How we enter this world and leave this world makes a huge difference. 

For most of the western world, we all experience a similar allopathic birth protocol in a sterile environment we call the hospital. 

Likewise, when we die, we often leave this world in an allopathic environment, like a hospital. Or an allopathic arrangement we call “hospice.” 

Unfortunately, there are many shortcomings and mistakes to be found in both the westernized practice of birthing babies and caring for people with terminal illnesses. 

Do you know what these shortcomings are? Many do not - as our western hospital system, and Big Pharma dominate the landscape so profoundly that most of us do not realize there are other ways to go about birthing and dying. 

Meet our guest today - Dr. Nathan Riley - a medical doctor specializing in OBGYN and hospice medicine. 

Dr. Nathan is also a holistic health practitioner with extensive training, including the Chek Institute. 

Through his holistic OBGYN practice - Beloved Holistics - Dr. Nathan offers a path of collaboration between himself, midwives, and health coaches. 

Dr. Nathan's generous heart thrives as a holistic OBGYN who brings to the table not only allopathic medicine but also functional medicine, Chinese medicine, herbalism, and Ayurveda. 

Based in Louisville, Kentucky - Dr. Nathan meets with patients locally and remotely to care for common OBGYN issues like pelvic pain, fertility issues, and abnormal periods. 

He is one of the most diverse, exciting guests to ever appear on the Awesome Health Podcast. His fascinating spiritual approach to death is worth a listen alone. However, you will be blown away by his OBGYN insights as well. 

But sure to hit that play button! 

In this podcast, we cover:

• How Dr. Nathan ended up an OBGYN & hospice care physician together
• A profound experience Dr. Nathan had with birth and death in the same hour
• How a traumatic death affected Wade as a teenager
• Some wisdom on death from Dr. David Hawkins
• What is “informed consent,” and is the medical establishment still upholding this today?
• How patients and doctors can communicate better
• Why you need to ask your doctor questions 
• Why many couples deal with infertility and how Dr. Nathan treats this issue
• How eating this one thing can boost fertility

How we face (or not face) mortality in our modern age:

At one point in the conversation, Dr. Nathan shared this about his father:

“If you've lost anybody close to you, you realize that there's this transition - this transformation of spirit. Getting older and having to face our mortality is something that we all have to do.”

“If we treat death as a medical process - that’s a failure of the modern medical model because we're not forced to contemplate our death.”

“What happens is we're not forced to face mortality because we have this presumption that somebody's going to save us from this necessary transformation that happens at the end.”

“For example, my dad - who died when I was in medical school from something called multiple myeloma - he was one of those rough and tough guys that didn't want to talk about emotions. He wasn't open to telling people he loved them…it was that generation of men that is emotionally unavailable.”

“I worked with a palliative care group and he joined a palliative care group in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and they got him to open up about things and to really kind of reconcile like hey - this is something that's going to happen, and it's not something to be afraid of.”

“And so the sacred nature of death started to emerge, for me, and then I ended up in medical school and then into residency experiencing birth and realizing - wow - there's something magical here.”

1000 Births & 1000 Deaths

Dr. Nathan says he has experienced at least one thousand births and one thousand deaths through his medical practice. 

Here is one big takeaway Dr. Nathan has found from this: “I've been to so many births and deaths - 1000 of each is what I tell people at least. I came to realize there's a spiritual component to this, and what a person needs from you during these scary times that are sacred rites of passage.”

“These times can be blissful depending on how you approach it. As a doctor, what they need from you is somebody to see them and witness them. And then to acknowledge that we don't have a way of fixing this.” 

“We can't fix your pregnancy or your birth. Your birth is going to unfold whether you like it or not. And your death is going to unfold, whether you like it or not.”

“So what I'm trying to illustrate is that [birth and death] are two sides of the same coin. [Birth and death] are both equally transformative in spirit.”

Dr. Nathan’s unconventional medical practice is making waves in a good way. His unique perspective bringing birth (OBGYN) and death (hospice) together into one holistic medical approach offers many insights you rarely find in the specialist-obsessed allopathic healthcare model. 

Hit that play button and check out this dynamic doctor who offers spirituality and a refreshing level of respect to his patients.

Episode Resources: 

Get 10% off of a consultation package of 10 hours or more using promo code WADE10 HERE

Check out more about Dr. Nathan Riley at Beloved Holistics

The Holistic OBGYN Podcast

Nathan Riley OBGYN on Instagram

Discover the power of ‘Tonic Herbs’

Our guest Scott Linde, Founder of Sun Potion Transformational Foods, boils down his entrepreneurial motivations to this simple fact: he enjoys feeling real good. 

And he wants to share his health and wellness discoveries with others. 

Growing up close to nature in Minnesota, Scott has a passion for tonic herbs that may be unrivaled. 

Passion is why Sun Potion continues to grow in size, scope, and sales. 

So what are ‘tonic herbs’? Why does Scott focus his business on tonic herbs and algae, greens, and mushrooms from all over the globe? And why does he refuse to cut corners with the Sun Potion product line - using stringent quality standards and purely organic ingredients? 

After five minutes of tuning in, you will notice Scott’s radiant positive energy and sharp mind. Like that lady in the movie When Harry Met Sally, you will say to yourself: “I’ll have what he’s having.” 

By listening to this conversation between two health and wellness entrepreneurs, you can discover some new ways to shift your health in a positive direction. Tapping into these transformational foods is a key to radiant health. 

In this podcast, we cover:

• Scott’s story behind the launch and growth of Sun Potion
• The first products Scott started offering
• Overcoming obstacles and lessons learned while Scott built Sun Potion
• Serendipities experienced in health food stores (Wade & Scott)
• Scott’s supplement recommendations during this pandemic season
• Scott’s thoughts on the “authoritarian crisis” impacting the wellness community
• How Scott stays above the partisan divide and channels his energy into productive responses to pandemic-related conversations

What got Scott interested in tonic herbs and starting a business:

In his own words, here is how Scott describes to Wade his “why” to start Sun Potion: “What got me interested initially is I love feeling good. There’s an aspect to this that is purely selfish. I enjoy feeling good.”

“When I was a young person, I did a lot of extreme endurance sports that provide a lot of endorphins. Once I reached my 20s, I began learning through meditation teachers about tonic herbs.”

“I started trying them out for myself, and it just turned on a light in my body. I was like, ‘oh, I love this. I’m into this. It’s so cool.” 

“It was like being in high school and blacking out at the finish line of every cross country race to go into that complete bliss, like straight to the godhead. An ecstatic, full sensory feeling.” 

“That kind of contagious feeling - when you feel so good in your body - I began on my own looking around the industry and not finding what I was looking for. So I eventually realized this could be a project where I get to have fun and play with substances and aspects of nature that I enjoy.

“I can make these things available to other people if they’re interested. In the meantime, this project is fun for me. I’ll put my attention and my service into growing a nice, positive gift to share with people.” 

Why does Scott buy health products from other companies?

Here’s an interesting excerpt of something Scott tells Wade: “I love buying other people’s products and have them around.”

“I’ll be honest; I don’t necessarily always take them. But it’s nice to get the vibe off of the products and feel them, and have them around.”

“People come to my house - like, when women visit my home, they go into the bathroom, and they come out saying, “you have lots of natural products and body care things that are pretty impressive. I want to spend a couple of hours in your bathroom. LOL”

“It’s fun. Like a person who loves restoring cars, they will have a bunch of car things in their home. It’s their passion.”

“I have fun with wellness products.” 

Scott goes into detail on his favorite tonic herbs. He also shows off his mushroom expertise - firing off a string of different fungi and their unique health properties. Scott is a gracious guest who gives away so much in this episode - including a surprise gift for Awesome Health Podcast listeners.

You must check out this episode - a whole new world of tonics awaits you! 

Episode Resources: 

Get 15% off your Sun Potion order using promo code BIOPTIMIZERS HERE

Check out more about Scott Linde & Sun Potion

Sun Potion on Facebook

Sun Potion on Instagram

Sun Potion on YouTube

For those haunted by a dark past - here’s proof you can turn your life around - starting today! 

One of the biggest takeaways from our guest’s story is this: whatever secrets are in your past do not dictate your future (unless you allow it.) 

Doug Bopst is a good example. He went from being a drug addict, drug dealer, and convicted felon to one of America’s top fitness trainers. 

He entered prison obese and unable to do one push-up. He left prison with a passion for exercise, and this positive focus proved to be a crucial turning point. 

But how did Doug do this? So many other drug dealers end up dead or in prison for life. Or, they get out but return to crime, never reaching their full potential. 

Why did Doug’s story turn out differently? How did he end up writing three books, becoming a public speaker and a fitness guru? 

This former junkie, dope dealer, and out-of-shape fast-food addict became a clean, fit, upstanding citizen through a remarkable journey you will have to hear to believe. Be sure to tune in to this episode as Doug pours his heart out, hoping that one person out there will find hope and strength through his story. 

Doug is indeed an award-winning personal trainer, author, and host of the Adversity Advantage Podcast - a show that’s on a crusade to inspire others to overcome adversity and become the best version of themselves. 

He’s a great communicator in front of the camera, with appearances on NBC’s ‘Today Show,’ Men’s Health, Forbes, Rich Roll’s podcast, Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, The Skinny Confidential Him and Her podcast, Bulletproof Radio with Dave Asprey, The Be Well by Kelly podcast with Kelly LeVeque, The Blonde Files podcast with Arielle Lorre and more.

A short documentary covering his story called ‘From Felony to Fitness to Free’ has been screened at The Reel Recovery Film Festival in Los Angeles and New York City.

In this podcast, we cover:

• Doug’s incredible story of drug addiction, crime, prison, recovery, and redemption
• The role fitness played in Doug’s recovery
• How Doug’s prison cellmate changes his life
• The physical and mental benefits exercise offers young men 
• How to get comfortable with uncomfortable emotions (like pain) and channel that into your transformation
• How does Doug train his typical fitness clients?
• Why do people want to train with Doug?
• What Doug would say to someone struggling with addiction right now 

How Jail Saved Doug’s Life

Doug shares his complete story - why he got arrested, what happened when he stood before the Judge and his experiences inside the prison. 

Doug says, “When I walked through the gates of the jail, I cried because I didn’t want to go in, and when I left, I cried because I didn’t want to leave.”

“Crazy, right?” 

“On top of all that panic, fear, anger, uncertainty, and depression - all these emotions, I had a horrific opiate addiction going into jail. So my first few weeks behind bars, I detoxed cold turkey from oxycontin.” 

Yikes. Doug and Wade talk more about how rough it is for someone to detox cold turkey off of hard narcotics.

“Sitting in discomfort” - how Doug’s growing comfort level with pain was critical to his transformation:

Doug tells Wade at one point: “I think for many other people struggling with addiction and me, we use substances to numb pain. We use substances to get rid of any feelings of discomfort we’re feeling at that moment. Like when someone feels stressed out from work, and they go home and drink a bottle of wine that night to forget about that day.”

“I was that guy who was completely uncomfortable feeling any kind of discomfort, so fitness gave me a positive outlet to take that discomfort I was feeling and change my state of mind - get out of my head and turn it into something positive.”

“When I was in jail, I would go for a walk. Then, I could process my thoughts.”

“Use fitness to change your state of mind.” 

What an inspiring episode! Many people die of shame after making some poor decisions in their life. Doug Bopst proves you don’t have to stay stuck in the past, wallowing in guilt. Instead of replaying your past over and over again, discover how fitness and spirituality can pull anyone up out of the mud, clean them up, and set them on a new life path of success.

Check out this episode - tune in and turn your tragedy into triumph!  

Episode Resources: 

Check out more on Doug Bopst

Doug Bopst Amazon Author Page 

Doug Bopst on Facebook

Doug Bopst on LinkedIn

Doug Bopst on Instagram

Doug Bopst on Twitter

Our guest this episode is helping women find their Yin & Yang balance to live more joyous, satisfying lives. 

If you are a woman who feels like you can never measure up to how society defines what being a woman looks like - take heart!  

Dr. Sonya Jensen knows how you feel. As a mother herself, a wife, and a “career woman” who runs her medical practice, she understands the modern stressors facing women today. Ladies want to be happy in their marriage and feel good about their daily interactions with their children - yet they struggle with hormones, too much on their plate, low self-confidence, and our distorted digital distractions (smartphones, etc.) 

So many women are out of balance with the yin-yang between the masculine and the feminine. Sounding at times like a family therapist - Dr. Sonya shares how she helps women improve and elevate their marriage and home life. The key is learning how to tap into their natural nurturing yin while shifting out of the more masculine yang - the warrior woman, as she calls it - to finding a balance that works much better in the 21st century. 

Dr. Sonya brings a holistic approach to her patients as a Naturopathic Physician with a background in cell biology combined with her lived experience with Ayurvedic Medicine. Together, this has given Dr. Sonya insights into the human body, providing excellent wellness strategies for women and families.

She co-founded Divine Elements Health Center, The Longevity Lab, and The Health Ignited Academy with her husband, Dr. Nicholas Jensen. 

Men listeners will be fascinated, as host Wade Lightheart certainly was during the conversation. As all men know, women are complex and mysterious. This podcast will help you better understand the women in your life! 

In this podcast, we cover:

• How a woman can stop feeling “stretched in different directions” to a place of wholeness
• The psychological consequences women experience in today’s world
• What is the “duchess polarity” and the “damsel polarity”?
• How Dr. Sonya navigates two different cultures in her family
• Why did Dr. Sonya spend time in Southeast Asia?
• Social media’s impact on women and how Dr. Sonya parents her children surrounding electronic gadgets
• The differences between men and women
• Do’s and don’ts for women
• The future of women’s health over the next 20 years

How women can embrace their menstrual cycle to their advantage

Here is a snippet of something Sonya told Wade: “I'll lay it out for a woman's cycle first - understanding that hormonal peace and understanding that. Your cells respond to your environment, and that's where all the communication is happening. So the receptors on your cells are going to be activated according to its environment so, for example, for women, if our progesterone is doing what it needs to do, it will activate the GABA receptors, and we will feel calm.”

“So, for example, in the first half of our cycle, understand that after we bleed, we can move more, we can be more action-oriented, we can be more in the Yang state, we can be more outwardly in the world, and we can fast more. We can do Keto knowing that's what I can do at that time.”

“This is going to help us make decisions and do the things necessary to serve our body, then, and then come oscillation things shift a little bit. Testosterone goes up a little bit, so your libido is going to be a little bit higher.”

Parenting Insights: Unleash the Nurturer 

Dr. Sonya talked a lot about being a mom, a nurturer, and shifting into this mode when a woman is home, away from “the office.” 

At this point, she dives into modern-day parenting of video games and gadgets:

“As parents, we have a responsibility to understand the impact that technology is having on us.”

“We need to have open conversations with them. That’s what we started doing with our children with our Sunday night meetings. This is where we talk about all the various things going on and the challenges we face as a family.”

“We talk about technology a lot, as I recently bought my kids their first game console this past Christmas - the Nintendo Switch. We chose that one because you can play active games on it.”

“Luckily, my children like to go outside. We openly discuss how technology affects us - all of it. And often, we think our children don’t understand. But I do think they understand. We have to keep planting seeds and talk to them like they’re in the know. Like, this is what technology does.”

“At the end of the day, it’s going to be your choice because we can only control so much.” 

These few highlights only cover a fraction of this compelling episode. It would be best to tune in and discover the full vision for women’s health. Dr. Sonya can teach women how to live in the freedom of their creative energy while overcoming the baggage they carry imprinted on their minds from today’s environment. Men listeners can strengthen their relationships with women if they listen closely. 

Check out this episode - time to unleash the power of womanhood! 

Episode Resources: 

Check out more about Dr. Sonya Jensen Naturopathic Doctor

Check out Dr. Sonya Jensen’s Wellness Resources

Check out the Woman Unleashed Community

Woman Unleashed Book

Dr. Sonya Jensen on Instagram

Dr. Sonya Jensen on Facebook 

Our guest on the show, Nanea Reeves, has the credentials to speak on the future marriage of VR and mental healthcare with her 15-year resume in digital distribution, video game technologies, and mobile application development. She was also an early investor in Oculus. 

But that’s not all! - Nanea is also the CEO and Co-Founder of TRIPP. This award-winning wellness platform that uses scientifically based, researched technology applications that address mental health issues with non-chemical digital alternatives.  

A beauty, a biohacker, and a beast walk into a podcast…

No joke - what do you get when Wade T. Lightheart invites a dynamic duo like Rachel Varga and Katie Moore onto the show? You get a beauty (Rachel) with clinical skincare experience, a hardcore wellness and longevity expert that tests every biohacking tool on the market (Katie), and a beast (Wade) whose ignorance about skincare might make you spontaneously combust!

Seriously, listeners who tune into this episode are in for a lot of fun as these two high-powered female entrepreneurs bring a whole lot of energy and knowledge on healthy, youthful skin to the AHP audience.  

Be sure to hit “Play”: it’s not often you find free biohacking skincare tips that can lead to a younger-looking YOU (in just a couple of months.) 

What do these ladies bring to the show table? 

Rachel is a Board Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist (since 2011) who has worked with thousands of patients and performed about 20,000 rejuvenation procedures. She is incredibly passionate about helping other people look and feel better using proven therapies on the biggest organ of your body (skin.) 

Katie is a biohacker on a mission to help you achieve success without sacrificing health and happiness. She specializes in sleep and also covers a plethora of additional health topics and gadgets. Her YouTube channel is quickly growing into a “must-watch” destination for those interested in wellness, performance, and longevity.

In this podcast, we cover:

• How Rachel tactfully tells her clients what is going on with their skin
• How skincare and biohacking can work together
• What is “derma rolling”?
• Why men are increasingly interested in skincare
• Why do humans struggle with wrinkles and other signs of aging
• How Katie and Rachel work together transforming their clients
• Laser treatments for skincare - should you use them? 
• Non-surgical options for skin health
• The typical daily routine for Rachel and Katie

What is the skin perspective from the biohacking community? 

Early in the show, Wade asks Katie to describe how the biohacking community looks at skincare - something that many other biohackers out there don’t spend much time on. 

Katie said this: “As I see it - you take care of your inner self and take care of your nourishment, making sure you are properly hydrated, eating the right foods. Your skin is a literal reflection of what’s going on inside of you.”

“I find that when I’m eating the healthiest, getting the right amount of sunlight… granted, I do live in Hawaii where there is plenty of sunlight all the time, but I also realize that too much of anything - even anything good - like too much sleep is going to be harmful on your body, mind, spirit, and your skin.”

“So, I always look at what's going on inside of you before I even add any external products.”

“That’s my indication that someone is healthy when they have naturally glowing skin. It’s a good sign.” 

What’s the difference between the skin on the body vs. skin on the face?

Wade asks Rachel why his body skin looks more youthful than his facial skin. Here is a snippet of her response: “There are different skin cell receptors on the face versus the neck, chest, hands, and the rest of the body. When I’m working with clients, I work with a lot of male celebrities.”

“Because guys want to look good, too. They want to make sure that they look as hot as their counterparts and all of that. It’s great.”

“When couples can share products - I encourage that with my clients, even though the skin cell receptors are different on the face, neck, chest, etc.” 

She then segues into dermal rolling. 

What is dermal rolling? Something you need to know if you’re unhappy with your skin and want to look younger. Women are more comfortable talking about skincare secrets than men tend to be. Let’s put it this way - Guys! Do you want to look like Tom Cruise? (Tom is 59 years old, btw.) Then don’t be scared - jump into your youthful skin that’s waiting under your aging skin with Rachel and Katie! Don’t skip this episode!

Check out this podcast - these two experts are more than skin deep. 

Episode Resources: 

Get 15% off your One on One Skin and Rejuvenation Optimization Consultation with Rachel Varga using promo code AwesomeHealth15 HERE 

Learn more about Rachel Varga

The Rachel Varga Podcast

Rachel Varga on Facebook

Rachel Varga on YouTube

Rachel Varga on Instagram

Rachel Varga on Twitter

Learn more about Katie Moore

Katie Type A on YouTube

Katie Type A on Facebook

Kaite Type A on Instagram

Katie Type A on Twitter

Learn More about Rachel & Katie’s Beauty & the Biohacker

Beauty & the Biohacker Podcast

In this interview with leading GMO spokesperson Jeffrey Smith, you will walk away empowered with knowledge that equips you to make positive changes for your health while also opening your eyes to the battle at hand between Big Agro and consumers. Jeffrey Smith keeps issuing his clarion call to consumers to take action -for the sake of humanity - by avoiding GMOs and glyphosate in their food. It’s time to take your passion for organic food to a higher level.  

In this podcast, we cover: 

• The threat of genetically engineered microbes (GEMs)
• What glyphosate is and how it ends up in your body
• Why food production and distribution is critical to your health
• How the world came within two weeks of a GMO catastrophe
• How Jeffrey became a leading voice in consumer activism 
• The role a corporation called Monsanto plays in all this
• What GMOs and glyphosate do to your microbiome
• How your food can affect your DNA expression
• What whistleblowers in Big Agro are revealing 

Tune in to become a food advocate and wise consumer, who does better for both themselves and the environment!

The special H2O covered on this show is The Fourth Phase of Water - also known as EZ (Exclusion Zone) water. 

Our guest today is the scientist who discovered E.Z water: University of Washington Professor Dr. Gerald Pollack.  

In this podcast, we cover:

• What exactly is EZ water?
• How Dr. Pollack became obsessed with water
• Dr. Pollack’s dealings with criticism and social ostracism at the university
• The benefits of ultraviolet light and its relationship to EZ water
• Why you might want to start drinking bulletproof coffee (hint: EZ water)
• Some surprising science behind the earth’s “electrical field” (say what?) 
• Can EZ water help people go without food for years? 
• How much EZ water should you drink each day?
• The practice of “grounding” and its connections with EZ water
• A scientific “fact” involving atoms that Dr. Pollack says is wrong

We uncover the untold “secrets” to metabolic health in this episode - straight from a heart surgeon. 

However, Dr. Philip Ovadia is not your typical allopathic cardiologist dishing out drugs and selling surgery as the only solution to heart issues. 

Dr. Philip is on a mission to keep people OFF his operating table. 

In this episode, Wade and Dr. Philip zero in on something called metabolic health - an approach to wellness that focuses on five simple health factors that you are probably already familiar with (blood pressure and blood sugar being two factors.) Dr. Philip explains how these five health indicators provide a gauge that directly relates to a person’s risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. 

Considering only twelve percent of Americans are metabolically healthy, you will probably benefit by tuning in. Dr. Philip knows what it is like to be morbidly obese, staring at a future filled with many negative health issues. 

You will learn how our guest took ownership of his health and is now in that metabolically healthy twelve percent. 

Dr. Philip Ovadia is a board-certified Cardiac Surgeon and Founder of the Ovadia Heart Health clinic. He is also the author of the book Stay Off My Operating Table: A Heart Surgeon's Metabolic Health Guide to Lose Weight, Prevent Disease, and Feel Your Best Every Day.

When you hit “Play,” here’s the juicy nuggets of knowledge you receive: 

• The five factors that reveal your metabolic health
• Why did Dr. Philip become morbidly obese?
• How Dr. Philip lost over 100 pounds
• How the typical American diet is crippling people’s metabolic system
• How a journalist - not a doctor - changed Dr. Philip’s life
• How Dr. Philip’s colleagues responded to his unconventional approach to heart health
• What happens when we become metabolically unhealthy
• Which diet does Dr. Philip consider the best for health?
• The number of times you should eat each day
• Dr. Philip’s surprising views on exercise
• How heart patients can make lifestyle changes and transition off medications while seeing their current doctor

Dr. Philip is a breath of fresh air in a time of eroding customer service happening in healthcare these days. He is motivated to keep people healthy - not manage symptoms of the disease. Following Dr. Philip’s five-point guide to metabolic health is a great place to begin your health transformation. This episode is straightforward and easy to follow - but you must tune in to reap the rewards. 

He’s a master at self-promotion, marketing, trash-talking, and using fear to his advantage. 

In this episode, one of the most popular and inspiring MMA fighters to ever compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship - Chael Sonnen - sits down with two of his biggest fans: podcast host Wade T. Lightheart and his biOptimizers cofounder Matt Gallant.

In this podcast, we cover:

• How political debates can help you improve your public speaking
• How to create a public persona to stand out from the crowd
• Why building an audience is a more valuable skill than having the best technical skills in your industry
• What Chael’s physical training days were like as an MMA fighter
• Chael’s nutrition regime as a UFC fighter
• How Chael became a dynamic storyteller
• How to use fear to your advantage
• What Chael thinks about PEDs
• Why Chael likes reading the comments below his online videos
• Chael’s prediction: Will Connor McGregor ever fight again?