Continuous glucose monitors can show you how your blood sugar responds to food, exercise, sleep, and stress. But more data does not always lead to better decisions.

In this episode, I explain why a glucose spike is not automatically harmful, why ice cream can appear "better" than a banana on a CGM, and how focusing on individual readings can distract you from the bigger picture. We'll also discuss when a CGM may be useful, when an inexpensive glucose meter could be enough, and the question that matters most: Does lowering the number on your screen actually make you healthier?

------------------------- Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Looking to improve your health with physician-led health coaching: https://drashori.com/dr-ashori-assessment/ Subscribe to my Health Optimization newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD

Most people know sleep is important. But I don't think we fully appreciate how quickly poor sleep can start changing our metabolism.

In this episode, I explain what happens when you consistently lose even a couple of hours of sleep. We get into blood sugar, insulin, cortisol, cravings, visceral fat, and why poor sleep can make weight loss much harder even when you're exercising and eating reasonably well.

I also explain what happens to hormones like leptin and ghrelin, why deep sleep and REM both matter, and the practical things I focus on with my health coaching clients: morning light, meal timing, caffeine, and keeping the bedroom cool.

If you're over 30 and dealing with weight gain, fatigue, cravings, brain fog, or metabolic problems, I would put sleep very high on the list of things to address first.

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Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Looking to improve your health with physician-led health coaching: https://drashori.com/dr-ashori-assessment/ Subscribe to my Health Optimization newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD

Fatty liver disease is something I'm seeing more and more in my patients, and one of the problems is that you may have it without realizing it.

In this episode, I explain what fatty liver actually is, why visceral fat matters, and why I pay attention to liver markers like ALT and AST. More importantly, I walk you through the four lifestyle changes I use to help improve fatty liver: cutting back on liquid sugars and fructose, creating a reasonable eating window, eating foods that support liver health, and getting consistent Zone 2 cardio.

I also talk about FibroScan testing and why you don't need a supplement, detox, or gimmicky "liver cleanse" to start improving the health of your liver.

If your ALT has been creeping up, or you've been told you have fatty liver, this is a good place to start.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FATTY LIVER GUIDE HERE:

https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/fatty-liver-guide

------------------------- Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Looking to improve your health with physician-led health coaching: https://drashori.com/dr-ashori-assessment/ Subscribe to my Health Optimization newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD

Have you ever wondered how much exercise you need? Have you been confused about which wearable is better? Wondering why you're not getting better results in the gym?

1. More is better
2. Aerobic vs resistance exercise
3. Wearables and trackers
4. Creatine
5. Walking

The most improtant aspect of exercise is movement. The more you can move your body the better health you'll have. However, some adults will need a little more focused resistance training or aerobic training. As a family mediicne physician and health coach these are the nuances I tease out with my patients.

------------------------- Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Looking to improve your health with physician-led health coaching: https://drashori.com/dr-ashori-assessment/ Subscribe to my Health Optimization newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD

Food myths are abundant because of marketing. Have you ever wondered which salt to buy, whether whole wheat bread is okay, if you should have carrots, and how much protein to get?

This is our discussion today. I'm Dr. Ashori MD, a family medicine physician and health coach. I deal with these topics on a daily basis in my practice and perhaps it'll resonate with you.

1. Sea salt vs table salt.
2. Complex carbs vs simple carbs.
3. Starchy vegetables
4. Protein

-------------------------- Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Looking to improve your health with physician-led health coaching: https://drashori.com/dr-ashori-assessment/ Subscribe to my Health Optimization newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD

Most people already know they should eat better, exercise, sleep more, and manage their stress. The real problem is making those habits work in everyday life.

In this episode, I explain why many health plans fail even when the advice is good. Plans are often too complicated, the environment works against you, and too much depends on motivation.

I share a more practical approach: choose two or three small non-negotiables, shape your environment, connect new habits to routines you already have, and create a minimum standard you can maintain even on difficult days. The goal is not perfection. It is building a system that survives real life.

Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits guide. Learn six practical habits you can begin using without completely overhauling your life.

https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook

Find out how well you're aging. Take my free Healthy Aging Quiz to receive your score and identify the areas of your health that may need the most attention.

https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Need personalized support? Learn more about working with me through one-on-one health coaching.

https://drashori.com/health-coaching/

Get practical healthy-aging guidance each week: https://newsletter.drashori.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

Thank you for listening to The Doctor Turned Health Coach Podcast with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. You can also support the podcast by sharing this episode with someone who may benefit and leaving a review in your favorite podcast app.

This podcast is provided for general education and is not medical advice. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing a medication, treatment plan, supplement, exercise program, or health routine.

Listening to this podcast does not create a doctor-patient relationship with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

If your blood pressure is high, cutting back on salt may not be enough.

In this episode, I explain five other factors that can keep blood pressure elevated: chronic stress, poor sleep, alcohol, insulin resistance, and low fitness. I also share five practical ways to start improving your numbers, including measuring your blood pressure correctly, walking after meals, testing the effect of alcohol and processed foods, protecting your sleep, and eating more potassium-rich foods.

The goal is not to obsess over one nutrient. It is to identify the patterns that are actually driving your blood pressure and make the changes that will have the greatest impact.

Take my free Healthy Aging Quiz. Get your healthy aging score and identify which areas of your health may need the most attention.

https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits guide. Learn six practical habits that can improve your blood pressure, energy, sleep, metabolic health, and long-term health.

https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook

Need personalized support? Learn more about working with me through one-on-one health coaching.

https://drashori.com/health-coaching/

Get practical healthy-aging guidance each week: https://newsletter.drashori.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

Thank you for listening to The Doctor Turned Health Coach Podcast with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. You can also support the podcast by sharing this episode with someone who may benefit and leaving a review in your favorite podcast app.

This podcast is provided for general education and is not medical advice. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing a medication, treatment plan, supplement, exercise program, or health routine.

Listening to this podcast does not create a doctor-patient relationship with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

If you are gaining belly fat despite trying to eat better and exercise, the problem may not be your willpower.

In this episode, I explain five major reasons belly fat becomes harder to lose in your 30s, 40s, and 50s: chronic stress, poor sleep, declining muscle mass, your food environment, and changing hormones.

I also share five practical strategies I use with my health coaching clients, including eating for fullness, strength training, walking after meals, reducing food decision fatigue, and improving recovery. The goal is not to punish your body or follow a more restrictive diet. It is to build an environment that makes healthier decisions easier.

Take my free Healthy Aging Quiz. Get your healthy aging score and identify the areas that may be making weight management, energy, and recovery more difficult.

https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits guide. Learn six practical habits that can improve your energy, sleep, metabolic health, and long-term health.

https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook

Need personalized support? Learn more about working with me through one-on-one health coaching.

https://drashori.com/health-coaching/

Get practical healthy-aging guidance each week: https://newsletter.drashori.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

Thank you for listening to The Doctor Turned Health Coach Podcast with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. You can also support the podcast by sharing this episode with someone who may benefit and leaving a review in your favorite podcast app.

This podcast is provided for general education and is not medical advice. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing a medication, treatment plan, supplement, exercise program, or health routine.

Listening to this podcast does not create a doctor-patient relationship with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

Have you noticed that your brain fog, memory, energy, and mood improve when you go on vacation?

In this episode, I explain five reasons your brain may function better when you step away from your usual routine. We discuss mental overload, nervous system stress, daily rhythm, natural movement, and the power of new experiences.

I also share five practical "vacation brain" habits you can use at home, including no-input walks, slower mornings, unrushed meals, outdoor light, and a nighttime shutdown ritual.

Take my free Healthy Aging Quiz. Get your healthy aging score and identify which areas of your health may need the most attention.

https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits guide. Learn six practical habits that can improve your energy, sleep, metabolic health, and long-term health.

https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook

Need personalized support? Learn more about working with me through one-on-one health coaching.

https://drashori.com/health-coaching/

Get practical healthy-aging guidance each week: https://newsletter.drashori.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

Thank you for listening to The Doctor Turned Health Coach Podcast with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

Subscribe so you do not miss future episodes. You can also support the podcast by sharing this episode with someone who may benefit and leaving a review in your favorite podcast app.

This podcast is provided for general education and is not medical advice. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing a medication, treatment plan, supplement, exercise program, or health routine.

Listening to this podcast does not create a doctor-patient relationship with Mohammad Ashori, MD.

I'm Dr. Ashori, a physician and health coach.

What does it mean when your blood tests are normal, but you still feel exhausted, foggy, moody, or unable to sleep well?

In this episode, I explain why normal lab results do not necessarily mean that everything is functioning optimally. I share a systematic way to investigate persistent symptoms using my TREND Method: Testing, Relationships, Exercise, Nutrition, and Downtime.

You'll learn why your individual needs can change in your 30s and 40s, how lifestyle factors can disrupt your energy and recovery, and why tracking your symptoms may reveal patterns that standard testing cannot.

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--------------------------Download my free 6 Healthy-Aging Habits ebook: https://www.healthyaging.drashori.com/ebook/ Book a health coaching session: https://drashori.com/health-coaching/ Subscribe to my free Healthy Aging newsletter: https://newsletter.drashori.com/ Curious how well you're aging? Take the healthy aging quiz here to get your score: https://drashori.com/healthy-aging-score/

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DrAshoriMD Subscribe on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DrAshoriMD

Join me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAshoriMD

---------------------------

Not ready to book any sessions? Get your healthy aging score or find out your healthy aging type by taking these fun, free quizes on my website. Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Doctor Turned Health Coach by Mohammad Ashori MD. I would love your support by subscribing to this podcast, sharing it with someone you love, and leaving me a review on your favorite podcast app. Disclaimer: I care about each listener and want you to receive care that fits your life and medical needs. Always speak with your own licensed clinician before starting, stopping, or changing any health plan, medication, or routine. The information in this podcast is for general education. It is not medical advice. Listening does not create a patient–doctor relationship with me.

-Mohammad Ashori MD