What if burnout, inflammation, and "doing everything right" but still feeling awful isn't a failure—just a missing map? In this episode of Unconventional Life, host Jules Schroeder sits down with functional medicine expert, genetic strategist, and stand-up comic Dr. Sam Shay. Together, they unpack why health optimization breaks down during major life transitions, how functional medicine bridges data and lived experience, and why inflammation, genetics, and nervous system load are often the real root issues.

This episode is for anyone navigating midlife transitions, chronic symptoms, or energy crashes—and it matters because without a roadmap, even the best tools won't get you where you're trying to go.

• Functional medicine vs. Western medicine: crisis care vs. optimization

• Why biohacking fails without a personalized roadmap

• The "10 Pillars of Health" framework for chronic → optimal health

• Genetics, nutrigenomics, and inflammation patterns

• Mold, Lyme, Epstein-Barr, and opportunistic infections

• Neurodivergence, sensory overload, and chronic stress

• Why inflammation is adaptive—and when it becomes destructive

• Using labs + lifestyle together for true holistic care

• Health freedom is the missing "fifth freedom" of success

• Inflammation is not the enemy—it's context-dependent

• Genetics don't determine destiny, but they do determine strategy

• Treating symptoms without addressing terrain leads to burnout cycles

• Sustainable vitality requires both data and lived-awareness

Episode Chapters

0:00 – 3:45 | Why Health Needs a Map (Not More Hacks) Dr. Sam Shay introduces his work in functional medicine, biohacking skepticism, and the missing roadmap problem—especially during major life transitions.

3:45 – 8:10 | Autoimmune Illness, Epstein-Barr & "Doing Everything Right" Jules shares her autoimmune journey, reactivated Epstein-Barr, and the frustration of chronic illness without clear direction.

8:10 – 12:30 | Functional Medicine Explained: Crisis vs. Optimization A breakdown of Western medicine vs. functional medicine, triage vs. vitality, and why misuse of medical toolkits causes confusion.

12:30 – 18:45 | The 10 Pillars of Health & Why Protocol-Hopping Fails Dr. Sam introduces his "10 Pillars of Health" framework and explains why most people stay stuck despite trying everything.

18:45 – 26:10 | Genetics, Inflammation & Personalized Health Strategy Deep dive into nutrigenomics, inflammation patterns, mitochondrial health, and why genes determine strategy—not destiny.

26:10 – 35:30 | Neurodivergence, Sensory Overload & Chronic Stress Exploring Asperger's, hypersensitivity, inflammation, and how nervous system overload contributes to chronic illness.

35:30 – 45:05 | Comedy, Care & Living the Unconventional Life Dr. Sam shares how humor became advocacy, rapid-fire insights on care and service, and what it truly means to live an unconventional life.

• Dr. Sam Shay: "Toolkits are useless without a map."

• Dr. Sam Shay: "Western medicine stabilizes crisis—functional medicine builds vitality."

• Jules Schroeder: "It's not about being somewhere else, it's about meeting the full range of where you are."

• Website & Programs: https://drsamshay.com/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrSamShay

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsamshay/?hl=en

• Unconventional Life: https://www.unconventionallifeshow.com/

• Website: https://julesschroeder.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julesschroederlife/

Stay unconventional—and remember: optimization starts with understanding the terrain.

If this episode helped you rethink your health, follow, like, and share it with someone who's stuck in survival mode and needs a clearer path forward.

What if the life you want isn't something you earn after success—but something you design first? In this deeply personal sisters episode, Unconventional Life host Jules Schroeder sits down with her sisters Raya Slavin and Mary Schroeder to unpack identity, money, magnetism, and lifestyle freedom.

This conversation is for creatives, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who feel stuck between who they are and what they're "allowed" to want. It matters because freedom isn't just financial—it's nervous-system safe, identity-aligned, and built to last.

• The "starving artist" myth and how it quietly shapes identity

• Identity + income collisions and why visibility feels unsafe

• Nervous system regulation as a prerequisite for sustainable success

• Designing lifestyle first, then building business backward

• Magnetism, congruence, and authentic branding

• Lifestyle freedom vs. hustle culture

• The role of family, community, and creative support

• The origin and mission of Pink Lemon Agency

• Desire is not indulgent—it's information and fuel

• Strategy without nervous-system safety leads to burnout

• Lifestyle freedom looks different for everyone

• Visibility becomes possible when identity and income integrate

• Sustainable success requires structures for fulfillment, not just growth

Episode Chapters

0:00 – 3:10 | Sisterhood, Origins & the Birth of Unconventional Life Jules welcomes her sisters, reflects on nearly a decade of Unconventional Life, and sets the tone for a family-rooted conversation about creativity, business, and evolution.

3:10 – 6:05 | The Starving Artist Myth & Identity Conditioning Mary shares her journey as a circus artist and how internalized beliefs around money, art, and worth quietly shaped her identity and visibility.

6:05 – 10:20 | Choosing Safety Over Self-Expression (and the Cost of It) Raya explores growing up with "safe career" expectations, suppressing creative desires, and how early web design work with Jules Schroeder opened a new path.

10:20 – 14:00 | Magnetism, Congruence & Authentic Branding The sisters unpack what makes a brand magnetic in a saturated world—and why congruence, family, and creative alignment matter more than tactics.

14:00 – 17:40 | Lifestyle Freedom vs. Hustle Culture A deep dive into designing life before business, reversing the grind-first model, and redefining success beyond money and optics.

17:40 – 24:55 | Nervous System, Visibility & the Zone of Turbulence Identity meets income as they discuss nervous system regulation, fear of being seen, charging for gifts, and learning to hold expansion without collapsing.

24:55 – 40:30 | The Business of Being You & Riding the Wave From handstands and toilet paper rolls to surfing metaphors and legacy-building, the episode culminates in a call to act, trust timing, and live an aligned, unconventional life.

💬 One-Liner Quotes

• Mary Schroeder: "Desire is the most powerful current and currency we have."

• Raya Slavin: "Visibility is safe when it's free—charging brings identity online."

• Jules Schroeder: "What if you engineered your lifestyle first and built the business backward?"

Connect with the Schroeder Sisters

Jules Schroeder:

• Unconventional Life: https://www.unconventionallifeshow.com/

• Website: https://julesschroeder.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julesschroederlife/

• Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/45Q1AQ3E07ssLZUPYPHfWJ

Raya Slavin:

• Website: https://rayaslavin.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayaslavindesign/

Mary Schroeder:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourbossbody/

• Learn to handstand: @learntohandstand

Brent Kesler is founder of The Money Multiplier and creator of the TMM Method, a 200-year wealth strategy used by 17,000+ clients. After paying off $984,711 in debt in 39 months, he now teaches families and entrepreneurs to build tax-free liquidity, control, and legacy wealth—outside Wall Street.

• Website: thttps://themoneymultiplier.com

• Email: [email protected]

• Watch: Brent's 90-minute presentation

• Bonus: Follow Hannah Kesler's show — The Money Multiplier Podcast

Adam Roa is an internationally recognized artist, poet, and transformational coach who bridges creativity, personal development, and consciousness. His viral poem "You Are Who You've Been Looking For" has reached over 250 million people, making it the most viewed live poetry performance in history. As a keynote speaker, he has shared the stage at global events such as TEDx, Oslo Freedom Forum, and Mindvalley. Through his workshops, courses, and coaching—where clients have paid up to $1M for personalized mentorship—Adam helps individuals and organizations unlock authentic confidence, creative expression, and deeper connection. His long-awaited book of poetry, Crazy Love, is scheduled for release in February 2026.

Connect with Adam:

• Website: adamroa.com

• Instagram: @adamroa

• Book waitlist: adamroa.com/crazylove

• Ted Talk: Click here to watch

Ronit Menashe & Vida Delrahim are best friends and co-founders of WeNatal, the first prenatal designed for both women and men. Former Nike executives, they turned personal loss into a mission—redefining fertility as a shared, empowered journey.

Connect with WeNatal:

• Website: https://wenatal.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/we_natal/

Inna Segal is a global healing expert and bestselling author of The Secret Language of Your Body, translated into 27 languages. After years of illness and loss, she pioneered a body-based approach to healing that helps people transform pain into awareness and lasting change.

Connect with Inna:

• Website: https://www.innasegal.com/
• Free Masterclass: https://ww.innasegal.com/uncoveredmasterclass/
• Instagram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/innasegalauthor/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/innasegalauthor/

Thais Gibson, PhD, is a best-selling author, researcher, and founder of The Personal Development School. Creator of Integrated Attachment Theory™, she helps people reprogram subconscious patterns to heal relationships, self-worth, and emotional resilience.

Connect with Thais:

• Website: personaldevelopmentschool.com

• Instagram: @thepersonaldevelopmentschool

• YouTube: Thais Gibson – Personal Development School

Lauren Salaun is a transformational coach, somatic healer, and host of the Amplify podcast. She helps high-achieving women regulate their nervous systems, embody feminine energy, and create aligned success in love, life, and business.

Connect with Lauren:

• Website: https://www.laurensalaun.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurensalaun/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurensalaun/
• Podcast: Amplify

Tom Szaky is the founder & CEO of TerraCycle and Loop, two groundbreaking platforms turning the global waste crisis on its head. A refugee-turned-entrepreneur, Tom has spent 25 years redefining how we recycle, reuse, and rethink consumption worldwide.

• Website: https://www.terracycle.com

• Instagram: @terracycle

• Loop: https://loopstore.com

• Books: Available on Amazon and major retailers

Steve Griggs is a New York–based landscape designer and author of Straight Dirt, known for transforming backyards, rooftops, and estates into lifestyle-driven outdoor sanctuaries. A two-time Inc. 5000 honoree, he blends engineering, plant science, and artistry to create spaces that tell your story.

• Website: https://stevegriggsdesign.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevegriggsdesign/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SteveGriggsDesign

• Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/stevegriggsdsgn

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ3rPHh3yC3FgzQ_nw9xenw

• Houzz: https://www.houzz.com/pro/stevegriggsdesign/stevegriggsdesign-com