocampus also helps people understand music. If this part of the brain is not engaged, one will not comprehend what they hear—like listening to a different language.
The Emotional Impact
International surveys found that more than 80 percent of us cry to music, but only 18 percent and 25 percent tear up when viewing sculptures and paintings, respectively. “Music moves us,” Dr. Trimble said.
Classical music is closely linked to emotion. Dr. Trimble believes that “the actual response that we have to music is almost transcendental.”
Classical music can be more effective than other music for reducing stress and anxiety, as it typically includes moments of relaxation and calmness. “Every piece contains slow sections that help you relax,” Ms. James said. In certain therapeutic settings, such as hospitals, especially in intensive care units, the works of Mozart, Bach, and some Italian classical composers are often preferred for their superior stress-relieving and pain-reducing effects.
Jonathan Liu, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner and acupuncturist in Canada, told The Epoch Times that classical music has played a significant role in healing throughout history. It can also evoke a sense of sacredness, inspiring gratitude and reverence.
Classical music can improve brain function and reduce stress. It also can evoke a sense of sacredness, inspiring gratitude and reverence. Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra performing at the Boston Symphony Hall on Oct. 13, 2018. (NTD Television)
Ms. Yonetani was told a story after playing a large concert in a European church. Halfway through her playing, an older woman sitting among the audience had slowly transitioned from sitting to kneeling on the ground, closing her eyes in devout prayer. “Personally, performing masterpieces such as Beethoven’s violin concerto or Bach Chaconne evokes a sense of awe,” she shared.
Behind the stirring of emotions lies a series of substances produced within the brain.
Music promotes the brain’s secretion of endorphins, enkephalins, dopamine, and serotonin. Each has varied biological effects, from inducing pleasure and relaxation to alleviating physical discomfort and promoting sleep.
Mr. Sugaya mentioned that attending a classical music concert is ideal for dates because dopamine released in the brain can make you appear more charming to your partner. Beautiful music can also increase oxytocin, a love hormone.
“The brain has a lot of untapped potential that humanity has not fully explored yet,” Mr. Liu said.
The release of dopamine induces happiness and ignites sparks in the brain’s cognitive and reward systems. Ms. James explained that when people experience chills or shivers down their spine while immersed in classical music, they’re experiencing a phenomenon in which the brain’s reward system is fully activated and aroused by such a pleasurable experience.
Contrary to classical music’s anxiety- and depression-reducing effects, some modern genres of rock music bring about excessive excitement and melancholy. When discussing young people’s preference for stimulating music, Dr. Trimble stated, “I do not believe that helps your emotional state.” Instead, he believes this music arouses anger and negative emotions.
Certain modern genres of New Age music may also negatively affect emotions.
In an older study, 144 participants of various ages listened to different music categories for 15 minutes, filling out the same questionnaire before and after listening. The results showed that classical music significantly reduced feelings of tension. Contrastingly, New Age music, while reducing feelings of tension and hostility, also lowered people’s mental clarity and vigor. Rock music not only significantly increased feelings of hostility, fatigue, sadness, and tension but also reduced people’s mental clarity and vigor and their feelings of caring and relaxation.
Not Esoteric
Ms. James encourages people to incorporate classical music into their daily lives.
For the average person, classical music is not esoteric or difficult to understand; many classical pieces are actually quite accessible. “Someone who never had music lessons can still appreciate music very much,” she said.
Ms. Yonetani also noted that classical music from the Classical era initially served as entertainment for the nobility, rendering works by composers such as Mozart and Joseph Haydn quite approachable and enjoyable. Moreover, classical music of the Baroque era by composers such as Bach and Handel is an excellent introduction to music appreciation despite its slightly more intricate nature. Classical music from the Romantic era, exemplified by composers such as Brahms and Robert Schumann, offers a wealth of beauty and depth.
Ms. Yonetani shared an endearing detail about her daily routine. “My husband and I listen to music while eating breakfast.” Additionally, she believes listening to classical music during one’s work commute can be a rewarding way to appreciate its beauty and depth.
Notably, both Ms. Yonetani and Ms. James spoke of the tremendous charm of live concerts.
“Nothing compares to a live concert,” Ms. James emphasized, stating that the best way to appreciate classical music is at a concert. People can focus without distractions, immersing themselves in the music and the musicians’ vivid performance, thereby receiving “the highest experience, pleasure, and stimulation.”
