Ashleigh VanHouten is an author, speaker, podcast host, health coach, and self proclaimed muscle nerd. Her first book, one of the only nose-to-tail organ meat-centric cookbooks in existence is called “It Takes Guts” and she’s currently working on her second high protein cookbook, which will be available in 2022. She is the host of the Muscle Maven Radio podcast, interviewing some of the leading minds in exercise and nutrition methodology and overall wellness. She has developed a range of coaching programs and workshops aimed at improving physical strength, overall wellness, and a deeper understanding of our bodies and optimal health. Ashleigh is also a consultant in the fitness industry, helping others build their brand and communicate their messages to the world. In her down time, Ashleigh is a nationally ranked figure competitor and also dabbles in powerlifting and BJJ, although her biggest hobby is trying to convince people to eat organ meat.

Health and maintaining fitness as a mother 2:02
The nose-to-tail concept 7:04
Offal 14:31
Easy ways for liver 20:41
Exotic organ meats 26:09
Packaging meats 31:46
Counting macros and go-to protein 40:09
Helping people find their Why 45:09
Find more about Ashleigh 49:28

“For the people that are saying, ‘I know that this is good for my health, but I just don’t want to eat a ton of meat every day.” Organ meats are another good option for you because you can eat relatively less and get so much more bang for your buck nutritionally. You can get that nutrient density that you want without eating a ton of animal products.” 16:31

@themusclemaven
https://ashleighvanhouten.com/
https://feelbrilliant.com/

Today we’re going to talk about the amazing bioactive compound, berberine. Berberine has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda for more than 1500 years and is found in many different plants, among such are Berberis Vulgaris, Coptus Chenensus, and Berberidis Cortex. Berberine belongs to a class of molecules called Isoquinoline Alkaloids. It’s a flat molecule, it’s planar, and it’s aeromatic, meaning that the electrons can move together in a conjugated system. Berberine has been found to regulate insulin levels, as well as change the composition of the 10 trillion bacterial cells that live in our gut. It helps with overall cholesterol levels as well as overall heart health, and can even reduce chances of polycystic ovarian syndrome, a frequent reproductive and metabolic disorder associated with insulin resistance, increasing birth rates.

Physical characteristics 2:04
Health benefits and metabolic syndrome 3:08
Meta analysis on berberine 5:10
Insulin 8:52
PCOS 13:26
Preventing acute diarrhea 16:14
Why berberine is good 17:10

“There’s actually 5 criteria for metabolic syndrome. Number one is elevated waist circumference. Number two is high fasting blood glucose levels. Number three is high triglycerides. Number four is low HDL cholesterol, and number five is high blood pressure. These are the 5 criteria and a person has metabolic syndrome if they have at least 3 of these 5 criteria.” 3:59

https://feelbrilliant.com/

Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant Based on a Budget, the popular website and meal plan that shows you how to save dough by eating veggies. She’s also the author of the Plant Based on a Budget cookbook, co author of the Friendly Vegan cookbook, and the co-host of the Plant Powered People Podcast. Okamoto’s work has been profiled by NBC News, Parade Magazine, and she’s a regular presence on local and national morning shows across the country where she teaches viewers how to break their meat habit without breaking their budget. She was also featured in the popular documentary What the Health. When she’s not cooking up a plant based storm, she’s spending time with her husband and their rescue dog in Sacramento California.

How her plant based journey began 1:22
The benefits she has seen 5:50
Some of the best sources of protein 10:13
Favorite sources of fiber 19:18
Calcium 22:53
Preparing plant based meals 25:08
Healthy plant based Thanksgiving dishes 30:32
Tips for substituting foods 34:01
For people who “need” meat 36:46

“I’ve gone through many different phases of cooking. I originally was inspired by my family who helped me create Plant Based on a Budget. They didn’t directly help me, but they were the exact people I wanted to reach. They were suffering from all kinds of diet related health issues and I wanted to help them eat healthier, so I took our family’s recipes and started making them plant based versions.” 32:24

https://plantbasedonabudget.com/
https://feelbrilliant.com/

Today we’re going to be talking all about Ashwagandha, its origins, health benefits, what to use it for, and what things to look for when trying to find high quality ashwagandha material. It is one of the classic herbs used in ayurvedic medicine. Common names for it include the King of Ayurveda and Indian Ginseng. Ashwagandha is a translation of the Sanskrit word that means smell of horse and it certainly does smell like one, but it sure has some great properties, which I review here. This plant has been shown to lower stress levels in people, make people more happy, and reduce food craving levels. Studies have shown this plant can significantly improve overall sleep quality when people take it as well as labido and sexual performance.

Acting as an adaptogen 1:22
The bioactive composition 4:23
The health benefits 4:55
Anxiety 8:44
Cognition 10:29
Sleep 12:28
Labido 15:58
OCD 17:13
Exercise recovery 18:56
How much to take 21:54

“In 2009 there was a clinical trial where a group took 300 mg of ashwagandha standardized to 1.5% with anolides twice daily over the course of 8 weeks. And these people had anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety, and they were also given counseling. There was a placebo group as well that also was given counseling, but they took a placebo pill. What they found is that supplementation with ashwagandha was associated with a 56.5% reduction in anxiety symptoms, while the placebo group only saw a 30.5% reduction.” 8:56

https://feelbrilliant.com/

In this episode I speak with Mike Matthews, who is an author, podcast host, trainer, and co-founder and CEO of Legion Athletics, a sports nutrition company that he started in 2014. His self published books have sold more than 1 million copies across formats. He is the host of the health and fitness podcast Muscle for Life. He lives in Florida with his wife, Sarah, and their two children, Lenox and Romi, and one long haired chihuahua, Caramba. Mike’s new book, Muscle for Life: The Foods You Like, the Workouts You Love, and the Body You Want... at Any Age will be released in January. We talk about the ins and outs of the supplement industry, what to look for when trying to find supplements, and things to avoid.

Mike’s health journey and how he got into supplements 1:51
Why does the supplement industry have such a bad wrap? 11:10
Some tricks that supplement companies use to fool people 23:07
Tips for people trying to find the right supplements 31:23
Proprietary blends 40:59
Certifications 49:50
Additional red flags to look for 63:37

“As somebody who sells supplements, I’m the first one to say you don’t need any supplements at all. People listening, to build muscle, to lose fat, to get healthy, it requires zero supplements, but the right ones can help and if you have the budget and the inclination, then I think some supplements are worth considering.” 6:49

https://legionathletics.com/
@muscleforlifefitness
https://feelbrilliant.com/

Today we’re going to be talking about ingredients to look for and ingredients to avoid in weight loss supplements. Obesity is a huge problem and rates of obesity are skyrocketing all around the world. They’re in the low 20% in Asia and rising quickly, in European countries they’re in the low 30%, and then in the United States they’re around 40%. There are 3 pillars to having good health, which are 1. Good nutrition and eating healthy, 2. Exercise and staying fit, and 3. Supplementation, which many people overlook or don’t even think about, can be very helpful in maintaining good health.

Obesity affects self worth 1:37
3 pillars of health: good nutrition 2:09
Exercise 2:40
Supplementation 3:00
Switching up macronutrient ratios and fasting 4:38
Some interesting studies on weight loss and caralluma fimbriata 7:25
African mango seed or Irvingia gabonensis 12:16
Coleus forskohlii 14:11
Chlorogenic acids 16:15
Questionable weight loss supplements 18:49
Molecules with ephedrine like properties 26:50
Key takeaways 31:12

“It looks like from these studies that supplementation with caralluma will give you about an inch off of your waist and will help you lose about 3 pounds in 16 weeks without doing anything else, and provide variables are kept constant.” 11:02

https://feelbrilliant.com/

It took a complete health crash to lead Kristen Bowen to create Living the Good Life Naturally in 2002. Autoimmune issues and a series of failed surgeries left Kristen bed ridden and depressed with daily seizures. Through research and looking for outside the box solutions, she discovered that to regain her health, she needed to build a strong foundation. That foundation included Food Is Medicine and the number one building block for optimal health: magnesium. She discovered that oral magnesium was not effective and began using liquid magnesium as a foot soak, finding that the body could utilize it more effectively. As Kristen’s health improved, she began to research and create natural bath and body products for herself, family, and friends with skin sensitivities. She began sharing her knowledge as she researched and found clean sources of whole food supplements and minerals. She never intended to start a business, but friends offered to pay her for her products and advice. Living the Good Life Naturally was created.

Her personal health journey 2:32
How magnesium plays a role in our health 8:12
Magnesium burn rate 13:39
Things that can drain magnesium levels 17:05
How to know if you need magnesium 23:29
Magnesium sulphate and magnesium chloride 27:55
Final thoughts on gratitude 36:55

“It’s when you’re in that calcium dominant environment that bones become brittle and that there are issues. Now, it didn’t happen overnight and it didn’t happen in six months, but my bones now are stronger than they were as a 30 year old and I no longer have that diagnosis.” 25:20

Livingthegoodlifenaturally.com
https://feelbrilliant.com/

Dr. Ann Marie Barter is a functional medical practitioner in Colorado, she has two offices in Longmont and in Denver. She has practiced functional medicine for 12 years and she is the host of The Gut Health Reset Podcast. We start off talking about neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers in the body and their job is to transmit signals from nerve cells to target cells. The brain needs neurotransmitters to regulate many necessary functions throughout the body. We talk about mold and the negative effects it has on our neurotransmitters, which can affect multiple aspects of our health in areas many wouldn’t think. We talk about Serotonin and dopamine, the foods that will help us obtain these hormones as well as the ones that may inhibit them, and how exercise can affect it. Dr. Barter reveals that meditation can increase dopamine levels by up to 65%.

Neurotransmitters 1:24
Make sure to avoid mold 6:53
Black mold 10:55
Dopamine 16:42
Macronutrient ratios and foods to eat 25:52
Exercise and dopamine 29:43
A tip for meditation 33:45
Parting thoughts on healing yourself 35:12

“They kept on increasing it. They started with I think it was 37 milliliters of solution all the way up to 115 to maintain the same dopamine levels. So what used to work as maybe a piece of chocolate is now 10 doughnuts.” 19:41

https://drannmariebarter.com/

ABOUT TAYLOR WALKER SINNING:

Taylor Walker Sinning is a certified personal trainer, holistic health coach and fitness model who sees “fit” as more than just fitness, but also being about to “fit” nutrition, self-care, and holistic wellness practices into the mom + wife +career equation in a realistic way. She is the founder of TaylorWalkerFit, a wellness collective for all the women out there seeking motherhood-and-hectic-schedule-proof resources, where she offers a “conveniently healthy” hub of wisdom that honors the ever-changing stages of life - a curated space to fill your cup before you go out in the world to do “all the things” for everyone else. A former ninth grade PE teacher, Taylor is a lifetime advocate for healthy living and welcomed her second child in May. She also recently released her one-of-a-kind Taylor Walker Prenatal Fitness program on The Fitness App by Jillian Michaels.

ABOUT THE FITNESS APP:

Award-winning The Fitness App by Jillian Michaels offers the most comprehensive, customizable fitness, nutrition, and mindfulness features in one single, seamless platform
Personalized workout programs to meet any goal, satisfy any exercise preference, and suit any fitness level you can train at home, in the gym, or outside no equipment needed
This summer, hugely popular fitness expert, holistic health coach, Barry’s Bootcamp superstar trainer, and mom, Taylor Walker Sinning joined Jillian on the app with the launch of Taylor Walker Prenatal Fitness.
Free trial and variety of premium subscription options available at https://www.jillianmichaels.com

Her personal health and fitness journey 1:44
Principles of nutrition 6:15
Food hacks when strapped for time 9:34
Fitness principles 13:35
Staying fit during pregnancy 17:25
Being a mother 22:16

https://www.taylorwalkerfit.com/
@taylorwalkerfit

Jared Ward is a husband and father of 5 kids, God fearing, a statistics professor, and he competed in the 2016 Olympics in the marathon and finished 6th. He’s a 3 time US national champion, 6 time all American at BYU, he’s the founder of the Run Elite Program, a non-profit run club here in Utah. In this episode we discuss running, how Jared got into it, how it has affected his life, and the benefits behind running and having a positive attitude. Your mentality can directly affect how happy you are and learning to base your progress on how well you’re doing as opposed to how well other people are doing will greatly improve your mental state. We also discuss Jared’s professional running group and what propelled him forward to create such an amazing arrangement.

Jared’s background 1:18
Racing and being genuine 7:33
Escaping the victim mentality 11:42
Finding a balance in life 14:11
Best racing experience 18:52
The professional running group 27:18
Continual creation of new products for health and fitness 32:29

“When you say that someone has their life balanced, there’s this illusion that they have it perfectly balanced. Everything has its spot, but that’s not the case for most of us. We’re juggling and every once in a while we drop a ball. And my sister would say, ‘But the goal, Jared, is just not to drop the same ball over and over again.’” 16:03

https://runeliteprogram.com/
@jwardy21