Optimal Metabolism

300 EPISODES! 🎉 After more than six years behind the microphone, I am so grateful to every one of you who has listened, shared an episode, learned alongside me, and supported the evolution of the Optimal Metabolism Podcast. I couldn't think of a more fascinating topic for this milestone episode!

Today I'm joined by Ariana Thacker, founder of MoldCo, whose work in the mold space began after her own devastating experience with mold exposure. Ariana became extremely ill, was dismissed by eight different doctors, and ultimately discovered mold was at the root of what was happening to her health.

This conversation also became very personal for me. I have long suspected mold could be an issue in my son's apartment. He has struggled with frequent illness, coughing and mucus, along with anxiety and nervous-system symptoms. MoldCo sent me one of their home testing kits, so we tested his apartment—and his results came back with a HERTSMI-2 score of 18, which MoldCo categorizes in its highest warning range and recommends further investigation and remediation.

Ariana and I unpack what those results mean, why mold-related illness can be so difficult to recognize, symptoms you may never think to connect to your environment, and how mold exposure may intersect with inflammation, hormones, your immune system, nervous system, and metabolic health.

If you've been doing "all the right things" but continue to struggle with unexplained symptoms, your environment may be another piece of the puzzle.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

• Ariana's personal experience with mold exposure and being dismissed by eight different doctors
• How her own health crisis ultimately led her to create MoldCo
• Why mold exposure and water-damaged buildings can be overlooked when investigating chronic symptoms
• Common and surprising symptoms associated with mold exposure
• Why someone can feel chronically sick even when conventional testing continues to come back "normal"
• The connections between mold exposure, inflammation, hormones, the immune system and nervous system
• How environmental exposures may interfere with metabolic health
• Why certain people can be much more sensitive to mold than others
• My son's ongoing coughing, mucus, frequent illness, anxiety and nervous behavior—and why I finally tested his apartment
• What we discovered when his MoldCo home test returned a HERTSMI-2 score of 18
• What HERTSMI-2 testing measures and how to interpret the results
• What to do when testing reveals elevated mold levels in your home or apartment
• Testing versus guessing: where to begin if you suspect mold
• Practical next steps for addressing both your environment and your health

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

🏠 MOLDCO

Learn more about MoldCo, home mold testing, and their approach to identifying potential mold exposure:

Explore MoldCo

💨 AIR OASIS AIR PURIFIERS

After learning more about mold exposure—and seeing the results from my son's apartment—I decided to take another step toward improving the air quality in our homes. I ordered Air Oasis air purifiers for my entire family.

If you're also looking for ways to support cleaner indoor air and reduce airborne contaminants in your home, you can check out the Air Oasis purifiers below.

Use code SHANAH to save 10% on your order.

Shop Air Oasis Air Purifiers — Save 10% with code SHANAH

CODE: SHANAH | 10% OFF

🥤 THE FEEL GREAT SYSTEM

If you're working on blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, appetite, or overall metabolic health and are looking for a natural approach, check out the Feel Great System.

The system combines a concentrated yerba mate drink used in the morning to support energy, focus, and appetite control, plus a clinically studied fiber-based drink mixed with water and taken before meals to help moderate the glucose and insulin response to food while supporting healthy lipid levels.

Order the Feel Great System here

Want to dig into the science for yourself?

Read the Feel Great clinical studies

❤️ READY FOR A COMPLETE METABOLIC HEALTH RESET?

If you're struggling with stubborn weight, insulin resistance, blood sugar issues, cortisol problems, low energy, poor sleep, cravings, or a metabolism that simply doesn't seem to be responding anymore, this is where I recommend starting.

My Complete Metabolic Health Reset helps you get back to the foundations and look at the bigger metabolic picture instead of continuing to chase individual symptoms.

Start the Complete Metabolic Health Reset

LET'S GET IN TOUCH

🎙️ Optimal Metabolism Podcast: Listen to more episodes

🌐 Shana Hussin Wellness: Visit my website

📲 Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

What if one of the most overlooked tools for improving blood sugar has been sitting right in front of us all along?

In this episode of Optimal Metabolism, I'm joined by Chris Reade, entrepreneur and author of Beating Diabetes, to talk about his personal journey with type 2 diabetes and the discoveries that changed the trajectory of his health.

Chris shares how his diagnosis pushed him to dig into the research for himself—and why soluble fiber ultimately became such an important part of his approach. We unpack what soluble fiber actually does, how it can influence post-meal blood sugar and metabolic health, and practical ways to incorporate more of it into your everyday life.

I also share how this conversation connects with the strategies I teach for improving insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation. If you've been diagnosed with insulin resistance, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes—or you're simply trying to improve your metabolic health—this is an episode you won't want to miss.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED

• Chris's type 2 diabetes diagnosis and what prompted him to take a deeper look at his health
• The changes he made to improve his blood sugar
• Why soluble fiber became such an important part of his approach
• How soluble fiber can affect digestion, satiety, and the post-meal glucose response
• Practical ways to increase soluble fiber in your diet
• How fiber can fit alongside other metabolic strategies such as meal timing and fasting
• Common mistakes people make when trying to improve their blood sugar
• Why improving metabolic health doesn't have to mean following an extreme or complicated plan
• Chris's advice for someone newly diagnosed with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes
• Why there is hope for people struggling with their metabolic health

A SIMPLE WAY TO ADD MORE FIBER

This conversation about soluble fiber also ties beautifully into one of the tools I personally use and recommend—the Feel Great System.

The system pairs a pre-meal fiber drink, with a concentrated yerba mate tea, making it simple to incorporate metabolic support into your everyday routine.

I'm especially excited about the new Balance Apple formula. It provides about 5 grams of fiber per serving and combines multiple fiber sources with apple polyphenols and apple cider vinegar. The formula is designed to support fullness, the gut microbiome, and a healthier post-meal glucose response. balance-appledistributor-guidee…

Ready to learn more?

🍎 Get the Feel Great System WITH the new Balance Apple: Shop the Feel Great System + Balance Apple

🌿 Learn more about the Feel Great System: Explore the Feel Great System

🍏 Want Balance Apple only? Shop Balance Apple

LINKS & RESOURCES

📖 Learn more about Chris Reade and his book, Beating Diabetes: Beating Diabetes

🎙️ Listen to more episodes of Optimal Metabolism: Optimal Metabolism Podcast

LET'S GET IN TOUCH

Shana Hussin Wellness

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Facebook: Shana Hussin Wellness

How long does it actually take to reverse insulin resistance? Is it 30 days, 90 days, six months—or years?

This episode of Optimal Metabolism was originally recorded as an Instagram LIVE, where I answered this question and talked about what it really takes to improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

There isn't one universal timeline for reversing insulin resistance, but that doesn't mean you have to wait years to start seeing progress. I break down the symptoms that can tell you your metabolism is moving in the right direction, the lab values that can help you objectively measure progress, and why fasting glucose alone doesn't always tell the whole story.

Most importantly, we talk about how much progress you can make in 90 days when you stop jumping from one strategy to another and consistently work on the right things.

WHAT I DISCUSS:

• Why there isn't one timeline for reversing insulin resistance

• What affects how quickly insulin sensitivity improves

• Early signs your metabolic health is improving

• Hunger, cravings, energy, weight, and other symptoms to watch

• Symptom resolution vs. lab values—how do you actually know you've reversed insulin resistance?

• Metabolic markers that can help you track your progress

• Why fasting glucose alone doesn't tell the whole story

• Why consistency matters more than constantly changing strategies

• How much progress you can make in 90 days

• How the COMPASS Reset + FEEL GREAT system can help you put these strategies into action

READY TO SEE WHAT CAN CHANGE IN 90 DAYS?

My COMPASS Reset starts Wednesday!

This is your opportunity to stop guessing and spend the next 90 days consistently working on the foundations that can help you improve your metabolic health and FEEL GREAT.

🧭 COMPASS RESET

Want the full details about the 90-day COMPASS Reset?

https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/reset/

🎓 WANT THE CLASSES ONLY?

If you want to participate in the COMPASS Reset classes without the full option, you can join here:

https://smhnutritionandwellness.thrivecart.com/compassreset/

❤️ READY TO FEEL GREAT?

If you want to order FEEL GREAT and automatically gain access to my COMPASS reset, you can get started here:

https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH

Give your body 90 days of consistently doing the right things and see just how much can change.

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Podcast: https://shanahussinwellness.com/podcast/

How long does it actually take to reverse insulin resistance? Is it 30 days, 90 days, six months—or years?

This episode of Optimal Metabolism was originally recorded as an Instagram LIVE, where I answered this question and talked about what it really takes to improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

There isn't one universal timeline for reversing insulin resistance, but that doesn't mean you have to wait years to start seeing progress. I break down the symptoms that can tell you your metabolism is moving in the right direction, the lab values that can help you objectively measure progress, and why fasting glucose alone doesn't always tell the whole story.

Most importantly, we talk about how much progress you can make in 90 days when you stop jumping from one strategy to another and consistently work on the right things.

WHAT I DISCUSS:

• Why there isn't one timeline for reversing insulin resistance

• What affects how quickly insulin sensitivity improves

• Early signs your metabolic health is improving

• Hunger, cravings, energy, weight, and other symptoms to watch

• Symptom resolution vs. lab values—how do you actually know you've reversed insulin resistance?

• Metabolic markers that can help you track your progress

• Why fasting glucose alone doesn't tell the whole story

• Why consistency matters more than constantly changing strategies

• How much progress you can make in 90 days

• How the COMPASS Reset + FEEL GREAT system can help you put these strategies into action

READY TO SEE WHAT CAN CHANGE IN 90 DAYS?

My COMPASS Reset starts Wednesday!

This is your opportunity to stop guessing and spend the next 90 days consistently working on the foundations that can help you improve your metabolic health and FEEL GREAT.

🧭 COMPASS RESET

Want the full details about the 90-day COMPASS Reset?

https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/reset/

🎓 WANT THE CLASSES ONLY?

If you want to participate in the COMPASS Reset classes without the full option, you can join here:

https://smhnutritionandwellness.thrivecart.com/compassreset/

❤️ READY TO FEEL GREAT?

If you want to order FEEL GREAT and automatically gain access to my COMPASS reset, you can get started here:

https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH

Give your body 90 days of consistently doing the right things and see just how much can change.

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Podcast: https://shanahussinwellness.com/podcast/

What if one of the biggest missing pieces in your metabolic health has nothing to do with your diet—and everything to do with the light you're exposed to every day?

In this episode of Optimal Metabolism, I sit down with Roudy Nassif, founder of VivaRays and a leading educator in light, circadian health, and quantum biology. Roudy's passion for light began with his own search for answers after years of struggling with ADHD, depression, mood swings, and chronic exhaustion that no diet, doctor, or supplement seemed to fix.

That journey ultimately led him to discover just how profoundly our exposure to light—and darkness—can influence our biology.

We dive into the connection between your light environment and cortisol, blood sugar, sleep, energy, mood, and metabolic health. We also discuss why getting your nutrition "right" may not be enough if your circadian rhythm is working against you.

If you've been struggling with fatigue, poor sleep, insulin resistance, weight loss resistance, or cortisol issues despite doing all the "right" things, this conversation may help you recognize a missing piece.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

• Roudy's personal journey from ADHD, depression, mood swings, and chronic exhaustion to discovering circadian and light biology

• Why light may be one of the most overlooked pieces of metabolic health

• Can you eat a great diet and still struggle metabolically because of your light environment?

• How morning sunlight influences your circadian rhythm, cortisol, blood sugar, energy, and metabolism

• How spending our days indoors under artificial light may affect metabolic and hormonal health

• The relationship between light exposure, cortisol dysregulation, and chronic exhaustion

• Roudy's experience with ADHD and mood and how changing his light environment affected his health

• Why circadian health may be especially important for women in perimenopause and menopause

• Common mistakes we're making with artificial and blue light

• What makes blue-light-blocking glasses different—and when should you actually wear them?

• Roudy's ideal daily light routine from morning through bedtime

• Simple light-related strategies you can begin implementing right away

SPECIAL VIVARAYS OFFER ☀️

I've personally been using VivaRays blue-light-blocking glasses and absolutely love them!

From September 14 through October 5, use code SHANAH to save 15% on VivaRays.

After October 5, the same code will continue to give you 10% off.

Shop VivaRays through my special link: https://vivarays.com/shanahussin

CODE: SHANAH

COMPASS METABOLIC RESET IS BACK! 🧭

I'm starting another round of my COMPASS Metabolic Reset on September 23 for Feel Great users!

If you're already a Feel Great user, you can learn more about the reset and get started here:

Join the COMPASS Metabolic Reset: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/reset/

If you're not yet using Feel Great, but you're interested in participating in the reset and want to learn more about getting started with the products, you can start here:

Get Started with Feel Great: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH

I've also heard from many of you who aren't currently Feel Great users but would still love to participate in the COMPASS Metabolic Reset. I'm working on an option that will allow non-users to join our meetings live for a fee and receive the replays.

Those details are still being finalized, so watch my emails and social media for the official announcement and registration details.

My hope is that once you experience the reset and learn more about the benefits we're implementing, you may decide becoming a Feel Great user is the right next step for you!

ABOUT ROUDY NASSIF:

Born in Lebanon and trained as an engineer, Roudy Nassif's interest in light and circadian health grew out of his own struggles with ADHD, depression, mood swings, and chronic exhaustion.

After embarking on a worldwide journey to better understand himself and the natural world, Roudy immersed himself in quantum biology, circadian science, and the effects of light on human physiology.

Today, Roudy is a health entrepreneur, martial artist, light educator, and founder of VivaRays. He has educated thousands of functional medicine and naturopathic doctors on using light to support sleep, energy, focus, and overall vitality. His mission is to help one billion people live in greater alignment with nature's light and dark cycles.

CONNECT WITH ROUDY:

VivaRays: https://vivarays.com/shanahussin

Discount Code: SHANAH

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Podcast: https://shanahussinwellness.com/podcast/

MY PROGRAMS & RESOURCES: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Low Insulin Academy: Say goodbye to insulin resistance, stubborn weight issues, and blood sugar instability for good.

Cortisol Calm: Learn how to bring cortisol, melatonin, and leptin—your master circadian hormones—back into balance naturally.

Personalized Coaching: Get individualized help to uncover what's driving your unique metabolic health struggles.

3-Month Metabolic Overhaul: My highest level of support for bodies in metabolic and hormonal chaos.

Amy Van Houten has a story you won't soon forget.

As a mom of sextuplets, Amy already knew what it meant to navigate a full and demanding life. Then everything changed when she unexpectedly lost her husband to a heart attack and found herself moving forward as a single mom.

In this episode, Amy shares the deeply personal story of navigating loss, motherhood, her own health transformation, and ultimately finding a renewed sense of purpose through it all.

We also talk about Amy's experience with the Feel Great system and the changes she began noticing in her health. What started as something she was doing for herself eventually became something much bigger. Amy began sharing her experience with others and has since built a thriving business—all while raising her family and staying grounded in her faith.

This conversation is about so much more than physical health. It's about what can happen when improving your health gives you the energy and confidence to start saying yes to possibilities you may never have imagined for yourself.

If you are in a season where you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of what your next chapter looks like, I think Amy's story will leave you feeling incredibly encouraged!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

• Amy's health before discovering the Feel Great system and what led her to try something different

• The changes Amy experienced in her weight, energy, appetite, and overall health

• Raising sextuplets and what life looked like for Amy and her family

• Unexpectedly losing her husband to a heart attack and navigating life as a single mom

• Prioritizing her own health while carrying tremendous grief, stress, and responsibility

• The important role Amy's faith has played throughout her journey

• How Amy's personal health transformation naturally led her to start helping other people

• Going from simply using Feel Great herself to building a thriving business

• What this opportunity has given Amy as a single mom beyond additional income

• Why you do NOT have to consider yourself a "salesperson" to successfully share something you genuinely believe in

• Turning some of life's hardest circumstances into an opportunity to serve others and discover a new purpose

READY FOR YOUR OWN 90-DAY RESET?

My next 90-Day COMPASS Reset begins in mid-September!

If you're struggling with stubborn weight, cravings, energy, blood sugar, or simply feeling metabolically stuck, this is your opportunity to experience the Feel Great system with guidance, accountability, and a community alongside you.

If you're using the Feel Great System, you're already in! That's the only requirement.

CURIOUS ABOUT PARTNERING WITH ME?

Maybe you listened to Amy's story and found yourself thinking:

"Could I do something like this?"

If you are passionate about health, love helping others, or are looking for an opportunity you can build around your existing life, I'd love to talk with you about partnering with me and Unicity.

You do not need to be a salesperson, have a huge social media following, or already know how to build a business. Amy's story is such a beautiful example of what can happen when you simply start by sharing something that has genuinely impacted your own life.

Reach out to me at [email protected] to learn more!

CONNECT WITH AMY VAN HOUTEN:

Made 2 Be Redeemed

Website: made2beredeemed.com

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Website: shanahussinwellness.com

Podcast: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

If your body suddenly seems to be playing by a completely different set of rules in perimenopause or menopause, this episode is for you!

For the first time ever on Optimal Metabolism, I am welcoming back a three-peat guest! Cynthia Thurlow, NP, is a two-time TEDx speaker, international speaker, bestselling author, and host of the Everyday Wellness podcast. Her viral TEDx talk on intermittent fasting has surpassed 15 million views, and she has become a leading voice in women's metabolic health, perimenopause, menopause, and intermittent fasting.

Cynthia joins me to discuss her latest book, The Menopause Gut: Balance Your Microbiome to Reclaim Your Health in Midlife and Beyond.

We're digging into the connection between declining estrogen and the microbiome—and why changes in your gut may affect everything from insulin resistance and stubborn weight gain to inflammation, energy, sleep, brain health, and hormone balance.

If you've been eating healthy, exercising, fasting, and doing all the things that used to work—but your body isn't responding the same way anymore—this conversation may help explain why.

WHAT WE DISCUSS:

• Why the gut becomes increasingly important as estrogen declines
• How the microbiome changes during perimenopause and menopause
• The connection between gut health, insulin resistance, and blood sugar
• Why stubborn weight gain in midlife isn't simply about calories or willpower
• What the microgenderome is and why women should know about it
• Why digestive problems and food sensitivities can suddenly appear after 40
• The estrobolome and the relationship between gut health and estrogen metabolism
• How chronic stress can influence the gut and the menopause transition
• Why sleep and circadian rhythm matter for gut and metabolic health
• The gut-brain connection and why anxiety and brain fog can increase during midlife
• How gut and hormonal changes may influence immune health and autoimmunity
• Why extreme dieting and exercise strategies may stop working in midlife
• Practical ways women can begin supporting their microbiome and metabolism

ABOUT CYNTHIA THURLOW, NP

Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, two-time TEDx speaker, international speaker, and founder and CEO of the Everyday Wellness Project. With more than 25 years of experience in health and wellness, she specializes in perimenopause, menopause, intermittent fasting, and women's metabolic health.

She is the bestselling author of Intermittent Fasting Transformation and The Menopause Gut: Balance Your Microbiome to Reclaim Your Health in Midlife and Beyond.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA + GET THE BOOK

📕 The Menopause Gut: Cynthia's latest release and the foundation of her gut-centric approach to perimenopause and menopause.

Order the book here: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/the-menopause-gut

Or order from any major book retailer.

🎁 Bonus Resources + Gut-Type Guide: https://themenopausegut.com/

🌐 Cynthia's Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/

READY TO WORK ON YOUR OWN METABOLIC HEALTH?

🧭 90-Day COMPASS Reset

If you're tired of guessing what your body needs, COMPASS gives you a structured 90-day roadmap to help improve insulin sensitivity, blood sugar, metabolic health, and body composition—with education, accountability, weekly coaching, tracking, and support along the way.

Our next COMPASS session begins mid-September 2026.

Learn more + join COMPASS: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/reset/

✨ The Feel Great System

Want to start with something simple? The Feel Great System is a simple two-step daily system designed to support blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, cravings, fasting, energy, and overall metabolic health.

Learn more about the Feel Great System: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/feelgreat/

CONNECT WITH SHANA

🎙️ Optimal Metabolism Podcast: https://shanahussinwellness.com/podcast/

🌐 Shana Hussin Wellness: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

What if we've been focusing on the wrong things when it comes to preventing heart disease?

In this episode of Optimal Metabolism, I sit down with Daniel Trevor, heart attack survivor, citizen scientist, serial entrepreneur, and author of Unholy Trinity: How Carbs, Sugar & Oils Make Us Fat, Sick & Addicted and How to Escape Their Grip.

Daniel's interest in cardiovascular and metabolic health became deeply personal after suffering a heart attack despite believing he was doing the right things for his health. That experience sent him deep into the research surrounding cholesterol, insulin resistance, blood sugar, type 2 diabetes, nutrition, and cardiovascular disease.

And this conversation challenges a LOT of conventional thinking!

We explore whether cholesterol alone gives us an accurate picture of cardiovascular risk, why metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance deserve much more attention in the heart disease conversation, and which tests Daniel believes can provide a better picture of what's happening before a cardiovascular event occurs.

We also get into statins, vegetable oils, low-fat diets, processed foods, obesity, prediabetes, and why our rates of metabolic disease have risen so dramatically.

You don't have to agree with every perspective presented in this episode to benefit from asking better questions about your health. My hope is that this conversation encourages you to become more informed about your own metabolic health, understand your numbers, and have deeper conversations with your healthcare provider.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

• Daniel's own heart attack and why it completely changed the direction of his life
• Why he began questioning conventional thinking surrounding cholesterol and heart disease
• Is high cholesterol always an accurate predictor of cardiovascular risk?
• The relationship between insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, blood sugar, and heart disease
• Why prediabetes and insulin resistance can go undetected for years
• Which cardiovascular tests and markers Daniel believes deserve more attention
• The controversy surrounding statins and their relationship with blood sugar and type 2 diabetes
• What Daniel believes we've gotten wrong about vegetable oils and dietary fat
• Why he challenges conventional low-fat nutrition advice
• Processed foods, appetite, cravings, and our modern food environment
• What's really behind the dramatic rise in obesity and metabolic disease
• What the Blue Zones can—and can't—teach us about longevity
• Practical steps you can take to better understand your metabolic and cardiovascular health

ABOUT DANIEL TREVOR

Daniel Trevor is a citizen scientist, serial entrepreneur, heart attack survivor, and author of Unholy Trinity: How Carbs, Sugar & Oils Make Us Fat, Sick & Addicted and How to Escape Their Grip.

Following his own heart attack, Daniel immersed himself in research surrounding cardiovascular disease and metabolic health. His book draws from more than 1,200 scientific references as he explores the relationships among our modern diet, insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Learn more about Daniel and his work: DanielTrevor.com

JOIN ME FOR MY 12-WEEK METABOLIC RESET!

I'm officially starting another round of my 12-Week Metabolic Reset this September—and I'm doing it right alongside you!

If you're ready to focus on your blood sugar, insulin resistance, weight, energy, and overall metabolic health, I'd love for you to join me.

If you're planning to participate, now is the time to get started with the Feel Great System so you have your products and are comfortable using them before we officially begin the Reset.

12-Week Metabolic Reset: https://shanahussinwellness.com/programs-courses/reset/

Get Started with the Feel Great System: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

What if obesity isn't simply about food?

In one of the most powerful conversations I've ever had on the Optimal Metabolism podcast, I sit down with CrossFit coach, author, educator, and metabolic health advocate Athena Perez to explore the deeper roots of obesity, emotional eating, and lasting transformation.

Athena's story begins long before she reached nearly 500 pounds. She shares how childhood trauma shaped her relationship with food, why lasting healing required far more than losing weight, and how addressing her emotional health became just as important as improving her physical health.

We also take a fascinating deep dive into Athena's experience completing multiple 40-day fasts. She openly discusses why she chose such an extended fast, what happened to her body and mind throughout the process, how she approached refeeding afterward, and whether she believes prolonged fasting helped reset her metabolism.

This episode isn't about promoting extreme fasting. It's about understanding the complex relationship between trauma, metabolism, behavior change, and healing. Whether you've struggled with weight, emotional eating, insulin resistance, or simply want to better understand the human side of obesity, I believe this conversation will stay with you long after it ends.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• Athena's journey from nearly 500 pounds to becoming a CrossFit coach and educator
• The connection between childhood trauma and lifelong struggles with obesity
• Why healing emotional wounds was just as important as changing nutrition habits
• The decision to complete a 40-day fast
• What happened physically, mentally, and emotionally during the fast
• Whether prolonged fasting can "reset" metabolism
• The often-overlooked importance of the refeeding process
• What Athena learned about true hunger versus emotional hunger
• Common misconceptions about obesity and larger-bodied athletes
• Why sustainable healing goes far beyond the number on the scale

Connect with Athena Perez

Website: https://www.athenamperez.com

Instagram: @athenamperez

Learn more about Scaled Nation Training and Athena's educational resources for coaches and healthcare professionals.

Connect with Shana Hussin

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Facebook: Shana Hussin Wellness

Shana's 90-Day Metabolic Reset, COMPASS

Could your gut be the missing piece behind your hormone imbalance, stubborn weight, fatigue, and blood sugar struggles?

In this episode of Optimal Metabolism, I'm joined by returning guest Dr. Cassie Smith, licensed naturopathic physician, founder of Modern Endocrine, and author of the new book Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones.

Dr. Cassie explains why so many women spend years chasing hormone solutions without realizing that the health of their gut may be driving many of their symptoms. We discuss the fascinating relationship between gut health, estrogen metabolism, cortisol, insulin resistance, inflammation, and metabolic health, along with practical strategies you can begin implementing today.

If you've been struggling with stubborn weight, digestive issues, hormone imbalance, fatigue, or simply feel like your body isn't responding the way it used to, this episode will help you understand why healing often starts in the gut.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Dr. Cassie Smith

• Modern Endocrine: https://www.modern-endocrine.com/

• Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones: https://guthormonefix.com/

LET'S CONNECT

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Facebook: Shana Hussin Wellness

Website: https://shanahussinwellness.com/

Podcast: https://shanahussinwellness.com/podcast/

Products Mentioned

Feel Great System One of my favorite tools for supporting healthy blood sugar, gut health, and metabolic wellness. Learn more here: https://ufeelgreat.com/c/SHANAH

Balance Fiber This is the fiber supplement I personally recommend to help nourish the gut microbiome, support healthy digestion, and promote balanced blood sugar: https://unicity.link/4fd5ff95bd