Dr. Bredesen interviews Julie G

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here. It is 30 minutes.

[circular]

Great update and overview! Well done!

[mwhr]

When is the book coming out?

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When is the book coming out?

August 18

[mwhr]

[Plumster]

Great conversation and I learned some things! I pre-ordered the paperback, which will be available August 13.

[TheresaB]

I pre-ordered the paperback, which will be available August 13.

I wonder why the paperback is being released before all the other versions, or if that's a typo on Amazon's part. All the other versions are being released on the 18th.

[buck3Maureen]

Very interested in Julie's experience with Kaatsu, that she mentions in the interview. I have ordered bands that cost about 40 dollars - not sure about the investment in the Kaatsu device. Does anyone else have any experience with Kaatsu or BFR?
Maureen

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Does anyone else have any experience with Kaatsu or BFR?

I have KAATSU, B Strong, Amazon BFR bands. I like the KAATSU's cycle mode, which nothing else in the space has. It can be used in interesting ways, even without exercise. That being said, you can get a good workout with B Strong or Amazon. My Amazon bands are 3cm width arms, legs are 5cm. Narrow and elastic. Mine also have numbers on them so you have an idea how to be consistent with the pressure. For any bands, you want to make sure you have a pulse at the wrist or ankle. Also your capillary refill rate should be less than 3 seconds. If you press the meaty part of your palm, it will turn while. The cap refill is how long it takes to turn back to red/pink. For exercises, the KAATSU instruction is 4 sets, but this really applies to any of the bands. For each exercise, 1st set should be at least 30 reps, even as much as 60-90 reps to failure. Then rest 15 seconds on arms or 20 on legs for the next set. Repeat each set to failure. Second might be 15 reps, 3rd 10 reps and 4th 2 or 3. Rest a minute or so between exercises. If you aren't using KAATSU cycle, don't have the bands on for more than 15 minutes on arms and 20 on legs, without releasing pressure for a minute.

Mercola has interviewed a number of people in the space. He has an ebook. If you want links to his interviews, PM me. On use: see p 11-13 and first two lines of 14 of the ebook. “Remember, whatever bands you use, KAATSU or less expensive BFR bands, the pressure that the cuff is inflated or tightened to should not be painful or cause any numbness or tingling. You will know if it is too tight as they will likely hurt. They are not supposed to shut down your arterial supply. If it is too tight you need to lower the pressure or loosen the bands. “

Your limbs should get nice and rosy color. Not white, purple or blue! If you do the 3 or 4 set to failure exercises (which can be for any muscles), you commonly get a sympathetic response. You will feel hot all of the sudden and may breathe hard. If I do these exercises before I use my heat lamp sauna, it is like the sweat faucet is turned on maximum!

The military has had very amazing results with BFR at their Center for the Intrepid in San Antonio, TX and their Limb Salvage Unit. PT, Johnny Owens was a heavy user there. They used surgical tourniquets where they first stop the arterial flow, determine that pressure and then back off to 50% for arms and 80% for legs. People with Amazon bands, B Strong or KAATSU don't need to do this.

KAATSU has decades of research in Japan. Ben Greenfield interviewed the KAATSU guys.

Jim Stray-Gundersen MD runs an Olympic Training Center in Park City. He has a webinar talking about a lot of the science. He developed the B-Strong bands.

Mercola thinks everyone as they age should be doing this as exercising with the bands produces growth hormone, Igf-1, VEGF (for increased circulation development) and more. Done correctly, the exercises will stimulate production of Type II muscle fibers, which we tend to lose as we age (sarcopenia). I agree with Mercola.

I was on a call recently where Dayan Goodenow was talking about plasmalogen. Kevin Perrott, using Dayan's tests had tested Steven Munatones, KAATSU global CEO before and after a few minutes (maybe 10 minutes) of KAATSU cycle (pressure on for 30 seconds off for 5) and Steven's plasmalogen went from in the 30's%ile to the 60's%ile when sampled 20 minutes after. This is an acute response, not necessarily a long term one. This needs a lot more study, but is very interesting.

[TheresaB]

Very interested in Julie's experience with Kaatsu, that she mentions in the interview. I have ordered bands that cost about 40 dollars - not sure about the investment in the Kaatsu device. Does anyone else have any experience with Kaatsu or BFR?

I too am doing Kaatsu. I don’t do the recommended exercises with them, mostly I just wear them while doing other things. I already have my physical therapy exercises/ stretching/ yoga exercises that I’m supposed to do. While I’d really like to add additional exercise on top of that, and no doubt would benefit if I did, housework, yardwork, and volunteer work gets in the way of my desires for additional personal enhancement. (I’m retired, how is it I have so little free time?)

Anyway, I typically wear the the Kaatsu bands 3 times a day: when I get up in the morning (while doing my volunteer work on the computer), in the afternoon, (often outside while watering my plants) and just before going to bed.

Even though I’m not “doing anything” I feel I’m gaining benefit. My arms feel like they’re getting a workout, and the veins in my arm and maybe the biceps themselves, seem to be more pronounced since adding in this regimen. I’m “told” it’s “tricking” my body to produce HGH and other beneficial metabolites, if I’m experiencing benefit of that, it’s not clearly obvious to me. I don’t sense improvement with cognition (nothing ever has) and while my Oura ring doesn’t say my sleep is appreciably better, I feel I sleep better if I do a cycle with arms and legs before going to bed, I’ve been sleeping in later.

So, all I can offer is what I feel/think. I like it! I like how I feel, but it’s an ambiguous response, so I can’t offer anything concrete other than I like how I feel as a result.

Is it worth the expense? Well, since they were given to me as a gift from my husband, yes!

If I had to buy them on my budget, it would be something I’d really like, but probably pass on and use the cheaper alternatives instead. But because I have them, I do believe the cycling compression is head and shoulders above the static bands, especially given how I use them outside of exercise.