Closing in on 300 episodes of The Made To Thrive Show, it’s been an enriching and empowering  journey for me speaking to global experts and health heroes about their fields of expertise. So in honor of the 300 mark, I have put together a masterclass composed of the best insights for each of Made To Thrive’s 7 Pillars To Thriving: purpose, community, sleep, nutrition, movement, self-quantification, and environment. 

Thriving - Pillar by Pillar distills the best of those conversations into one powerful series. Each episode is curated to help you not just understand a specific pillar — but how to take action to live it.

This is Medicine 4.0 in action: preventative, proactive, personalized through data, and performance-enhancing. We believe sustainable health begins with awareness, and education is the foundation that transforms how we become aware of ourselves and the actions and habits that create our life. Only when we understand, can we identify both what’s holding us back as well as the thriving that's possible. 

At the root of the word doctor is Latin for teacher. Through the Pillar by Pillar series, I hope each episode becomes a lesson about how to see health and wellness differently, and to empower you to take action, one intentional, educated step at a time.

Sleep 

Sleep is the bedrock of recovery, brain health, and hormonal balance. Quality sleep—particularly deep and REM cycles—enhances cognitive function, emotional regulation, and metabolic health. Without proper sleep, even the best habits in nutrition or movement are seriously negated, making it a pillar you cannot skip.

Featured quests:

1. Dr Michael Breus

2. Devin Burke

3. Eric Korem

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As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Closing in on 300 episodes of The Made To Thrive Show, it’s been an enriching and empowering  journey for me speaking to global expert and health heroes about their fields of expertise. So in honor of the 300 mark, I have put together a masterclass composed of the best insights for each of Made To Thrive’s 7 Pillars To Thriving: purpose, community, sleep, nutrition, movement, self-quantification, and environment. 

Thriving - Pillar by Pillar distills the best of those conversations into one powerful series. Each episode is curated to help you not just understand a specific pillar — but how to take action to live it.

This is Medicine 4.0 in action: preventative, proactive, personalized through data, and performance-enhancing. We believe sustainable health begins with awareness, and education is the foundation that transforms how we become aware of ourselves and the actions and habits that create our life. Only when we understand, can we identify both what’s holding us back as well as the thriving that's possible. 

At the root of the word doctor is Latin for teacher. Through the Pillar by Pillar series, I hope each episode becomes a lesson about how to see health and wellness differently, and to empower you to take action, one intentional, educated step at a time.

Community 

Humans are wired for connection, and the quality of your relationships has a profound impact on health and happiness. Being part of a supportive community lowers stress, improves immune function, and boosts overall life satisfaction. Community is the real secret to the Blue Zones! Investing in meaningful connections is not optional—it’s a biological necessity for thriving.

Featured guests:

Jon Levy, Vanessa Cornell, Kelly Brogan, Leanne Mannas, Angus McIntoch

Support the show

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Closing in on 300 episodes of The Made To Thrive Show, it’s been an enriching and empowering  journey for me speaking to global expert and health heroes about their fields of expertise. So in honor of the 300 mark, I have put together a masterclass composed of the best insights for each of Made To Thrive’s 7 Pillars To Thriving: Purpose, Community, Sleep, Nutrition, Movement, Self-quantification, and Environment. 

Thriving - Pillar by Pillar distills the best of those conversations into one powerful series. Each episode is curated to help you not just understand a specific pillar, but how to take action to live it.

This is Medicine 4.0 in action: preventative, proactive, personalised through data, and performance-enhancing. We believe sustainable health begins with awareness, and education is the foundation that transforms how we become aware of ourselves and the actions and habits that create our life. Only when we understand, can we identify both what’s holding us back as well as the thriving that's possible. 

At the root of the word doctor is Latin for teacher. Through the Pillar by Pillar series, I hope each episode becomes a lesson about how to see health and wellness differently, and to empower you to take action, one intentional, educated step, at a time.

Pillar 1: Purpose 

Having a clear purpose is the compass that guides every decision in your life, including your health decisions and the value in energy, time and money you dedicate to it. When you define your “why,” you create alignment between your actions and your long-term goals, reducing energy wasted on distractions. Purpose-driven living is not just motivational—it’s scientifically linked to better mental health, resilience, and longevity

Guests featured in this episode are:

1. Dr. John Demartini

2. Kute Blackson

3. Britt Frank

4. Prof. Anna Lembke

5. Prof. Dan Ariely

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

We have to be more careful with our language and ask more clearly - are we aiming for weight loss or fat loss? As they say, it starts at home, so I am going to be using fat loss more often. Because that is actually the main objective, to lose fat, especially toxic, inflammatory visceral fat. But how do we do it? Is it lifestyle medicine or the new GLP-1 agonists or a combination? To explore that and more, I talk to metabolic health expert Dr Saremi.

Dr. Adonis Saremi, MD is a triple board-certified expert in Obesity Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Clinical Informatics, with a Master’s in Applied Physiology and medical licensure in California. He completed his residency at UC San Diego and has served as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Irvine, as well as a consultant for the Medical Board of California. Combining deep clinical expertise with digital innovation, Dr. Saremi specializes in personalized metabolic care and weight management. He serves on the Clinician Council of the American Telemedicine Association and offers concierge-level telemedicine and in-home consultations in San Diego, including tailored strategies for healthy aging and prescription weight loss support.

Contact:

Website - https://adonissaremimd.com

Join us as we explore:

• Defining metabolic health, cardio-metabolic health, metabolic lifestyle philosophy and the most important metabolic health data points.
• GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic, is it “cheating”, fat loss vs weight loss, safety profile, positive side effects, oral vs injections, effect on bone mineral density and if they are for everyone.
• The significant risk of visceral fat, VO2 max, steps, sarcopenia and excess cardio on bone health.
• Defining your why, using data to motivate you, SMART goals and the main obstacles preventing people from hitting their fat loss goals as well as the best supplements to fire up fat loss metabolism.

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Dr Mary Mina is the first dermatologist I have had on the show. Why? Because I am recently seeing more and more skin disease. What I value about Dr Mina is her simplified, no frill approach yet holistic approach to skin health. Because as she says - skin health is the same as full body health.

Dr. Mary Alice Mina is a board-certified dermatologist on a mission to cut through the noise and help women feel amazing in their skin again. After decades in clinic, she took her expertise online to offer trusted, no-fluff education and skin strategies that actually work. No filters. No fear tactics. Just science, simplicity, and a little fun! Whether you’re dealing with breakouts, battling “crepey neck” syndrome, or just trying to figure out what the heck you actually need—you’re in the right place. Dr. Mina created The Skin Real for women like you: smart, curious, and done wasting time (and money) on skincare that overpromises and underdelivers.

Contact:

Website - https://www.theskinreal.com

Socials:
Instagram

YouTube

Medium

Join us as we explore:

• The rise of inflammatory triggered skin diseases, more skin cancer and why skin health is the same as full body health.
• Retinoids, peptides, exosomes, fillers, growth factor and why some of the skin care products are still the classics. 
• The skin care hierarchy - the absolute must dos, the cutting-edge niche biohacks and the fancy stuff that isn’t good bang for your buck.
• An in depth back and forth about sunscreen/suncream.
• Dr Mina’s actual daily skin care routine.
• The skin microbiome, skin during perimenopause and whether your face skin should sweat?

Mentions:

Guide - Perimenopause, https://www.theskinreal.com/perimenopause-hormones-and-the-truth-about-midlife-skin/

Support the show

Follow Steve's socials:

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Longevity is having a moment, from Bryan Johnson to glossy Netflix docs like Don’t Die, there’s a lot of glitz and glam in and around the longevity space. But that also means there’s a lot of bs and bluster. My guest, Dr. Elizabeth Yurth, brings decades of clinical wisdom and a grounded, science-first approach to living longer.

Dr. Yurth is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Boulder Longevity Institute, providing “Tomorrow’s Medicine Today” since 2006. She earned her MD from the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine, completed her residency at UC Irvine, and a fellowship in Sports and Spine Medicine at Stanford-affiliated SOAR. With over 30 years as an orthopedist, she’s on a mission to teach how to heal and thrive at the cellular level.

Contact:

Website - https://boulderlongevity.com/about/dr-elizabeth-yurth/

Join us as we explore:

• The hierarchy of importance when it comes to longevity, where to start, your most important longevity biomarker and what is overhyped.
• A deep dive into hormonal health - why testosterone is critical in women, the impact of birth control, TRT, the risks of supraphysiological dosing and if peptides have a place.
• Hard vs soft plaque and the most critical cardiovascular scan you are NOT doing.
• The most important cancer signaling marker you have never heard of!
• The most cutting-edge and diagnostic tools for cancer, cardiovascular disease  and neurodegenerative disease available to the public today. 

Mentions:

Resource - Human Optimization Academy, https://bli.academy 

Education - Labs 101, https://bli.academy/labs-101/ 

Person - Dr Eric Verdin,  https://www.buckinstitute.org/lab/verdin-lab/

Product - HUME Scale, https://humehealth.com/ 

Diagnostic - Cleerly, https://cleerlyhealth.com 

Diagnostic - Galleri, https://www.galleri.com 

Diagnostic - WAVI, https://wavimed.com

Person - Dr Dayan Goodenowe, https://drgoodenowe.com

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

How often do you see your best friend? Once a week? Once a month? And what would it take to see them every single day? What would that mean to your life and do to your health? The strength of the pack is in its togetherness, yet we are living in a grind culture of lone wolves. Today’s guest was a lone wolf himself but now coaches connection through his Agoge tribe community because it was only when Nick Koumalatsos stopped being “salty” and reached out for community did his life begin to flourish.

Nick Koumalatsos is a versatile entrepreneur, accomplished fitness advocate, author, and a veteran Marine Raider. He is the co-founder of Johnny Slicks, a brand renowned for its high-quality, organic grooming products for men, and primary partner of Core Medical Group, a leading provider of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). In the fitness and coaching industry, Nick leads Agoge, a transformative coaching company. Agoge's mission is to empower individuals to reach their personal and professional goals, promoting a holistic approach that encompasses physical fitness, mental strength, and personal development. He is also the author of "Excommunicated Warrior: 7 Stages of Transition," an insightful book that provides guidance on overcoming personal challenges. 

Contact:

Website - https://nickkoumalatsos.com 

Join us as we explore:

• The community crisis of men, why Nick founded the Agoge tribe, why the strength of the pack is in numbers and why men are painfully “SALTY”.
• NIck’s four phase transformation process, and how mindset and belief is at the core to transformation. 
• Why when things go sideways, it’s the most important time to anchor into good habits and your community.
• Why “who” is the deepest question to ask, and why “who” is very different to “what”.
• The danger of “grind culture”, and why all forms of success need a rock-solid foundation to be built upon.

Mentions:

Book - Outwitting the Devil, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10713286-outwitting-the-devil 

Book - 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63338662-10x-is-easier-than-2x 

Support the show

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

It’s people like Alex who are pushing and will continue to push the future of medicine and healthcare. Because of his curious and exploratory mind, Alex refused to accept his diagnosis as chronically sick and thought differently about possible solutions. Many years later, he is the foremost pioneer of the use and delivery of hydrogen to optimize human health, from catalyzing metabolic health to working synergistically to enhance already established treatments.

Alex Tarnava is a self-taught scientist, inventor, and author whose work sits at the intersection of biomedical innovation, sovereign health, and philosophical disruption. He is the inventor of the world’s only open-cup molecular hydrogen tablet—a patented delivery system that has become the most studied and widely adopted form of hydrogen therapy globally. The technology has been used in more than 21 published clinical trials and has helped catalyze a new wave of research into the therapeutic potential of molecular hydrogen.

Contact:

Website - https://alextarnava.com

Website - https://hydrogenwatertablets.com 

Join us as we explore:

• How a mystery virus changed Alex’s life forever, sending him on a search for anything that would reverse the chronic inflammation ravaging his body - and he found hydrogen.
• How hydrogen water works biologically, how it creates cellular homeostasis and can even modulate hunger hormones.
• How much hydrogen do you need, the conditions its most effective for, the best ways to take it, how we produce it endogenously (and therefore how to produce more naturally) and why it is NOT an antioxidant.
• Why Alex needed to invent and develop his own delivery methods and machines to ensure safe and effective hydrogen delivery.

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Too toxic for the dump but just fine for your mouth. Yes, that’s the logic of mainstream dentistry. But things are changing. As doctors Ben and Shawn Javid from Smilebody in LA testify, their practice is booming because people from far and wide want to find another way, a holistic, technology driven approach to oral health. Because oral health is the start of all health, from heart disease to your gut. 

Dr. Ben and Dr. Shawn Javid are the co-founders of Smilebody, a holistic dental and medical wellbeing practice, who are on a mission to transform dentistry as the pathway to overall wellness. They are advocates for ethics and quality dentistry with a focus on biological and functional full-mouth rehabilitation.  Dr. Ben Javid is a biological dentist is passionate about health, vitality, and longevity, who has  pursued extensive continuing education in cosmetic dentistry, sedation, implants, orthodontics, Invisalign, and sleep medicine, earning Diplomate status with the American Sleep and Breathing Academy. Recognized as one of “America’s Top Dentists” since 2007 and named among Los Angeles Magazine’s “Top Dentists of 2021”. Dr. Shawn Javid is also a biological dentist with a deep expertise in cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, sleep medicine, and integrative biological protocols, and he operates with a philosophy that the mouth is the gateway to systemic health. He is known for leading a wellness-centered clinic that offers advanced diagnostics, biologically compatible treatments, and a range of holistic services like safe implant work, detox-oriented therapies, and whole-person care. 

Contact:

Website - https://mysmilebody.com/about/

Join us as we explore:

• Why Ben and Shawn’s biological dentistry practice is exploding, with patients flying in from all over the world to work with a holistic oral health philosophy.
• The lunacy of regulating that mercury filings are too toxic for the environment but still perfectly acceptable for human mouths, and why Smilebody uses specific high tech safety equipment  to remove mercury amalgams.
• The top 5 ways to avoid cavities, and no, it’s far more than brushing and flossing!
• Bruxing, fringing, clenching - the difference, why people do it and how to build back the bite the biological dentistry way.

Mentions:

Person - Westen A Price, https://www.westonaprice.org

Product - iTero, https://itero.com

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/

Are you reading the ingredients in your skin creams, shampoos and soaps? If you are not, you need to start because the toxic compounds in everyday personal products are disrupting your hormonal health and creating the conditions for diseases like cancer. But it’s not only the products, it’s our mindset and beliefs - our spiritual health. That’s why Dr Cates approaches skin health and hormonal harmony from both the inside-out and the outside-in. 

Dr. Trevor Cates is a licensed naturopathic physician with over 24 years of experience specializing in women’s health. After overcoming her own childhood health struggles, she pursued an integrative approach to medicine and became the first woman licensed as a naturopathic doctor in California, later relocating her practice to Utah. While serving patients at the Waldorf Astoria Spa in Park City, she recognized that healing extends beyond the physical body, inspiring her to earn a master’s degree in spiritual psychology. This combination of training enables her to guide women in balancing hormones, restoring health, and reconnecting with their true nature. To reach women beyond the one-on-one clinical setting, Dr. Cates created the Hormones, Health & Harmony 9-part documentary series, the PBS special Younger Skin From Within, and The Woman’s Doctor Podcast. She is also the author of two bestselling books, Clean Skin From Within and Natural Beauty Reset. 

Contact:

Website - https://drtrevorcates.com

Join us as we explore:

• Everything we are getting wrong about skin care - from the products we use, the way we use them, why the most important skin care “product” is not one at all and more skin care myths busted.
• Cr Cates inside-out approach to holistic health, why she prefers to focus on the do’s versus the dont’s and why skin issues are misunderstood to be topical issues not systemic symptoms.
• Leaky skin - why it happens, tell tale signs, blocking agents, the skin microbiome and consequences like eczema.
• What nourishes your skin and makes it healthy and beautiful, and what to avoid eating to avoid skin challenges.
• The concept of legacy medicine and why spiritual psychology allowed Dr Cates to understand why so many of her patients were unable to make certain steps to get better.

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Support the show on Patreon:

As much as we love doing it, there are costs involved and any contribution will allow us to keep going and keep finding the best guests in the world to share their health expertise with you. I’d be grateful and feel so blessed by your support: https://www.patreon.com/MadeToThriveShow

Send me a WhatsApp to +27 64 871 0308.

Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our content: https://madetothrive.co.za/terms-and-conditions-and-privacy-policy/