Some of the key principles to creating a healthy body are the incredibly simple: eat whole foods, drink water, get quality sleep, and move your body. But if metabolic health is truly that easy, why are so many of our citizens struggling with excess body fat, insulin resistance, and chronic illness? The answer to this question is complex, but one major contributing factor at play is the deception in food marketing. 

The best way to navigate deceptive terms and strategies is to educate yourself, and that’s what today’s guest is here to do. Max Lugavere is an author, health and science journalist, and podcaster with a mission to teach others about eating real, health-promoting foods for longevity, cognitive performance, and overall wellness. On today’s show, Max is sharing some of the commonly consumed foods that are detrimental to metabolic health. 

You’re going to hear Max’s insights on nutritional labels, how to determine the difference between healthy fats and unhealthy fats, plus three things you should seek out when you make food choices. You’ll also learn about how to fortify your health in a pandemic, how to build grit and resilience in your mind and body, and so much more. So click play, listen in, and enjoy this interview with Max Lugavere! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• Why you should avoid commercial fruit smoothies. 
• What the cephalic stage of digestion is.
• The differences in how the body digests fructose and glucose.
• Why you need to read the label on your olive oil.
• How and why processed oils are deodorized.
• The incredible health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. 
• The origins of grapeseed oil.
• Why grain and seed oils damage our mitochondria.
• How margarine is made.
• Differences between partially hydrogenated fats and fully hydrogenated fats.
• The health benefits of butter.
• How the low-fat movement of the past damaged our brain and metabolic health. 
• Why food marketing can be so confusing for consumers.
• The way your body processes the calories in whole foods vs. processed foods.
• How much sugar the average America eats per year.
• A distinction between folate and folic acid.
• Why eating while distracted can eat to a higher caloric consumption. 
• Why satiety is a key to metabolic efficiency. 
• The role hydration plays in weight loss.
• Three defining characteristics that make a food satiating.
• How discomfort creates grit.
• The importance of consuming a variety of nutrients.

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If you want to improve your metabolic health, you might turn to common methods like eating enough protein or getting a good night’s rest. I’m a big proponent of both of those strategies, but there’s another key player in this equation that doesn’t get enough attention—brown adipose tissue. 

Brown adipose tissue, or brown fat, is a distinct type of body fat that plays multiple roles in the body, including maintaining body temperature, improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic function, and more. Specifically, when it comes to metabolic health the function and responsibility of brown fat is often overlooked, but the science is fascinating. 

On today’s show, we’re taking you behind the scenes of brown adipose tissue to gain a better understanding of what it is and how it works. You’re also going to learn specific action steps you can take to influence your body’s brown fat ratios and functionality for better metabolic health. I hope this episode gives you the knowledge and tools you need to improve your health and reach your goals. Enjoy! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• A distinction between brown fat and white fat.
• The main function of brown fat (and why infants have high levels of this fat).
• What gives brown fat its brown color. 
• The link between brown fat levels and metabolic function.
• What beige fat is and how it works.
• Where brown fat is located in the body. 
• What themogenin is and how it works.
• The surprising role that brown fat plays in an obese body.
• How brown fat impacts the endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune system.
• The effects cold exposure has on brown adipose tissue activation.
• How long-term mild cold exposure can stimulate brown fat growth.
• Which foods are helpful in influencing the activity of brown adipose tissue. 
• The connection between dietary cholesterol and body fat.
• How (and why) to incorporate sea vegetables into your diet.
• The importance of consuming essential fatty acids. 
• How exercise can increase the production of brown fat.

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Obesity is a prevalent and growing epidemic in the United States and worldwide, and it’s also a major contributor to other chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. At this time in history, when we have the best technology and more knowledge than ever before, how can it be that our citizens are fatter and sicker than ever? 

Something is clearly wrong with our approach to treating obesity, and today we’re going to dive into what that is. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is the world’s leading expert in Muscle-Centric Medicine, a revolutionary approach to improving muscular health through a protein-rich diet, exercise, and lifestyle shifts. Her protocol teaches muscle optimization for body composition, vitality, and overall long-term health. 

This episode contains mind-blowing conversations on the power of dietary protein, and why it’s been demonized in our culture. We’re going to talk about why building muscle is the key to many of our common ailments, plus dietary tips you can implement to optimize your macronutrient ratios. We can all agree that there’s a huge flaw in our current paradigm to treating obesity and other chronic illnesses, and Dr. Lyon is here to create change. So listen in, take good notes, and enjoy this episode of The Model Health Show. 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The shocking results of eating a high protein breakfast vs. a high carbohydrate breakfast.
• What Muscle-Centric Medicine is, and why it matters.
• Why muscle mass is an underrepresented factor in obesity outcomes.
• The role that skeletal muscle plays in the development of chronic illnesses.
• How body weight and brain function are interconnected. 
• What myokines are and how they’re released in the body. 
• The effects that skeletal muscle has on immune system function.
• Why our solutions to the obesity epidemic are not working.
• Where insulin resistance begins in the body.
• What you need to know about protein consumption as you age. 
• The definition of sarcopenia, and how to combat it with your diet.
• General guidelines for calculating your protein intake. 
• How the thermic effect of food works.
• The role skeletal muscle plays in glucose regulation. 
• A huge misconception behind cancer development and protein consumption.
• The truth about eating red meat. 
• How gluconeogenesis works.
• Ways to improve your cardiovascular health. 
• The link between dietary protein and immune health.
• A comparison between plant-based proteins and animal-based foods. 
• What collagen does in the body (and what it can’t do!) 
• Why you should start and end your day with protein-rich meals. 

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Over the past few years, intermittent fasting has made headlines as a popular diet trend. While fasting can certainly create impressive weight loss results, it also has a wide range of benefits that go beyond body composition. Intermittent fasting has been proven to reduce inflammation, improve metabolic function, and aid in the prevention of multiple chronic illnesses. 

On this compilation episode of The Model Health Show, you’re going to hear from some of the world’s foremost experts on fasting, like Dr. Amy Shah, Dr. Will Cole, Ori Hofmekler, Dr. Jason Fung, and other knowledgeable experts. You’re going to learn about the history of fasting, special considerations for women, how fasting can help you burn body fat and prevent cancer, and so much more.

This episode is full of proven insights and science-backed tips on how you can include fasting in your routine for better health, no matter where you are on your health journey. We’re going to talk about the powerful benefits of circadian rhythm fasting, how fasting can make you more metabolically flexible, and how smart fasting can even improve your brain health and longevity. I hope this episode inspires, informs, and resonates with you. Enjoy! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• What percentage of our genes operate on a circadian pattern. 
• How long you should fast to optimize your biology. 
• Considerations women should make in regards to intermittent fasting.
• The impact that fasting has on our dopamine levels.
• General recommendations for fine-tuning your fasting window. 
• How fasting can actually make your life less stressful. 
• The effects fasting has on your stress response system. 
• What fasting-mimicking foods are. 
• The number one factor in developing obesity and diabetes. 
• How metabolic flexibility can help you find peace with food.
• What the fourth macronutrient is.
• How fasting makes your stored body fat reserves more accessible.
• The connection between muscle mass and circadian nutrition. 
• How fasting impacts inflammation. 
• A link between leaky gut, autoimmunity, and fasting.
• The role fasting can play in cancer prevention. 
• How insulin levels influence common Western illnesses.
• Why eating six small meals per day is detrimental to brain health and longevity. 
• How the glymphatic system works, and why you should have a brain cleaning night.

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If you want to improve your health, one of the most important things you can do is optimize your sleep. When it comes to improving your sleep quality, there are a lot of simple, common-sense steps you can take like moderating your caffeine consumption, exercising regularly, and limiting your screen time after dark. 

But not every method for getting a better night’s rest is quite so obvious. In fact, there are some strange things that are scientifically proven to impact sleep quality that you might not have considered. On today’s show, we’re going to dive into five of these points, why they matter, and how you can utilize them to get better sleep. 

You’re going to learn about the science behind timing your meals for optimal sleep, how improving your air quality can help you sleep better, and why connecting with the earth is an essential human practice. As always, you’re going to walk away with practical and realistic strategies you can implement starting today. So listen in, take good notes, and enjoy this episode of The Model Health Show! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The link between poor sleep and heart disease. 
• How sleep deprivation can impact visceral fat accumulation. 
• Why efficient sleep cycles are so important. 
• The connection between having a food curfew and REM sleep.
• What sleep latency is and why it matters.
• How meal timing can improve sleep apnea symptoms. 
• The relationship between cortisol and melatonin. 
• Why the air quality in your bedroom matters. 
• How indoor pollutants compare to outdoor pollutants.
• Simple & effective strategies you can use to improve your air quality.
• How light exposure impacts our circadian rhythms. 
• The relationship between serotonin and melatonin.
• What sleep pressure is.
• How to reset and optimize your circadian timing system. 
• What you should know about supplementing melatonin. 
• The electrical properties of the human body.
• What earthing is and why you should incorporate it into your routine. 
• How meditation can impact your sleep cycles. 
• The connection between daytime relaxation and nighttime sleep quality.
• Why you shouldn’t work from your bed.

Items mentioned in this episode include:

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Most people know that obesity is a prevalent and pressing issue in our country today. A smaller subset of folks understand the gravity of this issue and the fact that weight issues lead to a higher susceptibility to COVID-19. Even fewer understand how obesity actually occurs or what can realistically be done to optimize our body fat ratios.

That’s why on today’s show, I’m taking you behind the scenes of body fat. We’re going to talk about how our body fat works and the various categories of fat. You’re going to hear about how excess body fat is created, and most importantly, what we can do to have a healthy amount of body fat. Specifically, we’re going to dive into realistic and clinically proven tools you can use to promote a healthy weight. 

This episode of The Model Health Show is packed with the science on body fat, insulin resistance, and metabolic health. We’re going to talk about our susceptibility to COVID-19 and why it’s more important than ever to get our communities healthier. I believe that the power to create change is in our hands, and change begins with knowledge. So listen, take good notes, and enjoy the show!  

In this episode you’ll discover:

• What body fat is and its function within the body.
• The three types of storage fat and their roles.
• Which type of fat is closely tied to insulin resistance.
• What epicardial adipose tissue is. 
• How much fat cells can expand, and what makes them grow.
• The link between body fat and environmental toxins. 
• How inflammation and fat cells are connected. 
• The three top risk factors for hospitalization from COVID-19. 
• What immunometabolism is. 
• Why poor metabolic health impacts energy production. 
• How childhood obesity rates have increased over recent decades.
• The number one contributing factor to our high rates of obesity.
• What it means to eat an insulin-optimizing diet. 
• Why strength training and cardiovascular exercise are a powerful combination.
• How sleep deprivation impacts weight loss. 

Items mentioned in this episode include:

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Now more than ever is a time for us to focus on full-body health. Every decision we make has the potential to impact our brains, our immune function, and our gut health. Everything from the air we breathe to the food we eat has an influence on our incredible bodies. 

And at a time when so many of our citizens are suffering from diseases like obesity, diabetes, and even viral infections, we need to get to the bottom of our underlying health issues. And if there’s anyone I trust when it comes to finding a root cause, it’s Dr. Alejandro Junger. Dr. Junger is a pioneering cardiologist, a New York Times Bestselling Author, and the creator of the Clean Program. He’s back on The Model Health Show to share profound insights on body fat, inflammation, and gut health. 

You’re going to learn about why so many of our common ailments are simply survival mechanisms and what we can do to help our bodies thrive. We’re diving into conversations on the link between systemic inflammation and gut health, the importance of high-quality foods, and how you can build your resilience to create a healthier body. I hope you enjoy this interview with the amazing Dr. Alejandro Junger! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• How a buildup of toxins can lead to an accumulation of body fat. 
• What a lipophilic toxin is. 
• How fatty liver disease occurs. 
• Why our modern-day diseases are actually survival mechanisms.
• The problem with our food system. 
• Four important components of the gut. 
• Why gut health and immune health are interconnected.
• The purpose of inflammation in the body.
• How COVID-19, systemic inflammation, and chronic illnesses are linked.
• Actionable ways to support your liver. 
• What types of foods we should be eating.
• How our medical system hurts both patients and physicians.
• The two types of energy in the body.
• How digestion can impact sleep patterns. 
• Why ambition and digestion are inversely related. 
• Simple habits you can implement to become more resilient. 
• Why getting outside of your comfort zone is essential.
• The connection between a diverse diet and a diverse microbiome.
• How being present can change your life. 

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Fear, anxiety, and worry are natural human emotions that we all experience from time to time. However, perpetual and excessive fear have become prevalent in our society. Prolonged stress can suppress the immune system, ramp up inflammation levels, negatively impact sleep quality and so many other essential functions in the body. 

Now more than ever, we need tools help us navigate our fear and anxiety. That’s why I put together this compilation episode with some of the world’s foremost experts on how stress impacts the body and strategies to reframe our mindset. We need logic, composure, and empowerment more than ever, and I hope that’s what you’ll take away from today’s show. 

You’re going to learn about emotional health, and how to manage your emotions in a beneficial way. You’ll also learn about the direct impacts that stress and fear can have on the body, and how to identify and categorize your coping mechanisms. This episode is packed with expert insights, so listen in and enjoy the show! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• What emotional agility is. 
• How we can reframe our thoughts, emotions, and the stories we tell ourselves.
• Why it isn’t healthy to always be positive.
• The link between disease and stress. 
• How stress impacts the immune system. 
• Three fundamental processes that occur in your body when you’re stressed.
• An exercise for navigating fear-based newspaper headlines.
• The role that expanded awareness plays in mitigating fear.
• What anxiety actually is. 
• How the body’s stress response system works. 
• The power of listing out and categorizing your coping mechanisms.
• Why anxiety can be a self-help tool. 
• The importance of being mindful of your media diet.
• How to detach and unplug from fear-based narratives. 
• Two questions you can ask yourself to get clarity. 
• Why contribution can be an anecdote to fear. 
• The difference between healthy fear and disempowering fear. 
• Why the authority of your own conviction is so powerful. 

Items mentioned in this episode include:

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It’s no secret that the United States has a weight problem. According to CDC statistics from 2018, over 73% of American adults were overweight or obese. Even worse, thanks to increased sedentary behavior during the pandemic, these numbers don’t seem to be getting any better. 

At a time when weight issues are so prevalent, what can we do to add in healthy behaviors and reach our body composition goals? Today you’re going to learn from body transformation coach, Luka Hocevar, about seven key behaviors that lead to success in reaching your health and fitness goals. Luka has helped countless folks attain their fitness goals, and I know his tips will resonate with you. 

You’re going to learn about the four stages of changing your behavior, real tips for building your self-esteem, what an exercise routine should look like, and so much more. This episode also contains conversations on obesity rates in the age of COVID-19, our circles of influence, and how to take back control of our bodies and our minds. I hope you enjoy this interview with the one and only, Luka Hocevar! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The shocking statistics on how COVID-19 has increased childhood obesity rates.
• Why consistency is so important for weight loss.
• What cognitive restraint is.
• The four stages of changing any behavior.
• Why engaging in tracking is helpful for reaching body composition goals.
• How building your self-esteem is like a bank account.
• What your body’s set point is and how it works.
• A basic template for creating an exercise routine.
• How cardiovascular activity can lengthen your lifespan.
• The importance of acknowledging your wins on any journey.
• Why boundaries and guidance (not restriction!) can help you reach your goals.
• The role that social support plays in your success. 
• What it means to attach your goals to an anchor. 
• The three laws of commitment and how you can use them to your advantage.
• What it means to align your behavior with your goals.
• Simple nutrition rules that lead to success. 
• How to change an all or nothing mindset.

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There are many issues that can spark a heated controversy in the US, one of them being our for-profit healthcare system. Each year, our country spends $4 trillion on healthcare, yet we’re sicker than ever. When you go to the doctor with a symptom, you’ll most likely walk out of the office with a prescription to manage or suppress that symptom, instead of treating the root cause. 

This begs the question: who is this system built to serve? If the healthcare industry isn’t helping patients get healthier, what is its mission? On this episode of The Model Health Show, you’re going to hear about major problems with the US healthcare system, including the overuse of pharmaceutical drug use and the overall management of funds. 

We’re also going to be diving into reported COVID vaccine adverse effects and the problems with our reporting system. Most importantly, we’re diving into the importance of taking control of your health and why our tendency to avoid the root causes of illnesses is exacerbating our health problems. Now is a time for us to advocate for our health, and I hope you’ll join me on my mission to transform the wellness of our society. Listen in and enjoy the show! 

In this episode you’ll discover:

• The number one cause of our epidemics of heart disease, cancer & other illnesses.
• Why food plays an important role in the health of our immune function.
• How many Americans are overweight or obese.
• Why heart disease is so prevalent in the US.
• How much money is wasted yearly in the US healthcare system.
• Why we need to consider metabolic health in our conversations about COVID-19.
• The top risk factors for death from COVID-19.
• What you should know about the COVID-19 vaccine and menstrual irregularities. 
• How the VAERS database works.
• The problem with gender bias in our healthcare system. 
• Which pharmaceutical company paid out the largest healthcare fraud settlement.
• The importance of informed consent.
• Why having a proper control group is an essential part of a clinical trial.
• The connection between the FDA and pharmaceutical companies.
• What absolute risk reduction is. 
• The number one authority over your personal health. 

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