The Health Investment Podcast with Brooke Simonson

Episode 60 | Enjoy!! P.S.—If you're liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit "subscribe" so that you never miss an episode :)

EPISODE 59 | Judy Foreman—author of A Nation In Pain (2014), The Global Pain Crisis (2017), and Exercise Is Medicine (2020)—was a staff writer at the Boston Globe for 23 years and a health columnist for many of those years. Her column was syndicated in national and international outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News, Baltimore Sun, and others. Judy graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College in 1966, spent three years in the Peace Corps in Brazil, then got a Master’s from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has been a Lecturer on Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a Fellow in Medical Ethics at Harvard Medical School and a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also hosted a weekly, call-in radio show on Healthtalk.com. In the episode, Judy shares how exercise impacts our heart, brain, mood, and immune system; the most fascinating facts she learned about exercise while completing research for her book Exercise Is Medicine; the best type of exercise for optimal health...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/judyforeman

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK JUDY IN THE EPISODE:

What’s your story (specifically, what led you to become a journalist)?

Did you always know you wanted to be a health journalist?

When did you first become interested in health? In exercise?

Why should we exercise? How does exercise boost health and slow aging?

Does exercise extend both lifespan and healthspan?

How much exercise does it take to reap the benefits?

Does the type of exercise matter? Which is best?

How bad is a sedentary lifestyle? Why is sitting so bad?

Is exercise’s biggest benefit on the heart? What does exercise actually do for the heart and circulation?

What about the brain? What does exercise do for the brain?

What about its mood-boosting properties? Can exercise really combat depression?

Can exercise help boost the immune system?

When should we exercise? Does time of day matter?

What are some of the most common exercise “pills”—and do they work? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts on some common beliefs people have: “If I exercise, I can eat whatever I want” and “I’m too old for strength training and high-intensity workouts"

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Judy Foreman on Twitter

Visit Judy website

Read Judy's Book Exercise Is Medicine

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 58 | Heather Caslin, PhD, completed her B.S. and M.S. degrees in exercise physiology at Virginia Commonwealth University. In that time, she fell in love with health, nutrition, and exercise, but had a lot of questions about how they affect our immune system. That interest led her to complete a PhD in immunology. Her dissertation work bridged her interests between immunology and exercise physiology as she studied the effects of lactic acid on mast cells in sepsis and allergic disease. That dissertation project sparked her current interests in how metabolism and immunology intersect—which she's still studying today. Heather is now a postdoctoral researcher at Vanderbilt University in the lab of Alyssa Hasty studying how the immune system contributes to obesity and type 2 diabetes. Specifically, she studies how weight loss and weight regain influence the relationship between adiposity and type 2 diabetes in adipose tissue immune cells. While her primary job is in academic research, she also has a passion for education and science outreach...which is why I wanted to interview her on my podcast! In the episode, Heather tackles topics like whether or not vaccines contain unsafe toxins, whether or not the flu vaccine can give you the flu, why some people think vaccines cause autism...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/vaccines

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK DR. CASLIN IN THE EPISODE:

What’s your story (specifically, what led to your interest in immunology?)

What led to decreased infections: better hygiene and sanitation, or vaccines?

Is natural immunity better than vaccine-acquired immunity?

Even though infection rates are so low in the United States, do we still need to vaccinate?

What risks are involved with vaccination? Are they worth the risk?

Can vaccines infect us with the diseases we're trying to prevent?

Do vaccines contain unsafe toxins?

Do vaccines cause autism?

Is the vaccine schedule too aggressive for babies' immune systems? Should they be more spaced out?

Can the flu vaccine give you the flu?

Is influenza really that serious? Do I need the flu vaccine?

Will the covid vaccine be safe since it's being "rushed"?

Will the covid vaccine solve everything?

Will the covid vaccine have any new ingredients in it?

In your opinion, what does it mean to make "The Health Investment"? [Her response: It doesn’t have to be difficult, though I do wish it could be easier for everyone. Invest the time in finding a physician you trust. Keep up with your vaccines and your annual exams. Go to the dentist. Go to therapy. Support policies that help us all have access to these services because I know they’re not always affordable or accessible. And in the very least find professionals with relevant training and experience online that can help you access information.]

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Dr. Caslin on Instagram

To read more about vaccines, click here

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 57 | Jordan Haworth is a clinical physiologist specializing in gastrointestinal health and is dedicated to helping people with digestive disorders. He regularly carries out scientific research and has presented at international conferences. Jordan’s particular interest is the gut microbiome and its role in overall health, as well as the relationships between diet, physiology, and gut bacteria. In the episode, Jordan shares whether probiotics in pill form are better than fermented foods, what research says about artificial sweeteners (like those in diet soda!) when it comes to gut health, his thoughts on following a “gluten-free” diet...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/guthealth

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK JORDAN IN THE EPISODE:

There is sooooo much information (misinformation?) out there about gut health—detoxes, supplements, etc. I’d like to start by hearing your thoughts on a lot of them, and hopefully debunking some of our misconceptions…

Probiotics in the form of pills. Yay or nay?

Probiotics in the form of fermented foods. Yay or nay?

Avoiding artificial sweeteners (and diet soda). Yay or nay?

Gluten-free diet. Yay or nay?

Avoiding antibiotics as much as possible. Yay or nay?

Avoiding refined seed oils. Yay or nay?

Avoiding processed foods. Yay or nay?

How important is each of the following for optimal gut bacteria…

Sleep?

Managing stress?

Diet centered on whole foods?

Exercise?

Can you explain the difference between prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics? Why are each beneficial for gut bacteria?

What are your best de-bloating tricks?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Jordan on Instagram

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 56 | *FYI, this episode contains explicit language.* Chef Frank Prisinzano opened his first restaurant, Frank, in 1998. Just a few years later, he opened two others: Lil Frankie’s and Supper. Since then, his three restaurants—all in New York City’s “East Village”—have become the go-to spots for casual Italian dining. In addition to running his restaurants, Frank shares “back-to-basics” cooking methods on Instagram. Rather than relying on recipes, Frank encourages his followers to learn key skills for cooking anything and teaches them how to do so in vibrant, step-by-step videos. Recently on Instagram, he shared a 3-part series called “Better Overall Health.” As you’ll hear, Frank has a genuine enthusiasm for cooking and food—but he’s also very passionate about helping friends, family, acquaintances, and even strangers look and feel their BEST...which is why I wanted to have him on the podcast! In the episode, Frank shares why we can (and should!) cook with olive oil, how to whip up the tastiest egg dish in just minutes, tips for making any vegetable taste fantastic...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/frankprisinzano

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK FRANK IN THE EPISODE:

When did you first know you wanted to be a chef?

What was the road like to becoming one and opening your restaurants? Was it what you expected?

You did a “Better Overall Health” three-part series on Instagram. What caused you to do this Instagram series?

You recommend having a higher-end EVOO and a frying one. I’ve heard that you can’t cook with olive oil because it doesn’t have a high enough smoke point—but I think you’ve debunked that. Can you cook with olive oil? If so, which kind? What are your favorite brands of frying olive oil?

Which other oils/fats do you cook with?

You talk about dumping commercial oils, sauces, and dressings and instead making your own. What’s the best way to make your own salad dressing?

If someone thinks they “don’t like veggies,” what are some tricks you have for making them taste delicious?

What tips do you have for preventing waste?

You also talk a lot about Brodo. What’s the simplest way to do this?

What are some of the simplest, quickest standbys people can make on repeat?

What are some fridge, freezer, and pantry staples that you always have on hand but that the average person may overlook at the grocery store?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Chef Frank Prisinzano on Instagram

Follow Frank’s Restaurants on Instagram:

Frank

Lil’ Frankie’s 

Supper

Visit the websites of Frank’s restaurants:

Frank

Lil’ Frankie’s 

Supper

Find local raw dairy products: realmilk.com

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 55 | Dr. Ted Naiman is a board-certified Family Medicine physician in the department of Primary Care at a leading major medical center in Seattle. His personal research and medical practice are focused on the practical implementation of diet and exercise for health optimization. He is the author of The P:E Diet. In the episode, Dr. Naiman shares why protein is the most important macronutrient to get right, how to set up your meals so that you eat enough protein, his thoughts on diet soda...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/tednaiman

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK DR. NAIMAN IN THE EPISODE:

What’s your story (specifically, what led you to become a board-certified Family Medicine physician)?

How much did you learn about nutrition in med school?

Not all doctors have as much of an interest in diet and exercise as you do—what led you to research these areas more in depth? 

It’s been said about your book, The P:E Diet, that it’s “the SIMPLEST and MOST PRACTICAL diet and exercise book ever written.” What dietary pattern should we be following, most of the time?

How much protein should we be eating on a daily basis? Do you find that most of your patients are eating enough?

What are your thoughts on an 80/20 or 90/10 eating pattern, allowing room for indulgences here and there?

What about some of the buzz terms out there—like “gluten-free”? Your thoughts?

Any recommendation as to when we should eat? Or how many meals per day? Your thoughts on intermittent fasting?

What about diet soda? Yay or nay?

What types of exercise should we be doing? How often?

What are your recommendations for making exercise simple, practical, and approachable for everyone?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Dr. Ted Naiman on Twitter

Read Dr. Naiman's book The P:E Diet

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 54 | Haley Garelli is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Growing up as a dancer, she always was trying for the “perfect ballet body,” starting her dieting journey at a young age. Her chronic dieting led to hormone imbalances and even weight gain. After many more attempts at failed diets she learned that restricting more wasn’t the answer, so she learned to eat to fuel her body, heal hormone imbalances, and end the diet cycle. Now, she’s passionate about helping women who are drained, discouraged, and just plain fed up with constant “dieting” to lose weight, balance hormones, and feel comfortable in their skin. She helps them discover what works best for them as an individual through her functional approach to nutrition so that they can live life to the fullest! In the episode, Haley shares how to balance your hormones so you can lose weight and have more energy; simple, practical weight loss and mindset tips; some common misconceptions about weight loss...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/haleygarelli

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK HALEY IN THE EPISODE:

What led you to become a registered dietician?

How is weight loss different for women than it is for men?

How do hormones get in the way of weight loss?

If a woman is struggling to lose weight, how can she know if her difficulties are due to hormones or something else?

Do certain foods or food categories cause more hormonal issues than others? (For example, carbs and gluten get a bad rap!)

What are your top 3 weight loss tips? Your top 3 mindset tips?

How is losing weight different from maintaining weight? 

What are some of the biggest misconceptions floating around out there, re: weight loss?

On a typical day, when/what do you eat?

Can you explain the role of nutrition vs. exercise, sleep, and stress management when it comes to weight loss? What’s most important? (Or are all of them equally important?)

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Haley on Instagram

Visit Haley's website

A couple of Haley's fave books:

Dare To Lead by Brene Brown

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 53 | Jessie Inchauspe, the "Glucose Goddess," has a unique combo of talents, interests, and certifications. Trained as a scientist and researcher, she plows headfirst through mathematics and biochemistry, learning the technical facts of anything she’s passionate about. While working at 23andMe, she was part of a program that required her to wear a continuous glucose monitor—and she's never taken it off! On her Instagram account, she shares graphs and information to educate her community about glucose, the body's "hidden language." In the episode, Jessie explains why everyone should care about blood glucose spikes, what a continuous glucose monitor can and can’t tell you, simple hacks and food combos for mitigating blood sugar spikes...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/glucosegoddess

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

QUESTIONS I ASK JESSIE IN THE EPISODE:

What’s your story? Why did you start your Glucose Goddess Instagram account in the first place?

Why do you wear a continuous glucose monitor?

Why do glucose spikes matter?

Should everyone care about what spikes their glucose or just people with conditions like prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, etc?

Do external conditions—like lack of sleep, stress, time of day, etc.—affect glucose spikes?

What are some foods/drinks that always spike your glucose? 

What are some foods/drinks that people think are healthy but actually spike your glucose?

Which fruits spike your glucose most? 

What are some foods/drinks that spike your glucose when eaten in isolation, but not when combined with certain veggies, apple cider vinegar, etc.

What about exercise? Can that curb glucose spikes?

What about alcohol? Do all types spike your glucose?

What are some “blood sugar balancing” myths/misconceptions that really irk you?

What nutrition patterns do you follow on a daily basis to prevent glucose spikes?

What can glucose spikes not tell you?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Jessie on Instagram

Visit Jessie's website

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 52 | Bob Cymbolin is the owner of a business called Cymco Sales & Marketing, which sells products like china, silverware, and glassware to the foodservice industry. He’s been in that industry for over 25 years…but one of his side interests is beekeeping! He started keeping bees in 2011 and harvests honey twice a year, which he sells and gifts to family and friends. Everyone loves his honey—in fact, he has more customers than honey to sell! In the episode, Bob shares the health benefits of honey, royal jelly, and propolis; why bees are critical to the health of the planet; some fascinating facts about queen bees...and more! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/honeybees

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

MINUTE-BY-MINUTE BREAKDOWN OF THE EPISODE:

3:18 - Bob shares his background and beginnings as a beekeeper

12:00 - What's life like as a beekeeper?

15:36 - Bob explains the process for harvesting honey

25:40 - Fascinating facts about queen bees and honey bees

35:42 - What's the difference between honey, royal jelly, and propolis? And what are the health benefits of each?

40:22 - Which honey is healthiest?

42:20 - Why are honey bees crucial for the health of the planet?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Bob Cymbolin on Instagram and Facebook

Email Bob: [email protected]

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)

EPISODE 51 | Dr. Olevia Metry is a board certified family physician. While in medical school, she developed a love for nutrition, wellness, and fitness. Unfortunately, it wasn’t because of medical school that this happened; it was because her mom suffered from a major heart attack and had to have open heart surgery. Since then, Dr. Metry has dedicated her life to prevention that starts at home, not with a prescription. She loves empowering her patients to take on a significant role in their care as her partner in treatment. No habits are ever changed by sheer force. In the episode, Dr. Metry shares ways in which you—as a patient—can advocate for yourself, what to do if your doctor rushes you out the door and doesn’t listen to your concerns, questions to ask as you “interview” different doctors...and more! I had the absolute BEST time chatting with Dr. Metry and know you’re gonna love her as much as I do! Enjoy!!

EPISODE WEBPAGE: thehealthinvestment.com/oleviametry

P.S. – If you’re liking The Health Investment Podcast, be sure to hit “subscribe/follow” so that you never miss an episode 🙂

 

MINUTE-BY-MINUTE BREAKDOWN OF THE EPISODE:

3:15 - Dr. Olevia Metry's background, specifically what led her to become a family medicine doctor

8:18 - Dr. Metry explains what nutrition training is like in med school

14:39 - Why do many doctors not discuss nutrition and lifestyle modifications with their patients?

18:50 - Dr. Metry discusses the role of genetics vs. lifestyle choices when it comes to weight gain

22:38 - We dive deep into Dr. Metry's favorite topic: patients advocating for themselves! She explains when you should fire your doctor.

33:21 - What if your doctor doesn't want to talk about nutrition and lifestyle modifications but you do? Dr. Metry gives her advice...

44:19 - Questions Dr. Metry asks her own doctors before she "hires" them

48:00 - Has Dr. Metry learned anything from her patients that she didn't learn in med school?

 

LINKS [SOME MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS; PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE INFO]:

Follow Dr. Olevia Metry on Instagram

“My Unbiased Thrive Market Review (AND A Shopping List!)” – save money on your first Thrive Market order by clicking here

Click here to lose 5-50 pounds for the LAST time through sustainable habit change + mindset shifts so you can start living your BEST life as the trimmest, healthiest, most confident, most energized version of yourself!

Follow The Health Investment Podcast on Instagram

Follow host Brooke Simonson on Instagram

Email Brooke: [email protected]

Shout out to Christian Juarez for the theme music! (Click here to visit his Soundcloud!!)