By Todd Vande Hei
The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.
On this week’s episode of Health is a Skill we’re talking all things HRV, or heart rate variability—the shift in timing between your heartbeats. It’s a topic that’s come into the limelight over the last few years, and for good reason: we’re all arguably more stressed than ever before and we need skills to measure, cope with, and manage that stress in a healthy way. Salim Najjar joins Todd for the latter part of this conversation, lending his expertise in nervous system regulation to today’s episode.
Humans have always had the innate ability to manage stress—it’s how we survived and evolved from hunter-gatherers that had to flee from saber-toothed tigers in order to survive. But today we’ve taken that same level of stress and transcribed it onto non-life threatening situations: think a negative email, parenting decisions, using social media, or just trying to get through the day. The result? We’re now more stressed than ever before, and our HRV shows that. Together Todd and Salim discuss what exactly HRV is, what your HRV number means (and why you shouldn’t compare that number with someone else’s), skills for managing your stress, and why putting those skills in place will lead to a longer, healthier, and happier life.
Follow Salim on Instagram at @thathrvguy and learn more about his approach to heart rate variability on his website: https://thathrvguy.com/.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Importance of Health Awareness
03:01 Understanding Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
05:53 The Autonomic Nervous System Explained
08:51 The Consequences of Chronic Stress
11:47 Perception and Stress Management
15:09 The Role of HRV in Emotional Resilience
17:59 Modern Life and Its Impact on HRV
21:12 Using Technology to Measure HRV
24:07 The Journey to Improve HRV
26:56 Somatic Awareness and Emotional Healing
29:46 The Connection Between Doing and Being
33:07 Final Thoughts on HRV and Personal Growth
Strength training is about much more than being able to lift heavy weights in the gym—it’s a practice that, if applied correctly, can significantly improve our longevity and overall health. For this week’s episode of Health is a Skill Todd takes a look at what strength training actually entails, inviting certified athletic trainer and strength training specialist, Brett Jones to share his years of insight and expertise.
After seeing strength training improve so many aspects of his own health, Todd is passionate about everyone adding this important piece of the puzzle to their health toolkit. Together Todd and Brett break down the four main components of a strength training practice, the biggest concerns or potential problems that come with working to get stronger, how to properly do exercises like deadlifts and bench presses, and where to start when developing a strength training program. Their conversation wraps up with Brett sharing a personal story about his own strength training journey and how it aided him during his fight against cancer. Strength is about so much more than lifting the heaviest weights or being muscular—it’s about living a long, enjoyable life where you're able to do the things you want and live independently and well.
Learn more about Brett and his resources on his website: https://appliedstrength.com/ or follow him on Instagram at @brettjonessfg
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Strength Training
08:42 The Benefits of Being Physically Stronger
19:21 Strength Training for Health and Longevity
24:07 The Practice of Strength Training
28:25 Key Components of a Strength Training Program
34:11 The Practice of Strength Training
36:31 The Importance of Movement Quality
43:33 Patience in Building Strength
51:18 Hip Mobility for Deadlifts
54:17 The Clean, Press, and Squat
01:00:37 The Greater Purpose of Strength
Orthopedic health—our ability to move our bodies well and often—affects nearly every other function of our health, from sleep and nutrition to stress and digestion and everything in between. That’s why we’re spending this whole episode of Health is a Skill breaking down exactly what orthopedic health is and how to incorporate it into our health toolkit. As always, Todd opens with his own take on the topic—giving us an overview of his own orthopedic health journey and the ways focusing on this area have improved his health—before diving into a conversation with today’s guest, Bryce Turner.
Bryce is the owner of Beach Fitness and ELDOA USA, a certified exercise coach, and certified holistic lifestyle coach. Together Todd and Bryce get right into it—breaking down what ELDOA (Elongation Longitudinaux Avec Decoaption Osteo Articulaire) exercise is and why it’s so vital to orthopedic health, the role hydration plays in joint health, the process of re-architecturing someone’s body, and some of Bryce’s most memorable patient outcomes. The episode wraps up with Bryce sharing the top three things everyone should be doing to enhance their orthopedic health.
Follow Bryce on Instagram @beachbryce or check out his page on ELDOA USA here: https://eldoausa.com/trainer/bryce-turner/
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Interconnectedness of Orthopedic Health and Overall Well-being
03:24 The Benefits of Improving Orthopedic Health
15:25 The ELDOA Method: Creating Space in Joints for Better Orthopedic Health
26:02 The Impact of Stress on Orthopedic Health
29:22 Changing Perspective and Re-architecting the Body for Improved Orthopedic Health
32:09 The Role of Nutrition in Supporting Orthopedic Health
32:39 The Importance of a Clean Diet and Proper Hydration
39:20 Understanding Hydration and Tissue Health
43:08 Choosing the Right Water and Avoiding Plastic Bottles
45:31 Quantifying Water Intake for Optimal Hydration
50:11 Scheduling Water Intake to Avoid Sleep Disruption
51:07 Self-Treatment and Self-Care for Orthopedic Health
53:58 Success Stories: Improving Health through Nutrition and Hydration
59:33 Building a Supportive Healthcare Team
Dr. Paul Anderson is back on the show this week, this time talking all about gut health and how to optimize our gut through lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. Todd’s own health changed when he cut out gluten and found chronic symptoms like headaches and joint pain were no longer plaguing him. For this episode Todd invites Dr. Anderson to introduce us to the basics of gut health—diving into the brain-gut axis, probiotics versus prebiotics, the dangers of antibiotics, and tests anyone can do to determine what’s irritating their gut.
The two close out their conversation by looking at steps we can all take to optimize our gut health. The gut is truly the beginning and end of so many health problems, but working towards a healthy gut doesn’t have to be impossible. Gut health is a skill you can acquire and master if equipped with the right knowledge and tools.
Learn more about Dr. Anderson and his practice on his website: https://dranow.com/.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Overview
03:19 The Impact of Gut Health on Nutrient Absorption
05:38 The Connection Between Gut Health and Joint Health
07:03 Gut Health and its Influence on Mental Well-being
08:32 The Role of Gut Health in Cardiovascular Health
09:31 Gut Health and Muscle Building
10:58 Hormone Regulation and Gut Health
14:44 Understanding the Gut-Brain Axis
20:23 The Negative Effects of Gluten on Gut Health
21:21 Maintaining a Healthy Gut for Optimal Well-being
25:36 The Impact of Agriculture and Chemical Additives on Gut Health
27:04 The Gut's Ability to Heal Itself
32:58 The Role of Antibiotics in Gut Health
36:44 The Importance of Prebiotic and Probiotic Foods
40:05 Using Stool Tests to Determine Gut Health
43:01 Achieving Optimal Gut Health
Dr. Gordon Gunn joins Todd for this week’s Health is a Skill podcast to talk all things hormones, specifically women’s hormones. There are millions of hormones in our bodies, and they all perform different functions to regulate our emotions, body composition, and sex drive, but postmenopausal women may be the most difficult to treat demographic when it comes to hormone regulation.
Dr. Gunn has been practicing medicine for 50 years now, and is considered an expert when it comes to hormone replacement therapy, specifically in postmenopausal women. During their conversation Todd and Dr. Gunn cover the history of menopause in the healthcare system, the botched 2002 study that led to our tainted view on using estrogen to treat postmenopausal women, and the benefits of hormone replacement therapy. No matter which demographic you fall into, we can all benefit from learning more about hormone replacement therapy and incorporating it into our health toolkit.
Learn more about Dr. Gunn and his practice on his website: https://gordongunnmd.com/
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Importance of Estrogen
08:40 The History of Hormone Replacement Therapy
19:50 The Flawed Study and Misconceptions
27:32 Barriers to Hormone Replacement Therapy and the Need for Education
Today on the show Todd is joined by the two people who helped transform his body from a nutrient-perspective: Alice Nguyen and Amir Mofidi. Alice serves as the head of naturopathic medicine at Stark, while Amir leads their personal branding. Together Alice and Amir have helped Todd rebuild his body composition from the ground up by focusing on the nutrients he consumes and how they affect his body composition, body fat percentage, and energy levels.
These two are experts when it comes to what we put into our bodies and how our bodies absorb those nutrients. Together with Todd they break down what exactly micronutrients and macronutrients are and how they affect the body, concrete ways to improve your health from a nutrition standpoint, and the benefits and dangers of meat (and what exactly “meat” means today). The conversation wraps up with Alice and Amir sharing their no. 1 pieces of advice for individuals wanting to optimize their health by being more conscious about what they eat. We are what we consume, but we can choose to be informed about how those nutrient choices are affecting our overall health and wellbeing.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 The Confusion Around Nutrition Sciences
02:52 The Importance of Measuring and Tracking Nutrition
04:19 The Impact of Nutrients on Joint Health
05:45 Nutrients and Mental Well-being
06:15 The Role of Nutrients in Energy Production
08:10 Muscle Synthesis and the Importance of Macronutrients
09:10 Cardiovascular Health and the Role of Nutrients
10:09 Nutrients and Sleep, Recovery, and Stress Management
11:35 Detoxification and the Role of Nutrients
13:02 Gut Health and the Importance of Nutrient-Dense Foods
21:32 The Challenges in Obtaining Nutrient-Dense Foods
22:27 The Impact of Soil Quality on Nutrient Content
24:20 The Disconnect Between People and the Food They Consume
24:49 Challenges and Misconceptions in Nutrition Compliance
25:18 The Debate: Animal Protein vs. Plant-Based Alternatives
30:42 The Impact of Nutrition on Insulin Sensitivity and Muscle Protein Synthesis
44:25 The Complex Relationship Between Nutrition and Hormones, Gut Health, and Chronic Diseases
For this week’s episode of Health is a Skill, Todd sits down with Dr. Paul Anderson to talk all things detoxification. A lot of us might think that we don’t need to do much to detoxify, since our bodies are pretty good at that process naturally. But given the amount of chemicals that have been introduced into our environments in the last 70-100 years—through everything from personal care products to drinking water—we’re being exposed to more toxins than ever before. Dr. Anderson and Todd discuss what you need to know when it comes to making detoxification part of your health toolkit.
A well-known educator and clinician in naturopathic and integrative medicine, Dr. Anderson is an expert when it comes to detoxifying our bodies and getting them back to peak health. Together he and Todd go over why toxins are so prevalent in today’s world, some key ways we can remove or avoid toxins, and how to naturally detoxify through methods like exercise, diet, and saunas. The two finish up the episode by discussing Todd’s own journey of removing toxins from his environment and the results he’s experienced.
Learn more about Dr. Anderson and his practice on his website: https://dranow.com/.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:52 Detoxification and its Impact on Health
09:38 Toxicity and Chronic Illness
23:23 The Role of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables in Detoxification
29:06 Glutathione and Other Supports for Detoxification
40:31 Sources of Toxins and Managing High Toxic Loads
45:18 Conclusion and Call to Action
On this week’s episode of Health is a Skill, Todd is breaking down cardiovascular health, and why this aspect of our health is so important. For most of us, cardiovascular health is something we don’t necessarily think about, unless we have poor cardiovascular health, like high blood pressure. But cardiovascular health impacts the rest of your health as well, and, if optimized, can transform your life for the better.
Dr. Jack Wolfson, a board certified cardiologist who has turned to functional methods—versus pharmaceuticals—to become the nation's no. 1 natural heart doctor, is Todd’s guest today. Together Todd and Dr. Wolfson discuss the pervasiveness of pharmaceuticals used to “fix” cardiovascular health, the health problems people don’t always associate with poor heart health, and the practical steps we can all take to improve this area of our lives. Thinking well, eating well, and living well can truly transform your cardiovascular health from the inside out, eliminating the need for drugs that simply mask the problem instead of fixing it, and ultimately result in a longer, healthier, more enjoyable life.
To learn more about Dr. Wolfson and his work visit https://naturalheartdoctor.com/.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:24 The Comprehensive Impact of Cardiovascular Health
06:14 The Overlooked Factors in Traditional Approaches to Heart Health
08:41 The Limitations of Pharmaceutical Drugs for Heart Conditions
20:42 The Importance of Healthy Relationships and Supportive Communities
Welcome to the Health is a Skill podcast with host Todd Vande Hei! Todd is the CEO of Stark, which exists to change the future of health and fitness in the communities they serve. For the last 15 years, Todd has been on a journey to discover what it means to be in a state of peak health. After suffering from a series of seizures and being diagnosed with high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation in his early 30’s, Todd decided it was time to make a change. Those changes fell into one of four categories: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. But the biggest thing Todd learned through it all? Health is a skill. You’re not born with it, like some would like you to believe, and it isn’t acquired by simply buying another product or starting that new diet. Health is something you can create for yourself, and over time it is possible to attain peak health.
On this first episode of Health is a Skill, Todd introduces us to the Wheel of Health, a tool he and his team use to holistically transform an individual’s health from the inside out. Todd walks listeners through his own experiences using the Wheel, and how, over time, each healthy choice he’s made—from diet and exercise to sleep and stress management—have built on each other to get Todd to the state of peak health he enjoys now.
Wherever you’re at in your own health journey—just starting out, feeling stuck, or simply wanting to improve an area or two—Todd’s message is a hopeful one: health is a skill, not a goal, and it’s one you can acquire with the right tools.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Health is a Skill
03:20 The Beauty of Children's Health
10:08 Mastering the Skills of Health
18:20 The Impact of Lifestyle on Health
23:02 Epigenetics: Lifestyle and Genetic Expression
25:29 Understanding the Wheel of Health and its Interconnectedness
30:43 The Power of Lifestyle, Exercise, Nutrition, and Stress Management
32:41 The Impact of Health on Orthopedic Issues
41:55 The Connection Between Mental Well-being and Physical Health
45:48 Striving for Peak Health and Beauty
48:43 Unwinding Health Issues and Improving Well-being
Todd is joined by Stark’s director of personal training, Amir Mofidi. Amir has been in the health and fitness industry for over 24 years, and during that time he’s acquired an eclectic and diverse body of knowledge, including on the topic of today’s episode: body composition.
America has a severe body composition problem. We don’t know what a healthy body composition percentage even looks like, most people don’t have access to a good way to measure it, and our sedentary lifestyles do nothing but disrupt whatever progress we try to make. Together Amir and Todd encourage listeners to invest in measuring their body composition—using that as a starting point to achieve their health goals. They wrap up their conversation by outlining the ideal body composition percentages for males and females, giving listeners concrete goals to shoot for as they take this aspect of their personal health and turn it into a skill.
Get access to Todd's free health resource: https://podtodd.com
Learn more about Stark at: https://www.stark.health
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction and Overview
01:52 The Difference Between Health and Fitness
03:19 The Importance of Body Composition for Health
06:14 The Impact of Body Composition on Cardiovascular Health
07:39 The Role of Body Composition in Strength and Hormonal Balance
09:38 The Connection Between Body Composition and Detoxification
10:35 The Influence of Body Composition on Gut Health
11:03 The Effect of Body Composition on Mental Health
15:26 The Challenges of Achieving and Maintaining a Healthy Body Composition
19:45 The Importance of Accurate Measurement of Body Composition
26:37 The Significance of Lean Muscle Mass for Body Composition
The podcast currently has 11 episodes available.