The Random Show — New Health Gadgets, Tim’s Latest Adventures, How to Drink Less, Zen Retreats, AI + Your Genome, and Colonoscopy Confessions (#812)

Welcome to another wide-ranging “Random Show” episode I recorded with my close friend Kevin Rose (digg.com)!

We cover dozens of topics: from the cutting edge of health tech to pro-tips for colonoscopies; AI; adventures in Japan and Taiwan seeking out perfect coffee and tea; tips for drinking less alcohol; powerful documentaries like 32 Sounds and books such as Awareness; the unexpected joys and therapeutic benefits of adult Lego; and much, much more.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform. Watch the conversation on YouTube. The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

This episode is brought to you by Vanta trusted compliance and security platform; Momentous high-quality supplements; and ExpressVPN high-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service.

Listen onApple Podcasts

Listen onSpotify

Listen onOvercast

This episode is brought to you by Vanta! Vanta automates compliance for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA, making it simple and fast to get enterprise-grade compliant. Just like 10,000+ other companies that rely on Vanta, my friends at Duolingo and Ramp (a sponsor of this podcast and an ultra-fast growing company) both use Vanta to handle security compliance. 

It all adds up to impressive results: companies save up to 85% of costs, get compliant in weeks instead of months, and complete security questionnaires up to 5 times faster. So check out Vanta.com/Tim to see how Vanta can help you level up your security program. My listeners, that’s you, can get $1,000 off.

This episode is brought to you by Momentous high-quality creatine! I’ve long benefitted from creatine for athletic and gym performance, and now I’m increasing my daily intake to enjoy the cognitive benefits. A pilot study in Alzheimer’s patients demonstrated that supplementing can increase brain creatine levels in just 8 weeks, improving measures of memory, reasoning, and attention. And a double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that creatine can restore aspects of memory and attention within hours in adults who are sleep deprived. I use Momentous Creatine made with Creapure®, which is sourced from Germany and has the strictest lab standards to ensure it’s at least 99.9% pure. And try Momentous’s Creatine Chews—clean chewable tablets with 1 gram of Creapure® creatine per chew—and their whey protein isolate and magnesium threonate, all of which meet their same, exacting standards. Check out Momentous for yourself and get 35% off your first subscription order with code TIM at LiveMomentous.com/Tim. 

This episode is brought to you by ExpressVPN. I’ve been using ExpressVPN to make sure that my data is secure and encrypted without slowing my Internet speed. All you need to do is download the ExpressVPN app on your computer or smartphone and then use the Internet just as you normally would. Use my link ExpressVPN.com/Tim today and get an extra three months free on a one-year package!

Want to hear the last time KevKev and I did a Random Show? Listen to our conversation here, in which we discussed the societal impact of reality-bending AI, the pros and cons of training to failure, inexpensive injury avoidance/reversal, ethical wild meat harvesting, aliens, aversion-defusing meditation, alternative field trips, and much more.

What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Connect with Kevin Rose:

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Threads | Bluesky | Digg.com

The transcript of this episode can be found here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Art, Collectibles, & Games

• Coyote: Card game by Tim Ferriss and Exploding Kittens.
• Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”: The original woodblock print/art piece.
• LEGO The Great Wave off Kanagawa (Hokusai): Specific LEGO set.
• LEGO Bonsai Tree: Specific LEGO set.
• LEGO Lucky Bamboo: Specific LEGO set.
• Nanoblock Cherry Blossom Tree: Specific Nanoblock set.

Health

• Colonoscopy: Medical screening procedure.
• Propofol: Anesthetic drug.
• Full-Body MRI Scan: Medical imaging (Prenuvo provides this).
• GRAIL Test: Blood test for cancer screening.
• Accelerated TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation): Medical treatment for OCD/depression.
• Trazodone: Prescription drug mentioned for sleep, with side effects.
• VO2 Max Test: Physiological test for cardiovascular fitness.
• ECG (Electrocardiogram): Heart monitoring feature (e.g., on WHOOP).
• EEG (Electroencephalogram): Brainwave test for sleep studies.
• Whole Genome Sequencing: Comprehensive genetic test.
• Homocysteine Test: Biomarker test discussed by Kevin.
• Profi Nasal Spray: Hydrogel nasal spray for trapping viruses/bacteria.
• Saline Mist Spray: Nasal hydrating spray.
• Oriental Beauty Oolong Tea: Specific type of Taiwanese tea.
• Zone 2: “Some pain, much gain,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
• Dashi: Japanese soup stock sachets.
• Sertraline: Prescription medicine commonly known by the brand name Zoloft.
• Mounjaro: An injectable medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes.
• Methylated B Vitamins: Supplements Kevin used.
• NAC (N-acetylcysteine): Supplement Kevin used as a methyl donor.

Books

• Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks by Ben Goldacre
• The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman by Timothy Ferriss
• Fight Club: A Novel by Chuck Palahniuk
• I Don’t Want To Talk About It: Overcoming the Secret Legacy of Male Depression by Terry Real
• Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality by Anthony de Mello
• Everything Is Its Own Reward: An All Over Coffee Collection by Paul Madonna
• The Well of Being: A Children’s Book for Adults by Jean-Pierre Weill
• Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
• 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works — A True Story by Dan Harris

Movies and TV Shows

• 32 Sounds: Immersive documentary about sound by Sam Green.
• Flow: Latvian animated film about a cat in a post-apocalyptic world (low poly aesthetic).
• Fight Club: Don’t talk about Fight Club.
• Blade Runner: Dystopian sci-fi set in the far future of 2019 Los Angeles.
• 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki: Docuseries about the creative process of the Studio Ghibli founder.
• My Neighbor Totoro: 1988 animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli.
• Spirited Away: 2001 animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli.
• Ponyo: 2008 animated fantasy film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and animated by Studio Ghibli.
• Up: Animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar.
• Max Headroom: Advertised as “the first computer-generated TV presenter.”
• Minority Report: 2002 action film loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s 1956 novella.
• Ex Machina: Sci-fi movie discussing AI.
• Her: Movie about AI relationships.

People

• Michael Jackson: Mentioned in relation to Propofol.
• Peter Attia: Referenced for scientific literacy (studying studies) and Zone 2 training.
• Henry Shukman: Zen teacher, involved with The Way app, led the mini Zen retreat.
• Sam Green: Academy Award-nominated filmmaker of 32 Sounds.
• J.D. Sampson: Musician, original music for 32 Sounds.
• Barry Bonds: Baseball player who raised eyebrows for using performance-enhancing drugs.
• Brad Pitt: Actor who somehow doesn’t know the first rule of AA club.
• Katsushika Hokusai: Japanese artist of “Under the Wave off Kanagawa.”
• Darya Rose: Kevin’s better half.
• Terry Real: Author of I Don’t Want To Talk About It, discussed male depression.
• Craig Mod: Fellow Westerner residing in Japan, recent guest on this show.
• Gen Yamamoto: World-famous bartender.
• The Quantified Scientist (Rob ter Horst): YouTuber who reviews wearable technology.
• Anthony de Mello: Author of Awareness.
• Paul Madonna: Author of Everything Is Its Own Reward.
• Hayao Miyazaki: Founder of Studio Ghibli, subject of an NHK documentary miniseries.
• Walt Disney: Animation empire builder.
• Nolan Williams: Scientist at Stanford, head of brain stimulation lab, expert on Accelerated TMS.
• Matthew Walker: Sleep scientist, author of Why We Sleep, involved with Somnee device.
• Chris Palmer: From Harvard, discussed metabolic psychiatry.
• Craig Venter: Genomics pioneer, his personal genome sequencing cost mentioned.
• Alexis Ohanian: Co-founder of Reddit, working with Kevin on Digg.
• Sam Altman: CEO of OpenAI, involved with Worldcoin (World ID).
• Chris Hutchins: Host of All the Hacks podcast.
• Elan Lee: From Exploding Kittens, partnered with me on the game Coyote.
• Willoughby B. Britton: Researcher investigating adverse events of meditation.
• Dan Harris: Journalist, author, podcaster, meditation advocate.
• Valerie Forstman: Zen master who co-led the retreat with Henry Shukman.
• Alex Albrecht: Kevin’s Diggnation co-host.

Places

• New Mexico: Location of the mini Zen retreat with Henry Shukman.
• Taiwan: Country off the coast of China.
  • Taipei: Capital of Taiwan.
  • Really Good Seafood: Highly recommended restaurant in Taiwan.
• Japan: Country of coffee, culture, and Hokusai.
  • Tokyo: City in Japan.
  • Ginza: District in Tokyo, location of Glitch Coffee.
• UAE (United Arab Emirates): Persian Gulf-adjacent nation.
  • Abu Dhabi: City in UAE, noted for AI and genomics advancements.
• San Francisco, CA: Location of Red Blossom Tea Company; Paul Madonna‘s drawings often feature SF.
• Austin, TX: Home sweet home and 10 Squared location.
• Romania: Country mentioned for an espresso sign.
  • Brasov: City in Romania with the espresso sign.
• Nijiya Market: Japanese grocery store chain in the US.
• Walmart: Retailer for the Coyote game.
• SXSW (South by Southwest): Festival where a live Diggnation event occurred.

Companies & Organizations

• Prenuvo: Company providing full-body MRI scans.
• Netflix: Streaming service.
• Rotten Tomatoes: Review aggregation site for movies.
• Nintendo: Gaming company, referenced for “low poly” aesthetic.
• PS5 (PlayStation 5): Gaming console.
• Cannes Film Festival: Where the movie Flow premiered.
• AA (Alcoholics Anonymous): 12-step program.
• NA (Narcotics Anonymous): 12-step program.
• LEGO: Toy company (adult LEGOs, The Great Wave, bonsai, bamboo shoots).
• Nanoblock: LEGO competitor (cherry blossom tree).
• Glitch Coffee: Coffee shop in Ginza, Tokyo, praised for its latte.
• Sendai Koffee: Coffee shop in Japan, praised for Colombian varieties.
• Koffee Mameya: High-end coffee shop in Tokyo.
• Café de L’Ambre: Coffee shop in Tokyo known for aged coffee beans.
• Ghibli Museum: Museum in Japan (Studio Ghibli).
• NEZUCAFÉ: Cafe within a garden inside the Nezu Museum.
• Bear Pond Coffee: Coffee shop in Tokyo (Angel Stain espresso).
• Red Blossom Tea Company: Tea importer in San Francisco, specializing in Taiwanese oolongs.
• WHOOP: Wearable fitness tracker company and device.
• Apple: Tech company (Apple Watch).
• Oura: Tech company (Oura Ring).
• Garmin: Wearable tech company.
• 10 Squared: Peter Attia’s performance center in Austin.
• Peloton: Exercise equipment company (bike seat issue mentioned).
• Profi: Brand of nasal spray (hydrogel).
• CVS: Pharmacy.
• Walgreens: Pharmacy.
• Okume: Dashi brand established in 1871.
• Versa Gripps: Brand of lifting straps.
• Studio Ghibli: Japanese animation film studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki.
• NHK: Japanese public broadcaster.
• Poj Studio: Online retailer for artisanal Japanese goods.
• MagVenture: Manufacturer of TMS (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation) devices.
• Saisei Foundation: My nonprofit foundation focused on cutting-edge scientific research and other uncrowded bets.
• Somnee: Sleep device associated with Matt Walker.
• Stanford University: Nolan Williams’ institution; Profi nasal spray development.
• NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
• 23andMe: Genetic testing company.
• LifeLock: Identity theft protection company.
• Digg: Website being revived by Kevin Rose and Alexis Ohanian.
• Trustpilot: Online review platform.
• BBB (Better Business Bureau): Organization.
• Worldcoin: Sam Altman’s identity project (World ID).
• OnlyFans: Content subscription service.
• Exploding Kittens: Game company, partnered with me for Coyote.
• The Way: Meditation app by Henry Shukman.
• Sanbo Zen: Lineage of Zen taught by Henry Shukman.
• True Ventures: Venture capital firm where Kevin is a partner.
• UCSF: University of California, San Francisco, mentioned regarding novel protein research for dementia.
• AlphaFold: An AI system developed by Google DeepMind that predicts a protein’s 3D structure from its amino acid sequence.

Gadgets, Wearables, & Equipment

• AirPods: Wireless headphones.
• WHOOP Device: Wearable fitness tracker.
• Apple Watch: Smartwatch.
• Oura Ring: Smart ring.
• Garmin Wearables: Fitness trackers/smartwatches.
• Peloton Bike: Exercise bike.
• Versa Gripps: Specific type of lifting straps.
• MagVenture TMS Device: Medical device for brain stimulation.
• Somnee Device: Transcranial electrical stimulation device for sleep.

Digital Concepts & Tools

• ZK Proofs (Zero-Knowledge Proofs): Cryptographic method discussed for verifying online identity/claims.
• World ID: Digital identity obtained via eyeball scan (Worldcoin).

Relevant Resources

• The Benefits of Staying 30, 60, and 90 Days Sober: A Path to Lasting Recovery | High Focus Centers PA
• AI Sex Bots Are Here, Fires Reboot Kevin’s Life, Wild NVIDIA Updates | Diggnation #009
• Brad Pitt Says He Was Told off by Alcoholics Anonymous for Speaking About the Group: ‘It’s Anonymous’ | The Independent
• The Surprising Evolution of ‘The Great Wave of Kanagawa’ by Hokusai | My Modern Met
• Terry Real — The Therapist Who Breaks All The Rules | The Tim Ferriss Show #810
• Why China-Taiwan Relations Are So Tense | Council on Foreign Relations
• Little Island, Big Tea Game: The Guide To Taiwanese Tea | Tea Curious
• Hokkaido Milk: A Complete Guide for Beginners! | Sakuraco
• An Easy Guide to Ordering Coffee in Japan | Flexi Classes
• Geisha (Coffee) | Wikipedia
• Craig Mod — The Real Japan, Cheap Apartments in Tokyo, Productive Side Quests, Creative Retreats, Buying Future Freedom, and Being Possessed by Spirits | The Tim Ferriss Show #802
• Craig Mod Returns — Epic Walks in Japan, The Art of Slowness, Digital Detox, Publishing “Impossible” Books, and Choosing Beauty Over Scale | The Tim Ferriss Show #803
• Peter Attia’s 10 Squared: The Three Pillars of Forever Fitness | Men’s Health
• Drug-Free Nasal Spray Blocks, Neutralizes Viruses, Bacteria | Harvard Gazette
• The Stranger (Clip) | Scrubs
• “Squirrel!” (Clip) | Up
• Nolan Williams — A Glimpse of the Future: Electroceuticals for 70%–90% Remission of Depression, Brain Stimulation for Sports Performance, and De-risking Ibogaine for TBI/PTSD | The Tim Ferriss Show #714
• Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Sertraline on Cognitive Level, Inflammatory Response and Neurological Function in Depressive Disorder Patients with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Behavior | Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría
• Chris Palmer, MD, of Harvard Medical School — Optimizing Brain Energy for Mental Health, The Incredible Potential of Metabolic Psychiatry, Extraordinary Case Studies, and Harnessing Mitochondria for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #633
• Dr. Matthew Walker, All Things Sleep — How to Improve Sleep, How Sleep Ties Into Alzheimer’s Disease and Weight Gain, and How Medications (Ambien, Trazodone, etc.), Caffeine, THC/CBD, Psychedelics, Exercise, Smart Drugs, Fasting, and More Affect Sleep | The Tim Ferriss Show #650
• Dr. Matthew Walker, All Things Sleep Continued — The Hidden Dangers of Melatonin, Tools for Insomnia, Enhancing Learning and Sleep Spindles, The Upsides of Sleep Divorce, How Sleep Impacts Sex (and Vice Versa), Adventures in Lucid Dreaming, The One Clock to Rule Them All, The IP Addresses of Your Memories, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #654
• Overlooked Proteins May Be Key to Better Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s | UC San Francisco
• Craig Venter Sets X PRIZE for Human Genome Sequencing | Scientific American
• Genetic Information Privacy | Electronic Frontier Foundation
• LifeLock CEO’s Identity Stolen 13 Times | Wired
• Max Headroom Makes His American TV Debut | Letterman
• Max Headroom Signal Hijacking | Wikipedia
• OnlyFans Sued by Men Claiming Models Used ‘Chatters’ to Talk to Them | Vice
• Diggnation Live in Austin Texas: Old Rivals, New Vision | Diggnation
• Henry Shukman — Zen, Tools for Awakening, Ayahuasca vs. Meditation, Intro to Koans, and Using Wounds as the Doorway | The Tim Ferriss Show #531
• Zen Master Henry Shukman — 20 Minutes of Calm, Plus the Strange and Powerful World of Koans | The Tim Ferriss Show #560
• Dr. Willoughby Britton — The Hidden Risks of Meditation, Overlaps with Psychedelic Risks, Harm Reduction Strategies, How to Choose a Retreat, Near-Death Experiences, and More | The Tim Ferriss Show #705
• Dan Harris on Becoming 10% Happier, Hugging Inner Dragons, Self-Help for Skeptics, Training the Mind, and Much More | The Tim Ferriss Show #481

SHOW NOTES

• [00:00:00] Start.
• [00:05:13] Two old men discuss the importance of regular medical checkups.
• [00:11:47] Zen and the art of 32 Sounds.
• [00:14:50] Going with the low-poly Flow.
• [00:18:02] KevKev goes cleanclean and sober.
• [00:25:10] The first rule of AA is you do not talk about AA.
• [00:26:24] LEGO bricks (and Nanoblocks) as art for grown-ups.
• [00:28:27] Maintaining sobriety with a partner who still drinks.
• [00:31:47] Addressing under-the-hood reasons behind addiction with a group.
• [00:35:41] TimTim talks Taiwan and tea.
• [00:43:13] A Japanese coffee bender.
• [00:48:56] An “expresso” intervention.
• [00:50:02] Where Americans can get Taiwanese tea if they can’t make the trip.
• [00:51:16] Kevin’s new WHOOP wearable and quantifying health benchmarks/goals.
• [00:57:45] I’m getting a new exercise bike because the old one rubbed me the wrong way.
• [00:59:11] Kevin keeps COVID and cooties at bay with Profi in his schnozz.
• [01:02:01] Sippin’ dashi and conquering anxiety with Awareness.
• [01:06:36] Getting a (Versa) Gripp on eclectic injuries.
• [01:10:07] Finding magic in the ordinary with Paul Madonna and Hayao Miyazaki.
• [01:13:19] The Well of Being is back in stock for a reasonable price.
• [01:14:02] Finding Asian artisanal goods in the US without having to travel.
• [01:16:49] Squirrels: distracting dogs and humans for millennia.
• [01:18:04] My personal ups and downs with accelerated TMS.
• [01:28:27] The current state of consumer-level sleep aid technology.
• [01:33:47] How full genome sequencing helped Kevin tame a once-insurmountable health issue.
• [01:36:16] Eyeing traffic at the intersection of AI and life sciences.
• [01:38:30] Genetic data privacy concerns.
• [01:42:36] Face to face with my deepfaked side hustler.
• [01:44:06] Kevin’s unsettling AI headphone review experiment and its implications for real humans.
• [01:47:03] Steps Kevin has taken toward proving he’s a real boy.
• [01:48:23] “You were talking to models — you were just talking to large language models.”
• [01:50:25] Exploding Kittens and I made a game together: Coyote.
• [01:52:06] When meditation retreats go right (and wrong).
• [01:59:21] Parting thoughts.