Cold exposure is one of the simplest tools to improve discipline, resilience, and immune function, but most people quit because they don’t know how to do it properly. In this episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down his exact step-by-step cold shower protocol, including how to use breathwork to make the cold tolerable, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to train your brain to lean into discomfort instead of avoiding it. This is not about shock value. It is about building discipline, reducing inflammation, improving stress tolerance, and strengthening your immune response in a safe and repeatable way.

In This Episode

- Why cold exposure goes far beyond fat loss or “toughness”

- The discipline benefits of activating your anterior mid-cingulate cortex

- How breathwork changes your physiological response to cold

- A detailed 5-step cold shower protocol

- Why you should never skip the base-of-the-neck exposure

- Safety guidelines for Wim Hof style breathing

- How to avoid lightheadedness and blackouts

- Why commitment for five days changes everything

- How cold exposure may improve inflammation and immune resilience

- The mental trigger that means you must do it that day

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

Fasting is not just about weight loss. In this episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down what actually happens inside your body when you stop eating. He explains the metabolic switch from glucose to fat, the rise in ketones, and why hitting the 72-hour mark unlocks autophagy, your body’s built-in cellular cleanup system. From reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity to increasing natural stem cell production, fasting can act as a powerful metabolic reset. Dr. Hines also shares why he often prefers a fasting-mimicking approach over water-only fasting, especially to protect muscle and hormone balance.

In This Episode

-- Why fasting is more than calorie restriction

-- The 12 to 24 hour metabolic shift explained

-- When ketones rise and why that matters

-- What autophagy is and why it’s a cellular superpower

-- The connection between fasting, inflammation, and stem cells

-- How fasting supports metabolic health and insulin sensitivity

-- Why Dr. Hines recommends fasting mimicking over water-only fasts

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down the consistent patterns he sees in people who heal well: they protect their sleep, keep moving (even if modified), track their daily activity, focus on progress instead of pain, stay consistent with treatment, and view pain as information rather than danger. Most importantly, they approach recovery with curiosity and ownership instead of fear. These small shifts compound into dramatically better outcomes.

In This Episode

-- Why sleep is a non-negotiable for tissue repair

-- How modified movement speeds up recovery

-- The power of tracking steps during healing

-- Why focusing on pain can slow progress

-- How consistency compounds healing results

-- The link between fear of movement and poor outcomes

-- Why curiosity beats catastrophizing in recovery

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this mini episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down one of the most consistent findings in neurodegenerative research: low glutathione levels in the brain are strongly associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Rather than focusing on genes or medications, this conversation highlights the role of oxidative stress, inflammation, and the brain’s heavy oxygen demand and why glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, is so critical for long-term brain health.

Dr. Hines explains where glutathione acts in the brain, why levels decline, and how supporting glutathione may play a protective role, especially for those with a family history of neurodegenerative disease.

Topics Covered:

-- Why glutathione is called the body’s master antioxidant
-- The brain’s high oxygen use and oxidative stress burden
-- Glutathione depletion in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
-- The role of glutathione in inflammation and cellular cleanup
-- Different ways to support glutathione levels
-- Why this matters for long-term brain and nervous system health

🎧 Tune in to understand why antioxidant support, especially glutathione, may be one of the most overlooked pieces of brain health and aging.

LINKS

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

Join me for a very special episode of the Pain & Performance Podcast...Episode 200!!! This has been an amazing journey with ups and downs but I can't explain how thankful I am for you and this community. Y'all are amazing. On this episode I'm sharing my lessons from 200 episodes of the Pain & Performance Podcast. We'll talk nutrition, science, research, technology, mindset, motivation and much more! 

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this episode of the Pain and Performance Podcast, Dr. Derrick Hines sits down with coach, Olympic weightlifter, and author Jerzy Gregorek to discuss why long-term health depends less on motivation and more on daily discipline.

The conversation centers on how small, consistent choices compound over time. Jerzy explains why hard choices made early make life easier later, and how avoiding discomfort leads to physical decline, loss of strength, and reduced resilience as we age.

They explore aging through the lens of performance and lifestyle medicine, challenging the idea that getting weaker, slower, or more fragile is inevitable. Jerzy outlines how mindset, training consistency, and personal responsibility shape how well we move, recover, and function over decades.

If you are struggling to stay consistent, feel weaker than you used to, or want a clearer framework for aging with strength and purpose, this episode offers a grounded and practical perspective.

Topics Covered

Why discipline matters more than motivation
How daily choices shape long-term health
The difference between aging and deterioration
Why strength and resilience decline without structure
Mindset and its role in recovery and consistency
The importance of mentorship in health and training
How community reinforces long-term habits
Principles behind The Happy Body framework
Choosing responsibility over convenience

🎧 Tune in to understand how making harder choices today can lead to a stronger, healthier, and more capable future.

Links:

DERRICK
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

JERZY
Website:
https://thehappybody.com/

In this mini episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down the four foundational pillars that determine long-term physical health and performance. Instead of chasing a single “magic fix,” this episode explains why true health is built by balancing multiple systems working together.

Dr. Hines walks through mobility, strength, stability, and cardiovascular capacity, and explains how being deficient in even one of these areas can lead to pain, injury, and stalled progress. This episode offers a simple framework to audit your current routine and identify the weakest link holding you back.

If you’ve been training consistently but still feel limited, fatigued, or injury-prone, this episode will help you see what’s missing.

Topics Covered:

-- The four pillars of physical health: mobility, strength, stability, and cardio
-- Why no single pillar works in isolation
-- How imbalance leads to pain, breakdown, and injury
-- The most commonly neglected pillar in training programs
-- Simple ways to audit your current routine
-- How to prioritize the area you’re avoiding or undertraining

🎧 Tune in to understand how building all four pillars together creates stronger, more resilient, long-lasting physical health.

LINKS

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this mini episode, Dr. Derrick Hines explains why most health goals don’t fail because of lack of motivation, but because people rely on motivation instead of systems and identity.

This conversation reframes goal setting away from willpower and New Year’s resolutions, and toward building simple systems and repeating behaviors until they become part of who you are. Dr. Hines breaks down why consistency beats motivation every time, and how identity-based habits dramatically increase long-term success.

If you’ve ever started strong and fallen off weeks later, this episode explains exactly why, and what actually needs to change.

Topics Covered:

-- Why motivation always fades
-- The role of systems in long-term success
-- How identity shapes daily decisions
-- Why consistency matters more than intensity
-- Turning goals into habits that stick
-- How to build momentum instead of relying on willpower

🎧 Tune in to learn how to stop restarting your health goals and start building habits that last.

LINKS

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this mini episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down what regenerative therapy actually means and why most injuries never fully heal with traditional, scar-based approaches.

This episode explains the difference between scar tissue repair and true tissue regeneration, and walks through the essential steps the body needs to rebuild healthy, native-like tissue. Dr. Hines outlines why chronic injuries stall, how regenerative therapies restart the healing signal, and why stacking the right tools matters more than any single treatment.

If you’ve ever wondered why old injuries keep resurfacing or why rehab, injections, or surgery didn’t fully resolve the problem, this episode offers a clearer framework for how deep healing actually happens.

Topics Covered:

-- The difference between scar-based healing and true tissue regeneration
 -- Why chronic injuries stop healing over time
 -- The six requirements for regenerating healthy tissue
 -- How regenerative therapies restart the healing signal
 -- The role of environment, energy, blood flow, and activity in recovery
 -- Why missing one piece can stall healing completely

🎧 Tune in to understand how regenerative therapy works, why it’s not magic, and how it can fundamentally change the way your body heals.

LINKS

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick

In this mini episode, Dr. Derrick Hines breaks down why real consistency has nothing to do with perfection or constant motivation, and everything to do with identity.

This episode explains how habits stick when they become part of who you are, not when they rely on willpower or flawless execution. Dr. Hines explores the idea of “casting votes” for the person you want to become, why missing a day isn’t failure, and how quickly getting back on track matters more than intensity or perfection.

If you’ve struggled with starting strong but falling off, this episode offers a clearer, more sustainable way to think about habits, healing, and long-term change.

Topics Covered:

-- Why consistency is identity-based, not motivation-based
-- How small actions reinforce who you believe you are
-- Why perfection often prevents progress
-- The power of “don’t miss two days in a row”
-- How consistency drives deeper health and healing over time

🎧 Tune in to learn how building identity, not chasing motivation, leads to lasting consistency and real results.

LINKS

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@drderrick
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/derrickbhines/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@DrDerrick