Optimal Metabolism

📝 Episode Summary: 3 AM wake-ups are an annoying and exhausting part ot your night.. OR you're sleeping 7–8 hours but still dragging through your day. Sound familiar?

In this episode, I unpack the real reasons behind 3 AM wake-ups, and why you feel fatigued, even when your sleep seems "good on paper." From cortisol misfires to nighttime light exposure, I break down how your circadian rhythm and hormone patterns affect your energy, mood, and metabolism.

This is essential listening for any woman who's doing all the "right" things… but still feels off.

🔗 Helpful Links:

🌿 Cortisol Calm Course – Mother's Day Special

🕶️ 3 AM Wake Up Guide

🏡 Homepage

🧠 Topics Covered:

• Why 3 AM wake-ups occur and how to achieve restorative sleep

• How blue light and screen time sabotage rest

• The "tired and wired" cortisol pattern—and how to reverse it

• Why timing your meals and light exposure matters more than supplements

• Practical shifts to support melatonin, leptin, and your metabolism

🎙️Episode Summary: Feeling off after a long winter? In this solo episode, I share how to reset your circadian rhythm naturally using light, meal timing, and simple daily shifts. You'll learn how to build a "solar callous" to prepare your body for sunnier days, and how to leverage springtime habits to balance cortisol, melatonin, and metabolism—without supplements or strict diets.

This is the perfect episode to shake off the sluggishness and start feeling energized, clear-headed, and hormonally aligned.

🔗 Helpful Links:

• 🌿 Cortisol Calm Course – Mother's Day Special

• 🕶️ Free Circadian Reset Guide

• 🏡 Homepage

🧠 Topics I Cover:

• Why spring is the ideal time to reset your circadian rhythm

• What "solar callous" means and how to build one safely

• How early morning light affects cortisol, mood, and weight

• Common light-related mistakes that wreck your energy

• Simple ways to get your rhythm and metabolism back on track

• Common things you may be experiencing in your daily life that are actually caused by poor metabolic health.

• How metabolic health impacts other areas of the body.

• How metabolic health impacts pre-menopausal and menopausal women.

• How to reverse the effects of metabolic disease including fatty liver, PCOS and pre-diabetes (yes, metabolic disease IS reversible according to Shana!)

• 5 things you can do to prioritize metabolic health.

Scott Chaverri is the founder of Mito Red Light and is invested in educating people about the endless benefits of red light therapy. Red light has been a hot trend in the health and wellness space for a while now, so what exactly is the hype all about? In this episode we break down exactly how red light works, the red light devices that are actually worth investing in, and the best source of infrared and red light- the sun! Tune in!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[3:52]- Super exciting changes coming to my business… which have led me to choose to take a break from the podcast!

[6:51]- How Scott got interested in red light therapy.

[10:04]- How exactly does red light support optimal mitochondrial function?

[17:39]- In what ways has society made it difficult for people to live in alignment with nature?

[26:22]- Which red light therapy device will get you the most bang for your buck?

[30:45]- Can red light penetrate clothing?

[33:28]- How long should someone do a red light session for?

[36:50]- The best time of day to use red light therapy.

[39:39]- What should you be looking for when shopping for red light devices?

[44:32]- Can red light therapy promote weight loss?

[52:22]- What is green light therapy?

[56:14]- Can someone overexpose themselves to red light?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Special thanks to Mito Red Light for sponsoring this week's episode. They have a variety of panels, portable instruments, and specialized red light devices for various price points. You can save 5% on any products from Mito Red Light with code ShanaH

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM SCOTT CHAVERRI:

Website: https://mitoredlight.com/

Instagram: @mitoredlightofficial

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

YouTube: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

Website: www.shanahussinwellness.com

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!

Lindsey Parsons is a gut health coach with a specialty in getting to the root cause of gut imbalances and reversing autoimmune disease naturally. After taking repeated antibiotics for food poisoning, Lindsey's pre-existing digestive issues only became worse and she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease. Present day, having healed her own health issues holistically, she now helps those struggling with unexplained weight gain and medical problems coined "untreatable" by way of traditional medicine. I was delighted to talk with her about the interesting connection between the gut and metabolic health!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[7:29]- How founding a non-profit to change the public school food system led Lindsey to explore gut health and ultimately make it her passion project.

[12:56]- What symptoms was Lindsey experiencing while struggling with IBS and Hashimoto's?

[19:20]- What is the relationship between the gut microbiome and autoimmune disease?

[24:49]- What causes gut dysbiosis? What are the most popular food triggers?

[35:04]- Lindsey's approach to healing the gut post antibiotic use.

[43:22]- How is gut health connected to blood sugar balance and weight loss resistance?

[49:51]- Lindsey's favorite lab tests for GI insight.

[54:00]- What are the root causes of low stomach acid?

[1:01:21]- How does the Earth's seasons influence gut microbiome?

[1:03:47]- Traveling and its effect on the gut.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

BeMe has taken their signature ingredient, soursop, and added it to their very own lemon lime electrolyte mix! I add electrolytes to my water daily and find myself reaching for this lemonade-like flavor all the time. Use code SHANA20 for 20% off your order of $50+ from BeMe!

Catch the episode where I interviewed the founder of BeMe, Amy Lacey!

I am SO excited to be offering personalized coaching again! Working with me one-on-one will be offered alongside enrollment in either (or BOTH!) of my courses Low Insulin Academy or Cortisol Calm. This opportunity is now LIVE!

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM LINDSEY PARSONS:

Website: https://highdeserthealthcoaching.com/

Instagram: @high.desert.health

Schedule a complimentary session with Lindsey to determine if she can help you: Free 30 Minute Session

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

YouTube: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

Website: www.shanahussinwellness.com

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!

Julie Ruelle is a registered dietitian and works alongside the GoCoCo team where she helps empower consumers to make informed decisions about their food by reducing reliance on ultra-processed products. The GoCoCo app was created to empower individuals to make healthier food choices by helping them avoid ultra-processed foods and their hidden health risks. This episode covered the basics of what ultra-processed foods are, how big food is driven by wealth (not consumers health), and exactly what the chemicals in the food system are!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[6:32]- What led Julie to investigate the big food industry.

[9:16]- What EXACTLY are ultra-processed foods?

[15:20]- How are toxic chemicals getting into packaged foods and being labeled as generally recognized as safe?

[21:58]- Can you put individual ingredients into GoCoCo?

[25:30]- Is all food REALLY just good in moderation?

[34:05]- How natural flavors truly are not "natural."

[39:47]- Are seed oils really THAT inflammatory?!

[45:45]- How can someone make eating healthy more affordable?

[50:03]- Julie's frustrations when it comes to healthy eating and big food companies.

[53:19]- The features of the app, GoCoCo and how it can be used practically in daily life!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

You can get a FREE premium membership for the GoCoCo app for an entire year with the code OPTIMAL!

L'BRI offers free samples so you can try before you buy! I love their skin, body, and hair care products and find them to be hydrating and effective for whatever season it is!

I am SO excited to be offering personalized coaching again! Working with me one-on-one will be offered alongside enrollment in either of my courses Low Insulin Academy or Cortisol Calm. More information to come once it's live!

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM JULIE RUELLE:

Website: https://www.gococo.app/

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

YouTube: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

Website: www.shanahussinwellness.com

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!

Mario Brainovic is the creator of the Analemma Wand, a tool that transforms regular water into its super-charged, full-spectrum coherent state. Mario came across the profound influence of water quality on human health and made it his life's work to uncover and share knowledge surrounding structured and mother water. What on earth is structured water? How is this different from reverse osmosis or filtered water? Does water have memory? Let's talk about that in this episode!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[6:25]- How did Mario get interested in coherent water?

[12:47]- Are structured water and EZ water one in the same?

[15:06]- How did water naturally found in nature become unstructured?

[16:50]- Does water sitting next to a computer or phone make it dirty due to the electromagnetic wavelengths?

[22:50]- How does the human body react to structured water? What is the fourth phase of water, a gel-like phase?

[37:26]- Does water have memory? Is water intelligent?

[53:26]- Can the Analemma Wand help heal gut dysbiosis?

[1:01:23]- How long does it take to create structured water from home? How much structured water should someone drink?

[1:07:05]- Does structured water influence pet health as well?

[1:12:00]- Closing thoughts from Mario... including how one's limiting belief about their health may be the reason they are not able to truly heal.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Shop the Analemma Wand here and use code SHANAH for 10% off!

My Cortisol Balance Mini Course is now LIVE! If you suspect you have cortisol dysregulation, this is the perfect place for you to begin healing your journey! I am offering my listeners a special discount with code MINI20.

I wrote a FREE Ebook, The Growing Cortisol Crisis, to explain why cortisol dysregulation is predominant in the human population and what we can do about it! Send the Ebook right to your email with this link!

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM MARIO BRAINOVIC:

Website: https://analemma-water.com/

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

YouTube: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

Website: www.shanahussinwellness.com

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!

Oops! The last few minutes of my episode with Mollie got cut off! Here is the remaining portion of the episode, including how Mollie healed her gallbladder and what habits she is implementing now to maintain a healthy metabolism lifelong through sustainable habits.

Mollie Starkey is one of my students who completed Low Insulin Academy, my program designed to equip students with lifestyle tools to reverse insulin resistance and blood sugar dysregulation. Since Mollie is passionate about following an integrative approach to health, she began addressing her health issues through caloric restriction and increased activity. Eventually, Mollie found my Instagram and programs and began following the strategies I teach. She quickly experienced weight loss success along with a host of other health improvements!

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[9:44]- How Low Insulin Academy affected Mollie's health and life.

[25:30]- How has Mollie's husband adapted an optimal metabolic lifestyle as a male?

[37:50]- How has Mollie welcomed her children's participation in a low insulin lifestyle? What was Mollie's walk through postpartum depression like?

[52:49]- What impact did eating low fat have on Mollie's gallbladder? How can bitter herbs support optimal gallbladder function?

Oops! The end of my conversation with Mollie got cut off. Part 2 is now live so give it a listen to finish hearing Mollie's story!

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

PAY WHAT YOU CAN for Low Insulin Academy!!! Start learning these strategies today!

Special thanks to Hoǒga for sponsoring this weeks episode! I use their red light bulbs, red reading light, and grounding mat. Use code SHANAH12 for 12% off your purchase from Hoǒga!

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

YouTube: Optimal Metabolism with Shana Hussin, RDN

Website: www.shanahussinwellness.com

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!

Greg the Hydrogen Man recovered from many health issues with help from this hydrogen machine. He is a leading figure in the research field of molecular hydrogen. After struggling with depression, being told he would need open heart surgery, and a whole slew of additional sudden health diagnoses, Greg decided to take his health into his own hands. He learned about the healing capabilities of hydrogen water and has invested in learning more about molecular hydrogen ever since.

WHAT WE DISCUSSED:

[8:58]- Why is Greg so passionate about hydrogen water?

[14:24]- How did hydrogen water help Greg reverse his heart condition and autoimmune disease?

[20:11]- How is hydrogen water different from plain tap or filtered water?

[27:35]- What is the most effective way to filter chemicals out of drinking water?

[36:20]- What are the benefits of hydrogen water? Can someone drink or inhale too much of it?

[44:18]- How does hydrogen help mitigate chronic disease symptoms?

[54:28]- How often should someone drink hydrogen water? What to look for when purchasing a hydrogen machine.

[1:02:15]- What is the difference between structured water and hydrogen water?

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Greg has been so kind as to offer my listeners $100 off the Lourdes Hydrofix Premium Edition Hydrogen Machine.This is the same machine I have used since July 2024! Code SHANAH will get you the discount.

My Cortisol Balance Mini Course is now LIVE! If you suspect you have cortisol dysregulation, this is the perfect place for you to begin healing your journey! I am offering my listeners a special discount with code MINI20.

BeMe Nutrition has created the first ever electrolytes with soursop in! Use SHANAH20 for 20% off your order of $50 or more.

North Star Grounding has helped me stay grounded through these harsh Wisconsin winters! I love their grounding pillowcases and shoes. Save 15% on your purchase with code FASTTOHEAL

FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM GREG:

Holy Hydrogen Machine: SHOP HERE!

YouTube: @UPRISING144K Hydrogen Man

LET'S GET IN TOUCH:

Instagram: @shana.hussin.rdn

Facebook: Fast To Heal With Shana Hussin

Website: https://www.fasttoheal.info/

MY FREEBIES AND PROGRAMS:

ENROLL in Low Insulin Academy ON-DEMAND HERE! My specialty course decoding everything about reversing metabolic illness!

If you want to work with me directly check out my coaching community!

Find all my product recommendations and discount codes HERE.

Register for my FREE webinar, You've Got Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar Issues... NOW WHAT?!

Grab my metabolic testing guide!

BE ON THE PODCAST by emailing [email protected] and sharing your story of how Fast to Heal Services have changed your life!